diff --git a/include/pybind11/cast.h b/include/pybind11/cast.h
index a6f45efc4..aa3001b06 100644
--- a/include/pybind11/cast.h
+++ b/include/pybind11/cast.h
@@ -197,11 +197,11 @@ public:
     }
 
     operator type*() { return (type *) value; }
-    operator type&() { return (type &) *value; }
+    operator type&() { return *((type *) value); }
 protected:
     template <typename T = type, typename std::enable_if<std::is_copy_constructible<T>::value, int>::type = 0>
     static void *copy_constructor(const void *arg) {
-        return new type((const type &)*arg);
+        return new type(*((const type *)arg));
     }
     template <typename T = type, typename std::enable_if<!std::is_copy_constructible<T>::value, int>::type = 0>
     static void *copy_constructor(const void *) { return nullptr; }