diff --git a/include/boost/random/detail/polynomial.hpp b/include/boost/random/detail/polynomial.hpp
index a8c4b269f..bf0e0ce54 100644
--- a/include/boost/random/detail/polynomial.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/random/detail/polynomial.hpp
@@ -284,6 +284,8 @@ class polynomial
     public:
         reference(digit_t &value, int idx)
             : _value(value), _idx(idx) {}
+        reference(const reference& other)
+            : _value(other._value), _idx(other._idx) {}
         operator bool() const { return (_value & (digit_t(1) << _idx)) != 0; }
         reference& operator=(bool b)
         {