diff --git a/lib/astutils.cpp b/lib/astutils.cpp
index bc85cfab9..78252680e 100644
--- a/lib/astutils.cpp
+++ b/lib/astutils.cpp
@@ -738,7 +738,7 @@ std::vector<ValueType> getParentValueTypes(const Token* tok, const Settings* set
         const ValueType* vtCont = contTok->valueType();
         if (!vtCont->containerTypeToken)
             return {};
-        ValueType vtParent = ValueType::parseDecl(vtCont->containerTypeToken, *settings, true); // TODO: set isCpp
+        ValueType vtParent = ValueType::parseDecl(vtCont->containerTypeToken, *settings);
         return {std::move(vtParent)};
     }
     if (Token::Match(tok->astParent(), "return|(|{|%assign%") && parent) {
diff --git a/lib/checkclass.cpp b/lib/checkclass.cpp
index 497babe1d..29a94f024 100644
--- a/lib/checkclass.cpp
+++ b/lib/checkclass.cpp
@@ -3228,7 +3228,7 @@ void CheckClass::checkThisUseAfterFree()
         for (const Variable &var : classScope->varlist) {
             // Find possible "self pointer".. pointer/smartpointer member variable of "self" type.
             if (var.valueType() && var.valueType()->smartPointerType != classScope->definedType && var.valueType()->typeScope != classScope) {
-                const ValueType valueType = ValueType::parseDecl(var.typeStartToken(), *mSettings, true); // this is only called for C++
+                const ValueType valueType = ValueType::parseDecl(var.typeStartToken(), *mSettings);
                 if (valueType.smartPointerType != classScope->definedType)
                     continue;
             }
diff --git a/lib/checktype.cpp b/lib/checktype.cpp
index 3384bf69b..a15064122 100644
--- a/lib/checktype.cpp
+++ b/lib/checktype.cpp
@@ -437,7 +437,7 @@ void CheckType::checkFloatToIntegerOverflow()
             while (scope && scope->type != Scope::ScopeType::eLambda && scope->type != Scope::ScopeType::eFunction)
                 scope = scope->nestedIn;
             if (scope && scope->type == Scope::ScopeType::eFunction && scope->function && scope->function->retDef) {
-                const ValueType &valueType = ValueType::parseDecl(scope->function->retDef, *mSettings, mTokenizer->isCPP());
+                const ValueType &valueType = ValueType::parseDecl(scope->function->retDef, *mSettings);
                 vtfloat = tok->astOperand1()->valueType();
                 checkFloatToIntegerOverflow(tok, &valueType, vtfloat, tok->astOperand1()->values());
             }
diff --git a/lib/clangimport.cpp b/lib/clangimport.cpp
index 7b91d6c4b..2e68aaa26 100644
--- a/lib/clangimport.cpp
+++ b/lib/clangimport.cpp
@@ -630,7 +630,7 @@ void clangimport::AstNode::setValueType(Token *tok)
         if (!decl.front())
             break;
 
-        const ValueType valueType = ValueType::parseDecl(decl.front(), *mData->mSettings, true); // TODO: set isCpp
+        const ValueType valueType = ValueType::parseDecl(decl.front(), *mData->mSettings);
         if (valueType.type != ValueType::Type::UNKNOWN_TYPE) {
             tok->setValueType(new ValueType(valueType));
             break;
@@ -1545,7 +1545,7 @@ static void setValues(const Tokenizer *tokenizer, const SymbolDatabase *symbolDa
 
     for (Token *tok = const_cast<Token*>(tokenizer->tokens()); tok; tok = tok->next()) {
         if (Token::simpleMatch(tok, "sizeof (")) {
-            ValueType vt = ValueType::parseDecl(tok->tokAt(2), *settings, tokenizer->isCPP());
+            ValueType vt = ValueType::parseDecl(tok->tokAt(2), *settings);
             const int sz = vt.typeSize(settings->platform, true);
             if (sz <= 0)
                 continue;
diff --git a/lib/symboldatabase.cpp b/lib/symboldatabase.cpp
index bfc04ae73..f64caa82e 100644
--- a/lib/symboldatabase.cpp
+++ b/lib/symboldatabase.cpp
@@ -2214,12 +2214,13 @@ void Variable::evaluate(const Settings* settings)
 
     const Library * const lib = &settings->library;
 
+    // TODO: ValueType::parseDecl() is also performing a container lookup
     bool isContainer = false;
     if (mNameToken)
         setFlag(fIsArray, arrayDimensions(settings, isContainer));
 
     if (mTypeStartToken)
-        setValueType(ValueType::parseDecl(mTypeStartToken,*settings, true)); // TODO: set isCpp
+        setValueType(ValueType::parseDecl(mTypeStartToken,*settings));
 
     const Token* tok = mTypeStartToken;
     while (tok && tok->previous() && tok->previous()->isName())
@@ -2275,7 +2276,7 @@ void Variable::evaluate(const Settings* settings)
         setFlag(fIsClass, !lib->podtype(strtype) && !mTypeStartToken->isStandardType() && !isEnumType() && !isPointer() && !isReference() && strtype != "...");
         setFlag(fIsStlType, Token::simpleMatch(mTypeStartToken, "std ::"));
         setFlag(fIsStlString, ::isStlStringType(mTypeStartToken));
-        setFlag(fIsSmartPointer, lib->isSmartPointer(mTypeStartToken));
+        setFlag(fIsSmartPointer, mTypeStartToken->isCpp() && lib->isSmartPointer(mTypeStartToken));
     }
     if (mAccess == AccessControl::Argument) {
         tok = mNameToken;
@@ -3558,7 +3559,7 @@ bool Type::isDerivedFrom(const std::string & ancestor) const
 bool Variable::arrayDimensions(const Settings* settings, bool& isContainer)
 {
     isContainer = false;
-    const Library::Container* container = settings->library.detectContainer(mTypeStartToken);
+    const Library::Container* container = (mTypeStartToken && mTypeStartToken->isCpp()) ? settings->library.detectContainer(mTypeStartToken) : nullptr;
     if (container && container->arrayLike_indexOp && container->size_templateArgNo > 0) {
         const Token* tok = Token::findsimplematch(mTypeStartToken, "<");
         if (tok) {
@@ -5653,7 +5654,7 @@ const Function* SymbolDatabase::findFunction(const Token* const tok) const
             return tok1->valueType()->typeScope->findFunction(tok, tok1->valueType()->constness == 1);
         if (tok1 && Token::Match(tok1->previous(), "%name% (") && tok1->previous()->function() &&
             tok1->previous()->function()->retDef) {
-            ValueType vt = ValueType::parseDecl(tok1->previous()->function()->retDef, mSettings, mIsCpp);
+            ValueType vt = ValueType::parseDecl(tok1->previous()->function()->retDef, mSettings);
             if (vt.typeScope)
                 return vt.typeScope->findFunction(tok, vt.constness == 1);
         } else if (Token::Match(tok1, "%var% .")) {
@@ -5667,7 +5668,7 @@ const Function* SymbolDatabase::findFunction(const Token* const tok) const
         } else if (Token::simpleMatch(tok->previous()->astOperand1(), "(")) {
             const Token *castTok = tok->previous()->astOperand1();
             if (castTok->isCast()) {
-                ValueType vt = ValueType::parseDecl(castTok->next(),mSettings, mIsCpp);
+                ValueType vt = ValueType::parseDecl(castTok->next(),mSettings);
                 if (vt.typeScope)
                     return vt.typeScope->findFunction(tok, vt.constness == 1);
             }
@@ -5697,7 +5698,7 @@ const Function* SymbolDatabase::findFunction(const Token* const tok) const
     }
     // Check for constructor
     if (Token::Match(tok, "%name% (|{")) {
-        ValueType vt = ValueType::parseDecl(tok, mSettings, mIsCpp);
+        ValueType vt = ValueType::parseDecl(tok, mSettings);
         if (vt.typeScope)
             return vt.typeScope->findFunction(tok, false);
     }
@@ -6991,7 +6992,7 @@ void SymbolDatabase::setValueTypeInTokenList(bool reportDebugWarnings, Token *to
             }
 
             // Construct smart pointer
-            else if (mSettings.library.isSmartPointer(start)) {
+            else if (mIsCpp && mSettings.library.isSmartPointer(start)) {
                 ValueType valuetype;
                 if (parsedecl(start, &valuetype, mDefaultSignedness, mSettings, mIsCpp)) {
                     setValueType(tok, valuetype);
@@ -7066,7 +7067,7 @@ void SymbolDatabase::setValueTypeInTokenList(bool reportDebugWarnings, Token *to
                         }
                     }
                 }
-                if (tok->astParent() && Token::Match(tok->astOperand1(), "%name%|::")) {
+                if (mIsCpp && tok->astParent() && Token::Match(tok->astOperand1(), "%name%|::")) {
                     const Token *typeStartToken = tok->astOperand1();
                     while (typeStartToken && typeStartToken->str() == "::")
                         typeStartToken = typeStartToken->astOperand1();
@@ -7216,7 +7217,7 @@ void SymbolDatabase::setValueTypeInTokenList(bool reportDebugWarnings, Token *to
                 functionScope = functionScope->nestedIn;
             if (functionScope && functionScope->type == Scope::eFunction && functionScope->function &&
                 functionScope->function->retDef) {
-                ValueType vt = ValueType::parseDecl(functionScope->function->retDef, mSettings, mIsCpp);
+                ValueType vt = ValueType::parseDecl(functionScope->function->retDef, mSettings);
                 setValueType(tok, vt);
                 if (Token::simpleMatch(tok, "return {"))
                     setValueType(tok->next(), vt);
@@ -7314,10 +7315,10 @@ void SymbolDatabase::setValueTypeInTokenList(bool reportDebugWarnings, Token *to
     createSymbolDatabaseSetVariablePointers();
 }
 
-ValueType ValueType::parseDecl(const Token *type, const Settings &settings, bool isCpp)
+ValueType ValueType::parseDecl(const Token *type, const Settings &settings)
 {
     ValueType vt;
-    parsedecl(type, &vt, settings.platform.defaultSign == 'u' ? Sign::UNSIGNED : Sign::SIGNED, settings, isCpp);
+    parsedecl(type, &vt, settings.platform.defaultSign == 'u' ? Sign::UNSIGNED : Sign::SIGNED, settings, type->isCpp());
     return vt;
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/symboldatabase.h b/lib/symboldatabase.h
index d7c50ee7a..8b988e54a 100644
--- a/lib/symboldatabase.h
+++ b/lib/symboldatabase.h
@@ -1268,7 +1268,7 @@ public:
         originalTypeName(std::move(otn))
     {}
 
-    static ValueType parseDecl(const Token *type, const Settings &settings, bool isCpp);
+    static ValueType parseDecl(const Token *type, const Settings &settings);
 
     static Type typeFromString(const std::string &typestr, bool longType);
 
diff --git a/lib/token.cpp b/lib/token.cpp
index 5259a7d6b..6c832f3a7 100644
--- a/lib/token.cpp
+++ b/lib/token.cpp
@@ -2586,3 +2586,11 @@ Token* findLambdaEndScope(Token* tok)
 const Token* findLambdaEndScope(const Token* tok) {
     return findLambdaEndScope(const_cast<Token*>(tok));
 }
+
+bool Token::isCpp() const
+{
+    if (mTokensFrontBack && mTokensFrontBack->list) {
+        return mTokensFrontBack->list->isCPP();
+    }
+    return true; // assume C++ by default
+}
diff --git a/lib/token.h b/lib/token.h
index b17c294bd..b82326381 100644
--- a/lib/token.h
+++ b/lib/token.h
@@ -1484,6 +1484,9 @@ public:
     void setTokenDebug(TokenDebug td) {
         mImpl->mDebug = td;
     }
+
+    /** defaults to C++ if it cannot be determined */
+    bool isCpp() const;
 };
 
 Token* findTypeEnd(Token* tok);
diff --git a/lib/valueflow.cpp b/lib/valueflow.cpp
index c873f999e..ffd9c2095 100644
--- a/lib/valueflow.cpp
+++ b/lib/valueflow.cpp
@@ -760,7 +760,7 @@ static void setTokenValue(Token* tok,
         if (contains({ValueFlow::Value::ValueType::INT, ValueFlow::Value::ValueType::SYMBOLIC}, value.valueType) &&
             Token::simpleMatch(parent->astOperand1(), "dynamic_cast"))
             return;
-        const ValueType &valueType = ValueType::parseDecl(castType, *settings, true); // TODO: set isCpp
+        const ValueType &valueType = ValueType::parseDecl(castType, *settings);
         if (value.isImpossible() && value.isIntValue() && value.intvalue < 0 && astIsUnsigned(tok) &&
             valueType.sign == ValueType::SIGNED && tok->valueType() &&
             ValueFlow::getSizeOf(*tok->valueType(), settings) >= ValueFlow::getSizeOf(valueType, settings))
@@ -1095,7 +1095,7 @@ static void setTokenValueCast(Token *parent, const ValueType &valueType, const V
 
 static nonneg int getSizeOfType(const Token *typeTok, const Settings *settings)
 {
-    const ValueType &valueType = ValueType::parseDecl(typeTok, *settings, true); // TODO: set isCpp
+    const ValueType &valueType = ValueType::parseDecl(typeTok, *settings);
 
     return ValueFlow::getSizeOf(valueType, settings);
 }
@@ -1298,7 +1298,7 @@ static Token * valueFlowSetConstantValue(Token *tok, const Settings *settings, b
                 setTokenValue(tok->next(), std::move(value), settings);
             }
         } else if (!tok2->type()) {
-            const ValueType& vt = ValueType::parseDecl(tok2, *settings, true); // TODO: set isCpp
+            const ValueType& vt = ValueType::parseDecl(tok2, *settings);
             size_t sz = ValueFlow::getSizeOf(vt, settings);
             const Token* brac = tok2->astParent();
             while (Token::simpleMatch(brac, "[")) {
@@ -4765,7 +4765,7 @@ static bool isContainerOfPointers(const Token* tok, const Settings* settings)
         return true;
     }
 
-    ValueType vt = ValueType::parseDecl(tok, *settings, true); // TODO: set isCpp
+    ValueType vt = ValueType::parseDecl(tok, *settings);
     return vt.pointer > 0;
 }
 
@@ -8628,7 +8628,7 @@ static bool valueFlowIsSameContainerType(const ValueType& contType, const Token*
     if (!tok || !tok->valueType() || !tok->valueType()->containerTypeToken)
         return false;
 
-    const ValueType tokType = ValueType::parseDecl(tok->valueType()->containerTypeToken, *settings, true);
+    const ValueType tokType = ValueType::parseDecl(tok->valueType()->containerTypeToken, *settings);
     return contType.isTypeEqual(&tokType);
 }
 
@@ -8648,7 +8648,7 @@ static std::vector<ValueFlow::Value> getInitListSize(const Token* tok,
         if (valueType->container->stdStringLike) {
             initList = astIsGenericChar(args[0]) && !astIsPointer(args[0]);
         } else if (containerTypeToken && settings) {
-            ValueType vt = ValueType::parseDecl(containerTypeToken, *settings, true); // TODO: set isCpp
+            ValueType vt = ValueType::parseDecl(containerTypeToken, *settings);
             if (vt.pointer > 0 && astIsPointer(args[0]))
                 initList = true;
             else if (vt.type == ValueType::ITERATOR && astIsIterator(args[0]))
@@ -9108,7 +9108,7 @@ static bool getMinMaxValues(const std::string &typestr, const Settings *settings
         return false;
     typeTokens.simplifyPlatformTypes();
     typeTokens.simplifyStdType();
-    const ValueType &vt = ValueType::parseDecl(typeTokens.front(), *settings, true); // TODO: set isCpp
+    const ValueType &vt = ValueType::parseDecl(typeTokens.front(), *settings);
     return getMinMaxValues(&vt, settings->platform, minvalue, maxvalue);
 }