diff --git a/src/libraries/turtle/constraints.hpp b/src/libraries/turtle/constraints.hpp
index 0d322af..b08bcbf 100644
--- a/src/libraries/turtle/constraints.hpp
+++ b/src/libraries/turtle/constraints.hpp
@@ -57,8 +57,7 @@ namespace detail
     template< typename T >
     detail::placeholder< detail::same< T > > same( T& t )
     {
-        return constraint( detail::same< T >( boost::ref( t ) ),
-            "same", &t );
+        return constraint( detail::same< T >( t ), "same", &t );
     }
 
     template< typename T >
@@ -100,8 +99,7 @@ namespace detail
     template< typename T >
     detail::placeholder< detail::retrieve< T > > retrieve( T& t )
     {
-        return constraint( detail::retrieve< T >( boost::ref( t ) ),
-            "retrieve", t );
+        return constraint( detail::retrieve< T >( t ), "retrieve", t );
     }
 
     template< typename T >
diff --git a/src/libraries/turtle/functional.hpp b/src/libraries/turtle/functional.hpp
index a227bcd..00901c9 100644
--- a/src/libraries/turtle/functional.hpp
+++ b/src/libraries/turtle/functional.hpp
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@
 #ifndef MOCK_FUNCTIONAL_HPP_INCLUDED
 #define MOCK_FUNCTIONAL_HPP_INCLUDED
 
-#include <boost/ref.hpp>
 #include <boost/utility/enable_if.hpp>
 #include <boost/type_traits/is_convertible.hpp>
 #include <boost/algorithm/string/predicate.hpp>
@@ -68,16 +67,16 @@ namespace detail
     class same
     {
     public:
-        explicit same( const boost::reference_wrapper< Expected >& expected )
-            : expected_( expected )
+        explicit same( const Expected& expected )
+            : expected_( &expected )
         {}
         template< typename Actual >
         bool operator()( const Actual& actual ) const
         {
-            return &actual == expected_.get_pointer();
+            return &actual == expected_;
         }
     private:
-        boost::reference_wrapper< Expected > expected_;
+        const Expected* expected_;
     };
 
     template< typename Expected >
@@ -119,12 +118,23 @@ namespace detail
         explicit assign( const Expected& expected )
             : expected_( expected )
         {}
+
         template< typename Actual >
-        bool operator()( Actual& actual ) const
+        bool operator()( Actual& actual,
+            BOOST_DEDUCED_TYPENAME boost::disable_if<
+                boost::is_convertible< Expected*, Actual >, Actual >::type* = 0 ) const
         {
             actual = expected_;
             return true;
         }
+        template< typename Actual >
+        bool operator()( Actual* actual,
+            BOOST_DEDUCED_TYPENAME boost::enable_if<
+                boost::is_convertible< Expected, Actual >, Actual >::type* = 0 ) const
+        {
+            *actual = expected_;
+            return true;
+        }
     private:
         Expected expected_;
     };
@@ -133,15 +143,15 @@ namespace detail
     class retrieve
     {
     public:
-        explicit retrieve( const boost::reference_wrapper< Expected >& expected )
-            : expected_( expected )
+        explicit retrieve( Expected& expected )
+            : expected_( &expected )
         {}
         template< typename Actual >
         bool operator()( const Actual& actual,
             BOOST_DEDUCED_TYPENAME boost::disable_if<
                 boost::is_convertible< const Actual*, Expected >, Actual >::type* = 0 ) const
         {
-            expected_.get() = actual;
+            *expected_ = actual;
             return true;
         }
         template< typename Actual >
@@ -149,11 +159,11 @@ namespace detail
             BOOST_DEDUCED_TYPENAME boost::enable_if<
                 boost::is_convertible< Actual*, Expected >, Actual >::type* = 0 ) const
         {
-            expected_.get() = &actual;
+            *expected_ = &actual;
             return true;
         }
     private:
-        boost::reference_wrapper< Expected > expected_;
+        Expected* expected_;
     };
 
     template< typename Expected >
diff --git a/src/tests/turtle_test/constraints_test.cpp b/src/tests/turtle_test/constraints_test.cpp
index 2ee756d..bae8ca8 100644
--- a/src/tests/turtle_test/constraints_test.cpp
+++ b/src/tests/turtle_test/constraints_test.cpp
@@ -59,6 +59,11 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE( assign )
         BOOST_CHECK( mock::assign( 3 ).f_( i ) );
         BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL( 3, i );
     }
+    {
+        int i = 0;
+        BOOST_CHECK( mock::assign( 3 ).f_( &i ) );
+        BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL( 3, i );
+    }
     {
         const int* i = 0;
         const int j = 1;