diff --git a/src/core/include/mp-units/bits/quantity_cast.h b/src/core/include/mp-units/bits/quantity_cast.h
index 712ea041..c465837d 100644
--- a/src/core/include/mp-units/bits/quantity_cast.h
+++ b/src/core/include/mp-units/bits/quantity_cast.h
@@ -49,7 +49,11 @@ template<QuantitySpec auto ToQS, typename Q>
 [[nodiscard]] constexpr Quantity auto quantity_cast(Q&& q)
   requires Quantity<std::remove_cvref_t<Q>> && (castable(q.quantity_spec, ToQS))
 {
-  return make_quantity<reference<ToQS, q.unit>{}>(std::forward<Q>(q).number());
+  if constexpr (detail::QuantityKindSpec<std::remove_const_t<decltype(ToQS)>> &&
+                AssociatedUnit<std::remove_const_t<decltype(q.unit)>>)
+    return make_quantity<q.unit>(std::forward<Q>(q).number());
+  else
+    return make_quantity<reference<ToQS, q.unit>{}>(std::forward<Q>(q).number());
 }
 
 }  // namespace mp_units
diff --git a/test/unit_test/static/quantity_test.cpp b/test/unit_test/static/quantity_test.cpp
index 9b44ddb6..b1a6851a 100644
--- a/test/unit_test/static/quantity_test.cpp
+++ b/test/unit_test/static/quantity_test.cpp
@@ -887,6 +887,15 @@ static_assert(value_cast<km>(2000 * m).number() == 2);
 static_assert(value_cast<int>(1.23 * m).number() == 1);
 static_assert(value_cast<km / h>(2000.0 * m / (3600.0 * s)).number() == 2);
 
+//////////////////
+// quantity_cast
+//////////////////
+
+static_assert(is_of_type<quantity_cast<isq::distance>(1 * m), quantity<isq::distance[m], int>>);
+static_assert(is_of_type<quantity_cast<isq::distance>(isq::length(1 * m)), quantity<isq::distance[m], int>>);
+static_assert(is_of_type<quantity_cast<kind_of<isq::length>>(isq::length(1 * m)), quantity<si::metre, int>>);
+static_assert(is_of_type<quantity_cast<kind_of<isq::length>>(isq::distance(1 * m)), quantity<si::metre, int>>);
+
 
 // QuantityOf
 static_assert(QuantityOf<quantity<isq::length[m]>, isq::length>);