diff --git a/test/detail/test_function.cpp b/test/detail/test_function.cpp
index 3ce24f0..a911a38 100644
--- a/test/detail/test_function.cpp
+++ b/test/detail/test_function.cpp
@@ -431,8 +431,15 @@ BOOST_FIXTURE_TEST_CASE( triggering_an_expectation_returns_the_set_value, error_
 
 namespace
 {
-    struct A {};
-    struct B : A {};
+    struct A
+    {
+        virtual void f() = 0;
+    };
+    struct B : A
+    {
+        virtual void f()
+        {}
+    };
 }
 
 BOOST_FIXTURE_TEST_CASE( triggering_an_expectation_returns_the_set_auto_ptr_value, error_fixture )
@@ -488,6 +495,24 @@ BOOST_FIXTURE_TEST_CASE( triggering_an_expectation_returns_the_set_auto_ptr_valu
         BOOST_CHECK_NO_THROW( f() );
         CHECK_CALLS( 1 );
     }
+    {
+        mock::detail::function< A&() > f;
+        B b;
+        f.expect().returns( boost::ref( b ) );
+        BOOST_CHECK_NO_THROW( f() );
+        CHECK_CALLS( 1 );
+    }
+    {
+        mock::detail::function< A&() > f;
+        B b;
+        f.expect().returns( b );
+        BOOST_CHECK_NO_THROW( f() );
+        CHECK_CALLS( 1 );
+    }
+    //{
+    //    mock::detail::function< A&() > f;
+    //    f.expect().returns( 3 );
+    //}
 }
 
 namespace
diff --git a/turtle/detail/action.hpp b/turtle/detail/action.hpp
index 38a1982..9b4ce12 100644
--- a/turtle/detail/action.hpp
+++ b/turtle/detail/action.hpp
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 #include "lambda.hpp"
 #include <boost/type_traits/remove_reference.hpp>
 #include <boost/type_traits/remove_const.hpp>
+#include <boost/utility/enable_if.hpp>
 #include <boost/shared_ptr.hpp>
 #include <boost/function.hpp>
 #include <boost/ref.hpp>
@@ -34,12 +35,22 @@ namespace detail
 
     public:
         template< typename Value >
-        void returns( Value v )
+        void returns( Value v,
+            BOOST_DEDUCED_TYPENAME boost::enable_if<
+                boost::is_convertible< Value, result_type > >::type* = 0 )
+        {
+            r_.reset( new result_type( v ) );
+            f_ = lambda_type::make_val( boost::ref( *r_ ) );
+        }
+        template< typename Value >
+        void returns( Value v,
+            BOOST_DEDUCED_TYPENAME boost::disable_if<
+                boost::is_convertible< Value, result_type > >::type* = 0 )
         {
             // if an error is generated by the line below it means a value
             // passed to 'returns' was of the wrong type as it cannot be
             // used to copy construct a Result
-            r_.reset( new result_type( v ) );
+            r_.reset( new Value( v ) );
             f_ = lambda_type::make_val( boost::ref( *r_ ) );
         }
         template< typename Y >