diff --git a/vtkm/cont/CellSetExplicit.h b/vtkm/cont/CellSetExplicit.h
index 7877a7726..261ea25bf 100644
--- a/vtkm/cont/CellSetExplicit.h
+++ b/vtkm/cont/CellSetExplicit.h
@@ -186,7 +186,9 @@ public:
   VTKM_CONT vtkm::IdComponent GetNumberOfPointsInCell(vtkm::Id cellid) const override;
   VTKM_CONT void GetCellPointIds(vtkm::Id id, vtkm::Id* ptids) const override;
 
-  VTKM_CONT auto ShapesReadPortal() const;
+  VTKM_CONT typename vtkm::cont::ArrayHandle<vtkm::UInt8, ShapesStorageTag>::ReadPortalType
+  ShapesReadPortal() const;
+
   VTKM_CONT vtkm::UInt8 GetCellShape(vtkm::Id cellid) const override;
 
   template <vtkm::IdComponent NumIndices>
diff --git a/vtkm/cont/CellSetExplicit.hxx b/vtkm/cont/CellSetExplicit.hxx
index 7ff00e367..da7ec8e99 100644
--- a/vtkm/cont/CellSetExplicit.hxx
+++ b/vtkm/cont/CellSetExplicit.hxx
@@ -176,7 +176,8 @@ vtkm::IdComponent CellSetExplicit<SST, CST, OST>
 
 template <typename SST, typename CST, typename OST>
 VTKM_CONT
-auto CellSetExplicit<SST, CST, OST>::ShapesReadPortal() const
+typename vtkm::cont::ArrayHandle<vtkm::UInt8, SST>::ReadPortalType 
+CellSetExplicit<SST, CST, OST>::ShapesReadPortal() const
 {
   return this->Data->CellPointIds.Shapes.ReadPortal();
 }