diff --git a/tests/test_issues.cpp b/tests/test_issues.cpp
index 66ff79d..c4d89c1 100644
--- a/tests/test_issues.cpp
+++ b/tests/test_issues.cpp
@@ -208,7 +208,9 @@
     public:
         using OverrideTest::OverrideTest;
         int int_value() override { PYBIND11_OVERLOAD(int, OverrideTest, int_value); }
-        int &int_ref() override { PYBIND11_OVERLOAD(int &, OverrideTest, int_ref); }
+        // Not allowed (uncommenting should hit a static_assert failure): we can't get a reference
+        // to a python numeric value, since we only copy values in the numeric type caster:
+//      int &int_ref() override { PYBIND11_OVERLOAD(int &, OverrideTest, int_ref); }
         A A_value() override { PYBIND11_OVERLOAD(A, OverrideTest, A_value); }
         A &A_ref() override { PYBIND11_OVERLOAD(A &, OverrideTest, A_ref); }
     };
@@ -217,9 +219,10 @@
     py::class_<OverrideTest, PyOverrideTest>(m2, "OverrideTest")
         .def(py::init<int>())
         .def("int_value", &OverrideTest::int_value)
-        .def("int_ref", &OverrideTest::int_ref)
+//      .def("int_ref", &OverrideTest::int_ref)
         .def("A_value", &OverrideTest::A_value)
         .def("A_ref", &OverrideTest::A_ref);
+
 }
 
 // MSVC workaround: trying to use a lambda here crashes MSCV
diff --git a/tests/test_issues.py b/tests/test_issues.py
index 056737a..86bd6a5 100644
--- a/tests/test_issues.py
+++ b/tests/test_issues.py
@@ -171,9 +171,10 @@
     from pybind11_tests.issues import OverrideTest
     o = OverrideTest(42)
 
-    i = o.int_ref()
+    # Not allowed (see associated .cpp comment)
+    #i = o.int_ref()
+    #assert o.int_ref() == 42
     assert o.int_value() == 42
-    assert o.int_ref() == 42
 
     assert o.A_value().value == 99
     a = o.A_ref()