diff --git a/src/core/include/mp-units/quantity_spec.h b/src/core/include/mp-units/quantity_spec.h
index 0cb0f9957..def030c6c 100644
--- a/src/core/include/mp-units/quantity_spec.h
+++ b/src/core/include/mp-units/quantity_spec.h
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ struct quantity_spec_interface {
              (explicitly_convertible(std::remove_reference_t<Q>::quantity_spec, self))
   {
     return quantity{std::forward<Q>(q).numerical_value_is_an_implementation_detail_,
-                    reference<Self, std::remove_const_t<decltype(std::remove_cvref_t<Q>::unit)>>{}};
+                    detail::make_reference(self, std::remove_cvref_t<Q>::unit)};
   }
 #else
   template<typename Self_ = Self, UnitOf<Self_{}> U>
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ struct quantity_spec_interface {
   [[nodiscard]] constexpr Quantity auto operator()(Q&& q) const
   {
     return quantity{std::forward<Q>(q).numerical_value_is_an_implementation_detail_,
-                    reference<Self, std::remove_const_t<decltype(std::remove_cvref_t<Q>::unit)>>){}};
+                    detail::make_reference(Self{}, std::remove_cvref_t<Q>::unit)};
   }
 #endif
 };
@@ -313,7 +313,7 @@ struct quantity_spec<Self, QS, Args...> : std::remove_const_t<decltype(QS)> {
   [[nodiscard]] constexpr Quantity auto operator()(Q&& q) const
   {
     return quantity{std::forward<Q>(q).numerical_value_is_an_implementation_detail_,
-                    reference<Self{}, std::remove_cvref_t<Q>::unit> {}};
+                    detail::make_reference(Self{}, std::remove_cvref_t<Q>::unit)};
   }
 #endif
 };