diff --git a/include/ircd/byte_view.h b/include/ircd/byte_view.h
index 412a51b7e..d67f87928 100644
--- a/include/ircd/byte_view.h
+++ b/include/ircd/byte_view.h
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ struct ircd::byte_view<ircd::string_view>
 	{}
 
 	/// string_view -> string_view (completeness)
-	byte_view(const string_view &t)
+	byte_view(const string_view &t = {})
 	:string_view{t}
 	{}
 };