diff --git a/src/syncevo/util.cpp b/src/syncevo/util.cpp
index cf11c7c6..86f9a8be 100644
--- a/src/syncevo/util.cpp
+++ b/src/syncevo/util.cpp
@@ -64,6 +64,10 @@
 CPPUNIT_REGISTRY_ADD_TO_DEFAULT("SyncEvolution");
 #endif
 
+template class std::basic_string<char>; // std::string
+template class std::vector<std::string>;
+template class std::list<std::string>;
+
 #include <syncevo/declarations.h>
 SE_BEGIN_CXX
 
diff --git a/src/syncevo/util.h b/src/syncevo/util.h
index fb049944..d21ed1a1 100644
--- a/src/syncevo/util.h
+++ b/src/syncevo/util.h
@@ -42,6 +42,15 @@
                                  // include it to avoid changing code using the time things
 #include <syncevo/Exception.h>   // same for Exception and SE_THROW*
 
+extern template class std::basic_string<char>; // std::string
+extern template class std::vector<std::string>;
+extern template class std::list<std::string>;
+
+// Does not work:
+// undefined reference to `std::pair<...>::pair(...)'
+// extern template struct std::pair<std::string, std::string>;
+// extern template class std::map<std::string, std::string>;
+
 #include <syncevo/declarations.h>
 SE_BEGIN_CXX