diff --git a/src/numpy_cpp.h b/src/numpy_cpp.h
index f0608efa3bf4..f1b7ffaa015d 100644
--- a/src/numpy_cpp.h
+++ b/src/numpy_cpp.h
@@ -367,17 +367,19 @@ class array_view : public detail::array_view_accessors<array_view, T, ND>
         }
     }
 
-    array_view(const array_view &other, bool contiguous = false) : m_arr(NULL), m_data(NULL)
+    array_view(const array_view &other) : m_arr(NULL), m_data(NULL)
     {
-        if (!set((PyObject *)other.m_arr)) {
-            throw py::exception();
-        }
+        m_arr = other.m_arr;
+        Py_XINCREF(m_arr);
+        m_data = other.m_data;
+        m_shape = other.m_shape;
+        m_strides = other.m_strides;
     }
 
     array_view(PyArrayObject *arr, char *data, npy_intp *shape, npy_intp *strides)
     {
         m_arr = arr;
-        Py_INCREF(arr);
+        Py_XINCREF(arr);
         m_data = data;
         m_shape = shape;
         m_strides = strides;