diff --git a/cpp/BoostParts/CMakeLists.txt b/cpp/BoostParts/CMakeLists.txt
index 07b5585e..bb86c7d8 100644
--- a/cpp/BoostParts/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/cpp/BoostParts/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -77,6 +77,15 @@ endif()
 
 #############################################################################
 
+# Due to a bug/misconfiguration/stupidity, boost 1.52 and libc++ don't like each
+# other much: a compilation error "Constexpr function never produces a constant
+# expression" pops up when trying to compile anything that uses
+# boost/chrono/duration.hpp (namely boost/thread for us). This is a workaround
+# that prevents this from happening. Also present in cpp/ycm/CMakeLists.txt.
+# See here for more details: https://svn.boost.org/trac/boost/ticket/7671
+# TODO: remove this when it's fixed upstream (probably boost 1.53).
+add_definitions( -DBOOST_THREAD_DONT_USE_CHRONO )
+
 if( MSVC )
   # BOOST_PYTHON_SOURCE makes boost use the correct __declspec and
   # BOOST_ALL_NO_LIB turns off MSVC library autolinking