diff --git a/src/settings.cpp b/src/settings.cpp
index 4b813c0f..5b2c88cb 100644
--- a/src/settings.cpp
+++ b/src/settings.cpp
@@ -306,30 +306,30 @@ bool Configuration::read(const std::string &config_path)
 		new_header_second_line, "{{$4$b%a$/b$9}{ - $7%b$9}{ ($4%y$9)}}|{%D}", adjust_and_validate_format
 	));
 	p.add("now_playing_prefix", buffer(
-		now_playing_prefix, NC::Buffer(NC::Format::Bold), [this](NC::Buffer buf) {
+		now_playing_prefix, NC::Buffer::init(NC::Format::Bold), [this](NC::Buffer buf) {
 			now_playing_prefix_length = wideLength(ToWString(buf.str()));
 			return buf;
 	}));
 	p.add("now_playing_suffix", buffer(
-		now_playing_suffix, NC::Buffer(NC::Format::NoBold), [this](NC::Buffer buf) {
+		now_playing_suffix, NC::Buffer::init(NC::Format::NoBold), [this](NC::Buffer buf) {
 			now_playing_suffix_length = wideLength(ToWString(buf.str()));
 			return buf;
 	}));
 	p.add("browser_playlist_prefix", buffer(
-		browser_playlist_prefix, NC::Buffer(NC::Color::Red, "playlist", NC::Color::End, ' '), id_()
+		browser_playlist_prefix, NC::Buffer::init(NC::Color::Red, "playlist", NC::Color::End, ' '), id_()
 	));
 	p.add("selected_item_prefix", buffer(
-		selected_item_prefix, NC::Buffer(NC::Color::Magenta), [this](NC::Buffer buf) {
+		selected_item_prefix, NC::Buffer::init(NC::Color::Magenta), [this](NC::Buffer buf) {
 			selected_item_prefix_length = wideLength(ToWString(buf.str()));
 			return buf;
 	}));
 	p.add("selected_item_suffix", buffer(
-		selected_item_suffix, NC::Buffer(NC::Color::End), [this](NC::Buffer buf) {
+		selected_item_suffix, NC::Buffer::init(NC::Color::End), [this](NC::Buffer buf) {
 			selected_item_suffix_length = wideLength(ToWString(buf.str()));
 			return buf;
 	}));
 	p.add("modified_item_prefix", buffer(
-		modified_item_prefix, NC::Buffer(NC::Color::Green, "> ", NC::Color::End), id_()
+		modified_item_prefix, NC::Buffer::init(NC::Color::Green, "> ", NC::Color::End), id_()
 	));
 	p.add("song_window_title_format", assign_default<std::string>(
 		song_window_title_format, "{%a - }{%t}|{%f}", adjust_and_validate_format
diff --git a/src/strbuffer.h b/src/strbuffer.h
index aab7f6da..b9d54891 100644
--- a/src/strbuffer.h
+++ b/src/strbuffer.h
@@ -90,12 +90,6 @@ public:
 	typedef std::basic_string<CharT> StringType;
 	typedef std::set<Property> Properties;
 	
-	template <typename... Args>
-	BasicBuffer(Args&&... args)
-	{
-		construct(std::forward<Args>(args)...);
-	}
-
 	const StringType &str() const { return m_string; }
 	const Properties &properties() const { return m_properties; }
 	
@@ -187,6 +181,16 @@ public:
 		return *this;
 	}
 	
+	// static variadic initializer. used instead of a proper constructor because
+	// it's too polymorphic and would end up invoked as a copy/move constructor.
+	template <typename... Args>
+	static BasicBuffer init(Args&&... args)
+	{
+		BasicBuffer result;
+		result.construct(std::forward<Args>(args)...);
+		return result;
+	}
+
 private:
 	void construct() { }
 	template <typename ArgT, typename... Args>