diff --git a/src/V3Param.cpp b/src/V3Param.cpp
index 0223f6bd6..d4b73eaf7 100644
--- a/src/V3Param.cpp
+++ b/src/V3Param.cpp
@@ -293,6 +293,9 @@ class ParamProcessor final {
     std::vector<std::pair<AstParamTypeDType*, int>> m_classParams;
     std::unordered_map<AstParamTypeDType*, int> m_paramIndex;
 
+    // Guard against infinite recursion in classTypeMatchesDefaultClone slow path
+    std::unordered_set<const AstClass*> m_defaultCloneInProgress;
+
     // member names cached for fast lookup
     VMemberMap m_memberMap;
 
@@ -1250,13 +1253,20 @@ class ParamProcessor final {
             = VN_CAST(origClassRefp->classp()->user4p(), Class);
         if (defaultClonep && defaultClonep == exprClassRefp->classp()) return true;
         // Slow path: deparameterize the default type and compare the result.
+        // Different templates can never match; use origName() because exprp's
+        // class may already be a specialization (clone) of the template.
         if (!origClassRefp->classp()->hasGParam()) return false;
+        if (origClassRefp->classp()->origName() != exprClassRefp->classp()->origName())
+            return false;
+        // Prevent re-entry when classRefDeparam recurses through cellPinCleanup.
+        if (!m_defaultCloneInProgress.insert(origClassRefp->classp()).second) return false;
         // const_cast safe: cloneTree doesn't modify the source
         AstClassRefDType* const origClonep = static_cast<AstClassRefDType*>(
             const_cast<AstClassRefDType*>(origClassRefp)->cloneTree(false));
         AstNodeModule* const resolvedModp = classRefDeparam(origClonep, origClassRefp->classp());
         const bool match = resolvedModp && VN_CAST(resolvedModp, Class) == exprClassRefp->classp();
         VL_DO_DANGLING(origClonep->deleteTree(), origClonep);
+        m_defaultCloneInProgress.erase(origClassRefp->classp());
         return match;
     }
 
diff --git a/test_regress/t/t_class_param_comparator.py b/test_regress/t/t_class_param_comparator.py
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..31b1f0e53
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test_regress/t/t_class_param_comparator.py
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+# DESCRIPTION: Verilator: Verilog Test driver/expect definition
+#
+# This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+# under the terms of either the GNU Lesser General Public License Version 3
+# or the Perl Artistic License Version 2.0.
+# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2025 Wilson Snyder
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-3.0-only OR Artistic-2.0
+
+import vltest_bootstrap
+
+test.scenarios('simulator')
+
+test.compile(verilator_flags2=["--binary"])
+
+test.execute()
+
+test.passes()
diff --git a/test_regress/t/t_class_param_comparator.v b/test_regress/t/t_class_param_comparator.v
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..66a40e744
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test_regress/t/t_class_param_comparator.v
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+// Minimal non-UVM repro.
+// base class with type-of-type default overridden by derived class.
+//
+// This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+// under the terms of either the GNU Lesser General Public License Version 3
+// or the Perl Artistic License Version 2.0.
+// SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2026 Wilson Snyder
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-3.0-only OR Artistic-2.0
+
+package pkg;
+
+  class builtin_comp #(type T = int);
+    static function bit comp(T a, T b);
+      return 1;
+    endfunction
+  endclass
+
+  class class_comp #(type T = int);
+    static function bit comp(T a, T b);
+      return 1;
+    endfunction
+  endclass
+
+  virtual class comparator #(
+    type T         = int,
+    type comp_type = builtin_comp #(T)
+  );
+  endclass
+
+  class class_comparator #(type T = int)
+    extends comparator #(T, class_comp #(T));
+  endclass
+
+endpackage
+
+module t;
+  import pkg::*;
+
+  class c;
+    int i;
+    function bit compare(c rhs);
+      return i == rhs.i;
+    endfunction
+    function void copy(c rhs);
+      rhs.i = i;
+    endfunction
+  endclass
+
+  initial begin
+    class_comparator #(c) sb;
+    $write("*-* All Finished *-*\n");
+    $finish;
+  end
+
+endmodule