Index: boost/proto/transform/arg.hpp
===================================================================
--- boost/proto/transform/arg.hpp	(revision 56000)
+++ boost/proto/transform/arg.hpp	(working copy)
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@
             /// \return <tt>proto::child_c\<N\>(e)</tt>
             /// \throw nothrow
             #ifdef BOOST_HAS_DECLTYPE
-            result_type
+            typename mpl::if_c<is_array<result_type>::value, result_type &, result_type>::type
             #else
             typename result_of::child_c<typename impl::expr_param, N>::type
             #endif
Index: libs/proto/test/matches.cpp
===================================================================
--- libs/proto/test/matches.cpp	(revision 56000)
+++ libs/proto/test/matches.cpp	(working copy)
@@ -173,6 +173,7 @@
     assert_matches< terminal<char [N]> >( as_expr("hello") );
 
     assert_not_matches< if_<is_same<_value, int>()> >( lit("hello") );
+    assert_not_matches< if_<is_same<_child_c<0>, int>()> >( lit("hello") );
 
     assert_matches< terminal<std::string> >( lit(std::string("hello")) );
     assert_matches< terminal<std::string> >( as_child(std::string("hello")) );