diff --git a/src/pystencils/backends/cbackend.py b/src/pystencils/backends/cbackend.py
index 10ef12e8329091341cb73ef8416bf4e960ae27e2..f2a35e4390079f99668f1f8046fd3a1aae47346a 100644
--- a/src/pystencils/backends/cbackend.py
+++ b/src/pystencils/backends/cbackend.py
@@ -614,7 +614,9 @@ class VectorizedCustomSympyPrinter(CustomSympyPrinter):
             return None
 
     def _print_Abs(self, expr):
-        return self.instruction_set['abs'].format(self._print(expr.args[0]), **self._kwargs)
+        if isinstance(expr.args[0], VectorMemoryAccess):
+            return self.instruction_set['abs'].format(self._print(expr.args[0]), **self._kwargs)
+        return super()._print_Abs(expr)
 
     def _typed_vectorized_number(self, expr, data_type):
         basic_data_type = data_type.base_type