diff --git a/dune/xt/la/container/eigen/base.hh b/dune/xt/la/container/eigen/base.hh
index 32f48b331a25347415c029a134aac54f343c534a..fbc30bc253bc2d14c8b79ea7163768680e6fdbd6 100644
--- a/dune/xt/la/container/eigen/base.hh
+++ b/dune/xt/la/container/eigen/base.hh
@@ -162,12 +162,12 @@ public:
 protected:
   inline ScalarType& get_entry_ref(const size_t ii)
   {
-    return backend_[ii];
+    return (*backend_)[ii];
   }
 
   inline const ScalarType& get_entry_ref(const size_t ii) const
   {
-    return backend_[ii];
+    return (*backend_)[ii];
   }
 
 public: