diff --git a/repos/base/include/util/misc_math.h b/repos/base/include/util/misc_math.h
index 3f9162b778..31d079d7f2 100644
--- a/repos/base/include/util/misc_math.h
+++ b/repos/base/include/util/misc_math.h
@@ -22,9 +22,6 @@ namespace Genode {
 	template <typename T1, typename T2>
 	static constexpr T1 min(T1 v1, T2 v2) { return v1 < v2 ? v1 : v2; }
 
-	template <typename T>
-	static constexpr T abs(T value) { return value >= 0 ? value : -value; }
-
 
 	/*
 	 * Alignment to the power of two
diff --git a/repos/base/src/lib/base/avl_tree.cc b/repos/base/src/lib/base/avl_tree.cc
index 42d4b35c65..d890ecb763 100644
--- a/repos/base/src/lib/base/avl_tree.cc
+++ b/repos/base/src/lib/base/avl_tree.cc
@@ -84,6 +84,8 @@ void Avl_node_base::_rebalance_subtree(Avl_node_base *node, Policy &policy)
 {
 	int v = node->_child_depth(RIGHT) - node->_child_depth(LEFT);
 
+	auto abs = [] (auto v) { return v >= 0 ? v : -v; };
+
 	/* return if subtree is in balance */
 	if (abs(v) < 2) return;
 
diff --git a/repos/gems/include/polygon_gfx/line_painter.h b/repos/gems/include/polygon_gfx/line_painter.h
index fed44197a3..9f2e9f1982 100644
--- a/repos/gems/include/polygon_gfx/line_painter.h
+++ b/repos/gems/include/polygon_gfx/line_painter.h
@@ -139,6 +139,8 @@ struct Line_painter
 		long const dx_f = x2.value - x1.value,
 		           dy_f = y2.value - y1.value;
 
+		auto abs = [] (auto v) { return v >= 0 ? v : -v; };
+
 		long const num_steps = max(abs(dx_f) + 127, abs(dy_f) + 127) >> 8;
 
 		if (num_steps == 0)
diff --git a/repos/gems/src/app/menu_view/depgraph_widget.h b/repos/gems/src/app/menu_view/depgraph_widget.h
index dfdd0bb801..41013b097c 100644
--- a/repos/gems/src/app/menu_view/depgraph_widget.h
+++ b/repos/gems/src/app/menu_view/depgraph_widget.h
@@ -672,6 +672,8 @@ struct Menu_view::Depgraph_widget : Widget
 		           x4 = p2.x(),
 		           y4 = p2.y();
 
+		auto abs = [] (auto v) { return v >= 0 ? v : -v; };
+
 		/* subdivide the curve depending on the size of its bounding box */
 		unsigned const levels = (unsigned)max(log2(max(abs(x4 - x1), abs(y4 - y1)) >> 2), 3);
 
diff --git a/repos/os/include/util/geometry.h b/repos/os/include/util/geometry.h
index a4080cc936..4e23bea507 100644
--- a/repos/os/include/util/geometry.h
+++ b/repos/os/include/util/geometry.h
@@ -66,6 +66,8 @@ class Genode::Point
 
 		void print(Output &out) const
 		{
+			auto abs = [] (auto v) { return v >= 0 ? v : -v; };
+
 			Genode::print(out, _x >= 0 ? "+" : "-", abs(_x),
 			                   _y >= 0 ? "+" : "-", abs(_y));
 		}