diff --git a/include/boost/endian/buffers.hpp b/include/boost/endian/buffers.hpp
index bca3dc7..fb349c8 100644
--- a/include/boost/endian/buffers.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/endian/buffers.hpp
@@ -37,9 +37,6 @@
 #include <boost/config.hpp>
 #include <boost/predef/detail/endian_compat.h>
 #include <boost/endian/conversion.hpp>
-#define BOOST_ENDIAN_MINIMAL_COVER_OPERATORS
-#include <boost/endian/detail/cover_operators.hpp>
-#undef  BOOST_ENDIAN_MINIMAL_COVER_OPERATORS
 #include <boost/type_traits/is_signed.hpp>
 #include <boost/cstdint.hpp>
 #include <boost/static_assert.hpp>
@@ -61,12 +58,6 @@
 #   define BOOST_ENDIAN_NO_CTORS
 # endif
 
-# ifndef BOOST_ENDIAN_EXPLICIT_CTORS
-#   define BOOST_ENDIAN_EXPLICIT_OPT
-# else
-#   define BOOST_ENDIAN_EXPLICIT_OPT explicit
-# endif
-
 //----------------------------------  synopsis  ----------------------------------------//
 
 namespace boost
@@ -342,7 +333,7 @@ namespace endian
         typedef T value_type;
 #     ifndef BOOST_ENDIAN_NO_CTORS
         endian_buffer() BOOST_ENDIAN_DEFAULT_CONSTRUCT
-        BOOST_ENDIAN_EXPLICIT_OPT endian_buffer(T val) BOOST_NOEXCEPT
+        explicit endian_buffer(T val) BOOST_NOEXCEPT
         { 
 #       ifdef BOOST_ENDIAN_LOG
           if ( endian_log )
@@ -361,7 +352,7 @@ namespace endian
           detail::store_big_endian<T, n_bits/8>(m_value, val);
           return *this;
         }
-        operator T() const BOOST_NOEXCEPT
+        value_type value() const BOOST_NOEXCEPT
         { 
 #       ifdef BOOST_ENDIAN_LOG
           if ( endian_log )
@@ -383,12 +374,12 @@ namespace endian
         typedef float value_type;
 #     ifndef BOOST_ENDIAN_NO_CTORS
         endian_buffer() BOOST_ENDIAN_DEFAULT_CONSTRUCT
-        BOOST_ENDIAN_EXPLICIT_OPT endian_buffer(value_type val) BOOST_NOEXCEPT
+        explicit endian_buffer(value_type val) BOOST_NOEXCEPT
           { detail::big_reverse_copy(val, m_value); }
 #     endif
         endian_buffer & operator=(value_type val) BOOST_NOEXCEPT
           { detail::big_reverse_copy(val, m_value); return *this; }
-        operator value_type() const BOOST_NOEXCEPT
+        value_type value() const BOOST_NOEXCEPT
         {
           value_type tmp;
           detail::big_reverse_copy(m_value, tmp);
@@ -407,12 +398,12 @@ namespace endian
         typedef double value_type;
 #     ifndef BOOST_ENDIAN_NO_CTORS
         endian_buffer() BOOST_ENDIAN_DEFAULT_CONSTRUCT
-        BOOST_ENDIAN_EXPLICIT_OPT endian_buffer(value_type val) BOOST_NOEXCEPT
+        explicit endian_buffer(value_type val) BOOST_NOEXCEPT
           { detail::big_reverse_copy(val, m_value); }
 #     endif
         endian_buffer & operator=(value_type val) BOOST_NOEXCEPT
           { detail::big_reverse_copy(val, m_value); return *this; }
-        operator value_type() const BOOST_NOEXCEPT
+        value_type value() const BOOST_NOEXCEPT
         {
           value_type tmp;
           detail::big_reverse_copy(m_value, tmp);
@@ -431,12 +422,12 @@ namespace endian
         typedef float value_type;
 #     ifndef BOOST_ENDIAN_NO_CTORS
         endian_buffer() BOOST_ENDIAN_DEFAULT_CONSTRUCT
-        BOOST_ENDIAN_EXPLICIT_OPT endian_buffer(value_type val) BOOST_NOEXCEPT
+        explicit endian_buffer(value_type val) BOOST_NOEXCEPT
           { detail::little_reverse_copy(val, m_value); }
 #     endif
         endian_buffer & operator=(value_type val) BOOST_NOEXCEPT
           { detail::little_reverse_copy(val, m_value); return *this; }
-        operator value_type() const BOOST_NOEXCEPT
+        value_type value() const BOOST_NOEXCEPT
         {
           value_type tmp;
           detail::little_reverse_copy(m_value, tmp);
@@ -455,12 +446,12 @@ namespace endian
         typedef double value_type;
 #     ifndef BOOST_ENDIAN_NO_CTORS
         endian_buffer() BOOST_ENDIAN_DEFAULT_CONSTRUCT
-        BOOST_ENDIAN_EXPLICIT_OPT endian_buffer(value_type val) BOOST_NOEXCEPT
+        explicit endian_buffer(value_type val) BOOST_NOEXCEPT
           { detail::little_reverse_copy(val, m_value); }
 #     endif
         endian_buffer & operator=(value_type val) BOOST_NOEXCEPT
           { detail::little_reverse_copy(val, m_value); return *this; }
-        operator value_type() const BOOST_NOEXCEPT
+        value_type value() const BOOST_NOEXCEPT
         {
           value_type tmp;
           detail::little_reverse_copy(m_value, tmp);
@@ -480,7 +471,7 @@ namespace endian
         typedef T value_type;
 #     ifndef BOOST_ENDIAN_NO_CTORS
         endian_buffer() BOOST_ENDIAN_DEFAULT_CONSTRUCT
-        BOOST_ENDIAN_EXPLICIT_OPT endian_buffer(T val) BOOST_NOEXCEPT
+        explicit endian_buffer(T val) BOOST_NOEXCEPT
         { 
 #       ifdef BOOST_ENDIAN_LOG
           if ( endian_log )
@@ -492,7 +483,7 @@ namespace endian
 #     endif
         endian_buffer & operator=(T val) BOOST_NOEXCEPT
           { detail::store_little_endian<T, n_bits/8>(m_value, val); return *this; }
-        operator T() const BOOST_NOEXCEPT
+        value_type value() const BOOST_NOEXCEPT
         { 
 #       ifdef BOOST_ENDIAN_LOG
           if ( endian_log )
@@ -518,7 +509,7 @@ namespace endian
         typedef T value_type;
 #     ifndef BOOST_ENDIAN_NO_CTORS
         endian_buffer() BOOST_ENDIAN_DEFAULT_CONSTRUCT
-        BOOST_ENDIAN_EXPLICIT_OPT endian_buffer(T val) BOOST_NOEXCEPT
+        explicit endian_buffer(T val) BOOST_NOEXCEPT
         {
 #       ifdef BOOST_ENDIAN_LOG
           if ( endian_log )
@@ -534,7 +525,7 @@ namespace endian
           m_value = ::boost::endian::big_endian_value(val);
           return *this;
         }
-        operator T() const BOOST_NOEXCEPT
+        value_type value() const BOOST_NOEXCEPT
         {
 #       ifdef BOOST_ENDIAN_LOG
           if ( endian_log )
@@ -559,7 +550,7 @@ namespace endian
         typedef T value_type;
 #     ifndef BOOST_ENDIAN_NO_CTORS
         endian_buffer() BOOST_ENDIAN_DEFAULT_CONSTRUCT
-        BOOST_ENDIAN_EXPLICIT_OPT endian_buffer(T val) BOOST_NOEXCEPT
+        explicit endian_buffer(T val) BOOST_NOEXCEPT
         {
 #       ifdef BOOST_ENDIAN_LOG
           if ( endian_log )
@@ -575,7 +566,7 @@ namespace endian
           m_value = ::boost::endian::little_endian_value(val);
           return *this;
         }
-        operator T() const BOOST_NOEXCEPT
+        value_type value() const BOOST_NOEXCEPT
         {
 #       ifdef BOOST_ENDIAN_LOG
           if ( endian_log )
diff --git a/include/boost/endian/types.hpp b/include/boost/endian/types.hpp
index 409ae30..c22bfab 100644
--- a/include/boost/endian/types.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/endian/types.hpp
@@ -37,8 +37,8 @@
 #include <boost/config.hpp>
 #include <boost/predef/detail/endian_compat.h>
 #include <boost/endian/conversion.hpp>
-#define  BOOST_ENDIAN_MINIMAL_COVER_OPERATORS
 #include <boost/endian/buffers.hpp>
+#define  BOOST_ENDIAN_MINIMAL_COVER_OPERATORS
 #include <boost/endian/detail/cover_operators.hpp>
 #undef   BOOST_ENDIAN_MINIMAL_COVER_OPERATORS
 #include <boost/type_traits/is_signed.hpp>
@@ -263,6 +263,7 @@ namespace endian
 #     endif
         endian & operator=(T val) BOOST_NOEXCEPT
           { detail::store_big_endian<T, n_bits/8>(this->m_value, val); return *this; }
+        operator value_type() const BOOST_NOEXCEPT { return this->value(); }
     };
  
     //  unaligned float big endian specialization
@@ -280,6 +281,7 @@ namespace endian
 #     endif
         endian & operator=(value_type val) BOOST_NOEXCEPT
           { detail::big_reverse_copy(val, this->m_value); return *this; }
+        operator value_type() const BOOST_NOEXCEPT { return this->value(); }
     };
 
     //  unaligned double big endian specialization
@@ -297,6 +299,7 @@ namespace endian
 #     endif
         endian & operator=(value_type val) BOOST_NOEXCEPT
           { detail::big_reverse_copy(val, this->m_value); return *this; }
+        operator value_type() const BOOST_NOEXCEPT { return this->value(); }
     };
  
     //  unaligned float little endian specialization
@@ -314,6 +317,7 @@ namespace endian
 #     endif
         endian & operator=(value_type val) BOOST_NOEXCEPT
           { detail::little_reverse_copy(val, this->m_value); return *this; }
+        operator value_type() const BOOST_NOEXCEPT { return this->value(); }
     };
 
     //  unaligned double little endian specialization
@@ -331,6 +335,7 @@ namespace endian
 #     endif
         endian & operator=(value_type val) BOOST_NOEXCEPT
           { detail::little_reverse_copy(val, this->m_value); return *this; }
+        operator value_type() const BOOST_NOEXCEPT { return this->value(); }
     };
 
     //  unaligned little endian specialization
@@ -355,6 +360,7 @@ namespace endian
 #     endif
         endian & operator=(T val) BOOST_NOEXCEPT
           { detail::store_little_endian<T, n_bits/8>(this->m_value, val); return *this; }
+        operator value_type() const BOOST_NOEXCEPT { return this->value(); }
     };
 
   //  align::yes specializations; only n_bits == 16/32/64 supported
@@ -386,6 +392,7 @@ namespace endian
           this->m_value = ::boost::endian::big_endian_value(val);
           return *this;
         }
+        operator value_type() const BOOST_NOEXCEPT { return this->value(); }
     };
 
     //  aligned little endian specialization
@@ -414,6 +421,7 @@ namespace endian
           this->m_value = ::boost::endian::little_endian_value(val);
           return *this;
         }
+        operator value_type() const BOOST_NOEXCEPT { return this->value(); }
     };
 
 } // namespace endian
diff --git a/test/buffer_test.cpp b/test/buffer_test.cpp
index 7411b4e..69846ab 100644
--- a/test/buffer_test.cpp
+++ b/test/buffer_test.cpp
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ int cpp_main(int, char *[])
   x = 1234567890;
 
   cout << "  operator==(buffer, built-in)" << endl;
-  bool b1(x == 1234567890);
+//  bool b1(x == 1234567890);
 
  // BOOST_TEST(x == 1234567890);
   cout << "  done" << endl;