diff --git a/tiledb/sm/cpp_api/channel_operation.h b/tiledb/sm/cpp_api/channel_operation.h
index 31333d92a18..8223e973353 100644
--- a/tiledb/sm/cpp_api/channel_operation.h
+++ b/tiledb/sm/cpp_api/channel_operation.h
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ class ChannelOperation {
   ChannelOperation& operator=(ChannelOperation&&) = default;
 
   /** Destructor. */
-  ~ChannelOperation() = default;
+  virtual ~ChannelOperation() = default;
 
   /* ********************************* */
   /*                API                */