diff --git a/include/mapnik/grid/grid.hpp b/include/mapnik/grid/grid.hpp
index 1f838a2d3..708f8bddc 100644
--- a/include/mapnik/grid/grid.hpp
+++ b/include/mapnik/grid/grid.hpp
@@ -45,7 +45,6 @@
 #include <string>
 #include <cassert>
 #include <vector>
-#include <boost/integer_traits.hpp>
 
 namespace mapnik
 {
@@ -61,7 +60,7 @@ public:
     typedef std::map<value_type, lookup_type> feature_key_type;
     typedef std::map<lookup_type, value_type> key_type;
     typedef std::map<lookup_type, mapnik::feature_ptr> feature_type;
-    static const value_type base_mask = boost::integer_traits<value_type>::const_min;
+    static const value_type base_mask;
 
 private:
     unsigned width_;
diff --git a/src/build.py b/src/build.py
index 2e0e8183f..f34a067d8 100644
--- a/src/build.py
+++ b/src/build.py
@@ -260,6 +260,7 @@ if env['RUNTIME_LINK'] == "static":
 # grid backend
 source += Split(
     """
+    grid/grid.cpp
     grid/grid_renderer.cpp
     grid/process_building_symbolizer.cpp
     grid/process_line_pattern_symbolizer.cpp
diff --git a/src/grid/grid.cpp b/src/grid/grid.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ade783a7b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/grid/grid.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+/*****************************************************************************
+ *
+ * This file is part of Mapnik (c++ mapping toolkit)
+ *
+ * Copyright (C) 2012 Artem Pavlenko
+ *
+ * This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+ * modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public
+ * License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either
+ * version 2.1 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+ * Lesser General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
+ * License along with this library; if not, write to the Free Software
+ * Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA  02110-1301  USA
+ *
+ *****************************************************************************/
+
+// mapnik
+#include <mapnik/grid/grid.hpp>
+
+namespace mapnik
+{
+
+template<> const grid::value_type grid::base_mask = std::numeric_limits<int>::min();
+
+}