diff --git a/libpandabase/macros.h b/libpandabase/macros.h
index 216819f3d51f88e27cbb2cf040451612982757b1..881932cee557eda6a4b854d9da22db16b1f481b0 100644
--- a/libpandabase/macros.h
+++ b/libpandabase/macros.h
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@
 #define NO_COPY_CTOR(TypeName) TypeName(const TypeName &) = delete;
 
 // NOLINTNEXTLINE(cppcoreguidelines-macro-usage)
-#define NO_COPY_OPERATOR(TypeName) void operator=(const TypeName &) = delete
+#define NO_COPY_OPERATOR(TypeName) TypeName &operator=(const TypeName &) = delete
 
 // Disabling copy ctor and copy assignment operator.
 // NOLINTNEXTLINE(cppcoreguidelines-macro-usage)