diff --git a/include/cxxopts.hpp b/include/cxxopts.hpp
index c3dd458..d56f194 100644
--- a/include/cxxopts.hpp
+++ b/include/cxxopts.hpp
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ namespace cxxopts
   T
   toLocalString(T&& t)
   {
-    return t;
+    return std::forward<T>(t);
   }
 
   inline