diff --git a/src/identity.cc b/src/identity.cc
index 927e0b7..8d4fdb0 100644
--- a/src/identity.cc
+++ b/src/identity.cc
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ namespace pEp
     }
     
     template<>
-    ::pEp_identity* Wrapper<::pEp_identity*>::copy_out()
+    ::pEp_identity* Wrapper<::pEp_identity*>::copy_out() const
     {
         return identity_dup(value);
     }
diff --git a/src/wrapper.hh b/src/wrapper.hh
index 89dd176..ffb78c2 100644
--- a/src/wrapper.hh
+++ b/src/wrapper.hh
@@ -62,11 +62,7 @@ public:
     template<class... Args>
     Wrapper(Args... args) : value{ this->_new(args...) } {}
 
-    // no implicit copying... (yet?)
-    Wrapper(const Wrapper<T*>&) = delete;
-    void operator=(const Wrapper<T*>&) = delete;
-    
-    // must be implemented separately for each T
+    // move is easy, efficient and generic:
     Wrapper(Wrapper<T*>&& victim)
     : value{ victim.value}
     {
@@ -80,6 +76,18 @@ public:
         victim.value = nullptr;
         return *this;
     }
+
+    Wrapper(const Wrapper<T*>& orig)
+    : value{ orig.copy_out() }
+    {}
+    
+    Wrapper<T*>& operator=(const Wrapper<T*>& orig)
+    {
+        if(&orig == this) return *this;
+        _free(value);
+        value = orig.copy_out();
+        return *this;
+    }
     
     ~Wrapper()
     {
@@ -107,7 +115,7 @@ public:
     
     // only implemented for the datatypes where necessay.
     // other implementations can follow if necessary.
-    T*  copy_out();
+    T*  copy_out() const;
 
 protected: