diff --git a/include/fc/variant_object.hpp b/include/fc/variant_object.hpp
index f27e9e70c..c07b1f10e 100644
--- a/include/fc/variant_object.hpp
+++ b/include/fc/variant_object.hpp
@@ -193,7 +193,9 @@ namespace fc
       ///@}
 
 
-      template<typename T>
+      template<typename T,
+               typename = std::enable_if_t<!std::is_base_of<mutable_variant_object,
+                                                            std::decay_t<T>>::value>>
       explicit mutable_variant_object( T&& v )
       :_key_value( new std::vector<entry>() )
       {