diff --git a/include/custom.h b/include/custom.h
index 2f2115a..df2f5c8 100644
--- a/include/custom.h
+++ b/include/custom.h
@@ -67,7 +67,11 @@ struct libab_operator_s {
      * Corresponds to token types associated with
      * each operator.
      */
-    enum libab_operator_variant_e type;
+    enum libab_operator_variant_e variant;
+    /**
+     * The type of this operator.
+     */
+    libab_ref type;
     /**
      * The precedence of the operator.
      */
diff --git a/src/custom.c b/src/custom.c
index bc7312e..cdf241f 100644
--- a/src/custom.c
+++ b/src/custom.c
@@ -21,13 +21,15 @@ void libab_behavior_free(libab_behavior* behavior) {
 void libab_operator_init(libab_operator* op, libab_operator_variant variant, 
                          int precedence, int associativity, libab_ref* type,
                         libab_function_ptr func) {
-    op->type = variant;
+    op->variant = variant;
     op->precedence = precedence;
     op->associativity = associativity;
+    libab_ref_copy(type, &op->type);
     libab_behavior_init_internal(&op->behavior, func);
 }
 
 void libab_operator_free(libab_operator* op) {
+    libab_ref_free(&op->type);
     libab_behavior_free(&op->behavior);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/table.c b/src/table.c
index 3e8a9a8..34f7aa3 100644
--- a/src/table.c
+++ b/src/table.c
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ libab_table_entry* libab_table_search(libab_table* table, const char* string) {
 #define OP_TYPE_COMPARATOR(NAME, TYPE)                                         \
     int NAME(const void* left, const void* right) {                            \
         const libab_table_entry* entry = right;                                \
-        return entry->variant == ENTRY_OP && entry->data_u.op.type == TYPE;    \
+        return entry->variant == ENTRY_OP && entry->data_u.op.variant == TYPE;    \
     }
 
 OP_TYPE_COMPARATOR(libab_table_compare_op_prefix, OPERATOR_PREFIX)