diff --git a/CXSparse/Source/cs_updown.c b/CXSparse/Source/cs_updown.c
index f275f0530..a3fa1e459 100644
--- a/CXSparse/Source/cs_updown.c
+++ b/CXSparse/Source/cs_updown.c
@@ -25,7 +25,11 @@ CS_INT cs_updown (cs *L, CS_INT sigma, const cs *C, const CS_INT *parent)
     {
         p = Lp [j] ;
         alpha = w [j] / Lx [p] ;                    /* alpha = w(j) / L(j,j) */
-        beta2 = beta*beta + sigma*((double) (alpha*CS_CONJ(alpha))) ;
+        #ifdef CS_COMPLEX
+        beta2 = beta*beta + sigma*creal(alpha*CS_CONJ(alpha)) ;
+        #else
+        beta2 = beta*beta + sigma*(alpha*alpha) ;
+        #endif
         if (beta2 <= 0) break ;                     /* not positive definite */
         beta2 = sqrt (beta2) ;
         delta = (sigma > 0) ? (beta / beta2) : (beta2 / beta) ;