diff --git a/include/xo/alloc2/abox.hpp b/include/xo/alloc2/abox.hpp
index 1e032b06..c104e3dc 100644
--- a/include/xo/alloc2/abox.hpp
+++ b/include/xo/alloc2/abox.hpp
@@ -92,10 +92,18 @@ namespace xo {
             // --------------------------------
 
             /** explicit conversion to obj<AFacet,DRepr> **/
-            obj<AFacet, DRepr> to_op() const noexcept {
+            obj<AFacet, DRepr> to_op() const noexcept
+            requires std::is_same_v<DRepr, xo::facet::DVariantPlaceholder>
+            {
                 return obj<AFacet, DRepr>(this->iface(), this->data());
             }
 
+            obj<AFacet, DRepr> to_op() const noexcept
+            requires (!std::is_same_v<DRepr, xo::facet::DVariantPlaceholder>)
+            {
+                return obj<AFacet, DRepr>(this->data());
+            }
+
             /** Take ownership from unowned object **/
             template <typename DOther>
             abox & adopt(const obj<AFacet, DOther> & other)