diff --git a/std/range/package.d b/std/range/package.d
index b8f30ce7c..888ac1a5d 100644
--- a/std/range/package.d
+++ b/std/range/package.d
@@ -3774,10 +3774,17 @@ private:
         alias fun = Fun[0];
 
     enum returnByRef_ = (functionAttributes!fun & FunctionAttribute.ref_) ? true : false;
-    static if (returnByRef_)
-        ReturnType!fun *elem_;
+
+    import std.traits : hasIndirections;
+    static if (!hasIndirections!(ReturnType!fun))
+        alias RetType = Unqual!(ReturnType!fun);
     else
-        ReturnType!fun elem_;
+        alias RetType = ReturnType!fun;
+
+    static if (returnByRef_)
+        RetType *elem_;
+    else
+        RetType elem_;
 public:
     /// Range primitives
     enum empty = false;
@@ -3866,6 +3873,13 @@ public:
     assert(g.front == f + 5);
 }
 
+// https://issues.dlang.org/show_bug.cgi?id=23319
+@safe pure nothrow unittest
+{
+    auto b = generate!(() => const(int)(42));
+    assert(b.front == 42);
+}
+
 /**
 Repeats the given forward range ad infinitum. If the original range is
 infinite (fact that would make `Cycle` the identity application),