diff --git a/include/pybind11/cast.h b/include/pybind11/cast.h
index 976d28266..613742cf7 100644
--- a/include/pybind11/cast.h
+++ b/include/pybind11/cast.h
@@ -356,7 +356,8 @@ public:
             return handle(Py_None).inc_ref();
     }
 
-    operator void *() { return value; }
+    template <typename T> using cast_op_type = void*&;
+    operator void *&() { return value; }
 private:
     void *value = nullptr;
 };