diff --git a/src/hb-map.hh b/src/hb-map.hh
index 6af018552..8ff7b2d7c 100644
--- a/src/hb-map.hh
+++ b/src/hb-map.hh
@@ -219,7 +219,8 @@ struct hb_hashmap_t
   /* Has interface. */
   typedef const V& value_t;
   value_t operator [] (K k) const { return get (k); }
-  bool has (K key, const V **vp = nullptr) const
+  template <typename VV=V>
+  bool has (K key, VV **vp = nullptr) const
   {
     if (unlikely (!items))
       return false;
diff --git a/src/test-map.cc b/src/test-map.cc
index 8cabf53bd..473e8f4f6 100644
--- a/src/test-map.cc
+++ b/src/test-map.cc
@@ -217,6 +217,10 @@ main (int argc, char **argv)
     hb_hashmap_t<int, hb::unique_ptr<hb_hashmap_t<int, int>>> m;
 
     m.get (0);
+    const hb::unique_ptr<hb_hashmap_t<int, int>> *v1;
+    m.has (0, &v1);
+    hb::unique_ptr<hb_hashmap_t<int, int>> *v2;
+    m.has (0, &v2);
   }
 
   return 0;