diff --git a/include/cxxopts.hpp b/include/cxxopts.hpp
index 1ef1e15..70c0720 100644
--- a/include/cxxopts.hpp
+++ b/include/cxxopts.hpp
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ namespace cxxopts
   T
   toLocalString(T&& t)
   {
-    return t;
+    return std::forward<T>(t);
   }
 
   inline