diff --git a/data/variant.hh b/data/variant.hh
index f3dee535..990d14d2 100644
--- a/data/variant.hh
+++ b/data/variant.hh
@@ -334,7 +334,7 @@ m4_define([b4_basic_symbol_constructor_declare],
 [[
   basic_symbol (]b4_join(
           [typename Base::kind_type t],
-          b4_symbol_if([$1], [has_type], const b4_symbol([$1], [type])[ v]),
+          b4_symbol_if([$1], [has_type], const b4_symbol([$1], [type])[& v]),
           b4_locations_if([const location_type& l]))[);
 ]])
 
@@ -346,7 +346,7 @@ m4_define([b4_basic_symbol_constructor_define],
   template <typename Base>
   ]b4_parser_class_name[::basic_symbol<Base>::basic_symbol (]b4_join(
           [typename Base::kind_type t],
-          b4_symbol_if([$1], [has_type], const b4_symbol([$1], [type])[ v]),
+          b4_symbol_if([$1], [has_type], const b4_symbol([$1], [type])[& v]),
           b4_locations_if([const location_type& l]))[)
     : Base (t)]b4_symbol_if([$1], [has_type], [
     , value (v)])[]b4_locations_if([