diff --git a/dune/common/mpihelper.hh b/dune/common/mpihelper.hh
index bf64601256f65ea3630f00fb40e1661297b8a99a..6f473b8d715f8aaa1d53467361c998fe827e4c0e 100644
--- a/dune/common/mpihelper.hh
+++ b/dune/common/mpihelper.hh
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ namespace Dune
      */
     static MPICommunicator getCommunicator()
     {
-      static MPICommunicator comm();
+      static MPICommunicator comm;
       return comm;
     }