diff --git a/src/buffer.hh b/src/buffer.hh
index 7aeebd64..612bf299 100644
--- a/src/buffer.hh
+++ b/src/buffer.hh
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ public:
     BufferIterator operator-- (int);
 
     BufferIterator& operator=(const BufferCoord& coord);
+    operator const BufferCoord&() const { return m_coord; }
 
     void clamp(bool avoid_eol);