diff --git a/src/tests/util/pvector.cpp b/src/tests/util/pvector.cpp
index c792b7ff4..6ce5a8e6f 100644
--- a/src/tests/util/pvector.cpp
+++ b/src/tests/util/pvector.cpp
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ bool operator==(pvector<T> v1, pvector<T> v2) {
     return true;
 }
 
-static void driver(unsigned max_sz, unsigned max_val, unsigned num_ops, double push_freq, double copy_freq) {
+static void driver(unsigned max_sz, unsigned max_val, unsigned num_ops, double updt_freq, double copy_freq) {
     std::vector<int> v1;
     pvector<int>     v2;
     pvector<int>     v3;
@@ -79,14 +79,23 @@ static void driver(unsigned max_sz, unsigned max_val, unsigned num_ops, double p
                 lean_assert(v3[idx] == v1[idx]);
             }
         }
-        if (f < push_freq) {
+        if (f < updt_freq) {
             if (v1.size() >= max_sz)
                 continue;
             int a = std::rand() % max_val;
-            v1.push_back(a);
-            v2.push_back(a);
-            v3 = push_back(v3, a);
-            lean_assert(back(v3) == a);
+            if (!empty(v2) && rand()%2 == 0) {
+                unsigned idx = rand() % size(v2);
+                v1[idx] = a;
+                v2[idx] = a;
+                v3[idx] = a;
+                lean_assert(v1[idx] == v2[idx]);
+                lean_assert(v1[idx] == v3[idx]);
+            } else {
+                v1.push_back(a);
+                v2.push_back(a);
+                v3 = push_back(v3, a);
+                lean_assert(back(v3) == a);
+            }
         } else {
             if (v1.size() == 0)
                 continue;
@@ -173,6 +182,22 @@ static void tst5() {
     }
 }
 
+static void tst6() {
+    pvector<int> v;
+    v.push_back(0);
+    v.push_back(1);
+    pvector<int> v2 = v;
+    v2[0] = 10;
+    lean_assert(v2[0] == 10);
+    lean_assert(v[0] == 0);
+    v[0] = 5;
+    lean_assert(v2[0] == 10);
+    lean_assert(v[0] == 5);
+    v2[1] = 20;
+    lean_assert(v2[0] == 10);
+    lean_assert(v2[1] == 20);
+}
+
 #ifdef PVECTOR_PERF_TEST
 static void perf_vector(unsigned n) {
     std::vector<int> q;
@@ -250,6 +275,7 @@ int main() {
     tst3();
     tst4();
     tst5();
+    tst6();
 #ifdef PVECTOR_PERF_TEST
     tst_perf1();
     tst_perf2();
diff --git a/src/util/pvector.h b/src/util/pvector.h
index 2b5a3ab1d..cb55324d5 100644
--- a/src/util/pvector.h
+++ b/src/util/pvector.h
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@ public:
         \brief Access specified element
         \pre i < size()
     */
-    T const & operator[](unsigned i) const {
+    T const & get(unsigned i) const {
         lean_assert(i < size());
         cell const * it = m_ptr;
         unsigned cost = 0;
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ public:
                     if (const_cast<pvector*>(this)->update_quota_on_read(cost))
                         return to_push(it).m_val;
                     else
-                        return operator[](i); // representation was changed, \c it may have been deleted
+                        return get(i); // representation was changed, \c it may have been deleted
                 }
                 break;
             case cell_kind::PopBack:
@@ -250,14 +250,14 @@ public:
                     if (const_cast<pvector*>(this)->update_quota_on_read(cost))
                         return to_set(it).m_val;
                     else
-                        return operator[](i); // representation was changed, \c it may have been deleted
+                        return get(i); // representation was changed, \c it may have been deleted
                 }
                 break;
             case cell_kind::Root:
                 if (const_cast<pvector*>(this)->update_quota_on_read(cost))
                     return to_root(it).m_vector[i];
                 else
-                    return operator[](i); // representation was changed, \c it may have been deleted
+                    return get(i); // representation was changed, \c it may have been deleted
             }
             it = static_cast<delta_cell const *>(it)->m_prev;
             cost++;
@@ -344,6 +344,19 @@ public:
         }
     }
 
+    class ref {
+        pvector  & m_vector;
+        unsigned   m_idx;
+    public:
+        ref(pvector & v, unsigned i):m_vector(v), m_idx(i) {}
+        ref & operator=(T const & a) { m_vector.set(m_idx, a); return *this; }
+        operator T const &() const { return m_vector.get(m_idx); }
+    };
+
+    T const & operator[](unsigned i) const { return get(i); }
+
+    ref operator[](unsigned i) { return ref(*this, i); }
+
     class iterator {
         friend class pvector;
         pvector const & m_vector;