diff --git a/lib/valueflow.cpp b/lib/valueflow.cpp
index cae3f8c3f..fd6f1c5aa 100644
--- a/lib/valueflow.cpp
+++ b/lib/valueflow.cpp
@@ -3930,7 +3930,7 @@ static void valueFlowLifetimeConstructor(Token* tok,
             else
                 ls.byVal(tok, tokenlist, errorLogger, settings);
         });
-    } else {
+    } else if (!constructor->nestedIn->varlist.empty()) {
         LifetimeStore::forEach(args,
                                "Passed to constructor of '" + name + "'.",
                                ValueFlow::Value::LifetimeKind::SubObject,
diff --git a/test/testautovariables.cpp b/test/testautovariables.cpp
index 52f12bfab..f97034bc3 100644
--- a/test/testautovariables.cpp
+++ b/test/testautovariables.cpp
@@ -3259,6 +3259,16 @@ private:
         ASSERT_EQUALS(
             "[test.cpp:8] -> [test.cpp:7] -> [test.cpp:8]: (error) Returning object that points to local variable 'files' that will be invalid when returning.\n",
             errout.str());
+
+        check("struct S {\n"
+              "    explicit S(std::string& s);\n"
+              "}\n"
+              "S f() {\n"
+              "    std::string m(\"abc\");\n"
+              "    return S(m);\n"
+              "}\n",
+              true);
+        ASSERT_EQUALS("", errout.str());
     }
 
     void danglingLifetimeAggegrateConstructor() {