diff --git a/src/butil/thread_key.h b/src/butil/thread_key.h
index e95fa2fa91..c150528b63 100644
--- a/src/butil/thread_key.h
+++ b/src/butil/thread_key.h
@@ -108,9 +108,9 @@ class ThreadLocal {
 
     T* get();
 
-    T* operator->() const { return get(); }
+    T* operator->() { return get(); }
 
-    T& operator*() const { return *get(); }
+    T& operator*() { return *get(); }
 
     // Iterate through all thread local objects.
     // Callback, which must accept Args params and return void,
diff --git a/test/thread_key_unittest.cpp b/test/thread_key_unittest.cpp
index f254ce411d..5a95b8f0f9 100644
--- a/test/thread_key_unittest.cpp
+++ b/test/thread_key_unittest.cpp
@@ -46,6 +46,10 @@ struct ThreadKeyInfo {
     uint32_t seq;
 };
 
+struct ThreadKeyData {
+    int a{0};
+};
+
 TEST(ThreadLocalTest, sanity) {
     {
         ThreadKey key;
@@ -65,13 +69,16 @@ TEST(ThreadLocalTest, sanity) {
     }
 
     for (int i = 0; i < 5; ++i) {
-        ThreadLocal<int> tl;
-        ASSERT_TRUE(tl.get()!=NULL);
-        int* data = new int;
+        ThreadLocal<ThreadKeyData> tl;
+        ASSERT_TRUE(tl.get());
+        ASSERT_EQ(tl->a, 0);
+        auto data = new ThreadKeyData;
+        data->a = 1;
         tl.reset(data); // tl owns data
         ASSERT_EQ(data, tl.get());
+        ASSERT_EQ((*tl).a, 1);
         tl.reset(); // data has been deleted
-        ASSERT_TRUE(tl.get()!=NULL);
+        ASSERT_TRUE(tl.get());
     }
 }