diff --git a/basebmp/test/makefile.mk b/basebmp/test/makefile.mk
index d91f51595a9a..c1ae2961106e 100644
--- a/basebmp/test/makefile.mk
+++ b/basebmp/test/makefile.mk
@@ -58,8 +58,11 @@ CFLAGS += -fno-inline
 # SunStudio 12 (-m64 and -m32 modes): three test cases of the unit tests fail
 # if compiled with default -xalias_level (and optimization level -xO3)
 .IF "$(OS)"=="SOLARIS" 
+# For Sun Studio 8 this switch does not work: compilation fails on bitmapdevice.cxx
+.IF "$(CCNUMVER)"!="00050005"
 CDEFS+=-xalias_level=compatible
 .ENDIF
+.ENDIF
 
 # --- Common ----------------------------------------------------------