diff --git a/generator/templates/api_cpp.h b/generator/templates/api_cpp.h
index d2ed0de..9790a50 100644
--- a/generator/templates/api_cpp.h
+++ b/generator/templates/api_cpp.h
@@ -336,6 +336,8 @@
             inline {{as_cppType(type.name)}}({{as_cppType(type.name)}}&&);
             inline {{as_cppType(type.name)}}& operator=({{as_cppType(type.name)}}&&);
         {% endif %}
+        inline operator const {{as_cType(type.name)}}&() const noexcept;
+
         {% if type.extensible %}
             ChainedStruct{{Out}} {{const}} * nextInChain = nullptr;
         {% endif %}
@@ -411,6 +413,10 @@
         }
     {% endif %}
 
+    {{CppType}}::operator const {{as_cType(type.name)}}&() const noexcept {
+        return *reinterpret_cast<const {{as_cType(type.name)}}*>(this);
+    }
+
     static_assert(sizeof({{CppType}}) == sizeof({{CType}}), "sizeof mismatch for {{CppType}}");
     static_assert(alignof({{CppType}}) == alignof({{CType}}), "alignof mismatch for {{CppType}}");
     {% if type.extensible %}