diff --git a/sol/stack.hpp b/sol/stack.hpp
index 4ecc0ede..e6dbfdde 100644
--- a/sol/stack.hpp
+++ b/sol/stack.hpp
@@ -188,6 +188,11 @@ struct pusher {
             lua_settable(L, -3);
         }
     }
+
+    template<typename U = T, EnableIf<std::is_base_of<reference, U>> = 0>
+    static void push(lua_State*, T& ref) {
+        ref.push();
+    }
 };
 
 template<>
@@ -197,13 +202,6 @@ struct pusher<bool> {
     }
 };
 
-template<>
-struct pusher<reference> {
-    static void push(lua_State*, reference& r) {
-        r.push();
-    }
-};
-
 template<>
 struct pusher<nil_t> {
     static void push(lua_State* L, const nil_t&) {