diff --git a/include/ircd/string_view.h b/include/ircd/string_view.h
index 7902fe684..cd1e4494c 100644
--- a/include/ircd/string_view.h
+++ b/include/ircd/string_view.h
@@ -271,13 +271,16 @@ struct ircd::byte_view
 
 	operator const T &() const
 	{
+		if(unlikely(sizeof(T) > s.size()))
+			throw std::bad_cast();
+
 		return *reinterpret_cast<const T *>(s.data());
 	}
 
 	byte_view(const string_view &s = {})
 	:s{s}
 	{
-		if(unlikely(sizeof(T) != s.size()))
+		if(unlikely(sizeof(T) > s.size()))
 			throw std::bad_cast();
 	}
 
@@ -291,25 +294,22 @@ struct ircd::byte_view
 ///
 /// This is an important specialization to take note of. When you see
 /// byte_view<string_view> know that another type's bytes are being represented
-/// by the string_view.
+/// by the string_view if that type is not string_view family itself.
 template<>
 struct ircd::byte_view<ircd::string_view>
 :string_view
 {
-	template<class T>
+	template<class T,
+	         typename std::enable_if<!std::is_base_of<std::string_view, T>::value, int *>::type = nullptr>
 	byte_view(const T &t)
 	:string_view{reinterpret_cast<const char *>(&t), sizeof(T)}
 	{}
-};
 
-/// string_view -> string_view (completeness)
-namespace ircd
-{
-	template<> inline
-	byte_view<string_view>::byte_view(const string_view &t)
+	/// string_view -> string_view (completeness)
+	byte_view(const string_view &t)
 	:string_view{t}
 	{}
-}
+};
 
 inline bool
 ircd::operator!(const string_view &str)