diff --git a/include/flatbuffers/flatbuffers.h b/include/flatbuffers/flatbuffers.h
index c4dc5bc..c090455 100644
--- a/include/flatbuffers/flatbuffers.h
+++ b/include/flatbuffers/flatbuffers.h
@@ -1861,14 +1861,14 @@ class FlatBufferBuilder {
 
   /// @cond FLATBUFFERS_INTERNAL
   template<typename T> struct TableKeyComparator {
-    TableKeyComparator(vector_downward &buf) : buf_(buf) {}
+    TableKeyComparator(vector_downward &buf) : buf_(&buf) {}
     TableKeyComparator(const TableKeyComparator &other) : buf_(other.buf_) {}
     bool operator()(const Offset<T> &a, const Offset<T> &b) const {
-      auto table_a = reinterpret_cast<T *>(buf_.data_at(a.o));
-      auto table_b = reinterpret_cast<T *>(buf_.data_at(b.o));
+      auto table_a = reinterpret_cast<T *>(buf_->data_at(a.o));
+      auto table_b = reinterpret_cast<T *>(buf_->data_at(b.o));
       return table_a->KeyCompareLessThan(table_b);
     }
-    vector_downward &buf_;
+    vector_downward *buf_;
 
    private:
     TableKeyComparator &operator=(const TableKeyComparator &other) {