diff --git a/include/boost/units/conversion.hpp b/include/boost/units/conversion.hpp
index f5d4a1ef..af479a68 100644
--- a/include/boost/units/conversion.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/units/conversion.hpp
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ namespace boost {
 
 namespace units {
 
-template<class From, class To>
+template<class From, class To, typename>
 struct conversion_helper;
 
 #ifdef BOOST_UNITS_DOXYGEN
diff --git a/include/boost/units/detail/conversion_impl.hpp b/include/boost/units/detail/conversion_impl.hpp
index f3cc1957..b15b3a8b 100644
--- a/include/boost/units/detail/conversion_impl.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/units/detail/conversion_impl.hpp
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 #include <boost/mpl/divides.hpp>
 #include <boost/preprocessor/seq/enum.hpp>
 #include <boost/type_traits/is_same.hpp>
+#include <boost/utility/enable_if.hpp>
 
 #include <boost/units/heterogeneous_system.hpp>
 #include <boost/units/homogeneous_system.hpp>
@@ -326,15 +327,30 @@ struct conversion_impl<0>
     };
 };
 
+template<typename Unit1, typename Unit2>
+class has_conversion_factor
+{
+  typedef char yes[1];
+  typedef char no[2];
+
+  template<typename T, typename U> static yes& test(char(*)[sizeof(conversion_factor(T(), U()))]);
+
+  template<typename, typename> static no& test(...);
+
+  public:
+  enum { value = (sizeof(test<Unit1, Unit2>(0)) == sizeof(yes)) };
+};
+
 } // namespace detail
 
 /// forward to conversion_factor (intentionally allowing ADL)
 /// INTERNAL ONLY
 template<class Unit1, class T1, class Unit2, class T2>
-struct conversion_helper<quantity<Unit1, T1>, quantity<Unit2, T2> >
+struct conversion_helper<quantity<Unit1, T1>, quantity<Unit2, T2>, typename boost::enable_if_c<detail::has_conversion_factor<Unit1, Unit2>::value>::type>
 {
     /// INTERNAL ONLY
     typedef quantity<Unit2, T2> destination_type;
+
     static BOOST_CONSTEXPR destination_type convert(const quantity<Unit1, T1>& source)
     {
         return(destination_type::from_value(static_cast<T2>(source.value() * conversion_factor(Unit1(), Unit2()))));
diff --git a/include/boost/units/quantity.hpp b/include/boost/units/quantity.hpp
index c6ae6e73..64ff2037 100644
--- a/include/boost/units/quantity.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/units/quantity.hpp
@@ -79,11 +79,22 @@ struct disable_if_is_same
     typedef void type;
 };
 
-template<class T>
-struct disable_if_is_same<T, T> {};
+template<typename Quantity1, typename Quantity2>
+struct has_conversion_helper
+{
+  typedef char yes[1];
+  typedef char no[2];
+
+  template<typename T, typename U> static yes& test(char(*)[sizeof(conversion_helper<T,U>)]);
+
+  template<typename, typename> static no& test(...);
+
+  public:
+  enum { value = (sizeof(test<Quantity1, Quantity2>(0)) == sizeof(yes)) };
+};
 
 }
- 
+
 /// class declaration
 template<class Unit,class Y>
 class quantity
@@ -178,9 +189,10 @@ class quantity
         #ifndef BOOST_NO_SFINAE
 
         /// explicit conversion between different unit systems is allowed if implicit conversion is disallowed
-        template<class Unit2,class YY> 
+        template<class Unit2,class YY>
         explicit
-        BOOST_CONSTEXPR quantity(const quantity<Unit2,YY>& source, 
+        BOOST_CONSTEXPR quantity(const quantity<Unit2,YY>& source,
+                 typename boost::enable_if_c<detail::has_conversion_helper<quantity<Unit2,YY>,this_type>::value>::type* = 0,
                  typename boost::disable_if<
                     mpl::and_<
                         //is_implicitly_convertible should be undefined when the
diff --git a/include/boost/units/units_fwd.hpp b/include/boost/units/units_fwd.hpp
index cca5c0b1..abf25c24 100644
--- a/include/boost/units/units_fwd.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/units/units_fwd.hpp
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ template<class T> struct is_quantity;
 template<class T,class Dim> struct is_quantity_of_dimension;
 template<class T,class System> struct is_quantity_of_system;
 
-template<class From,class To> struct conversion_helper;
+template<class From,class To, typename = void> struct conversion_helper;
 
 template<class T> std::string to_string(const T&);
 template<class T> std::string name_string(const T&);
diff --git a/test/test_conversion.cpp b/test/test_conversion.cpp
index 17015245..5c5cbb9a 100644
--- a/test/test_conversion.cpp
+++ b/test/test_conversion.cpp
@@ -24,6 +24,10 @@ Test conversion between quantities.
 #include <boost/units/quantity.hpp>
 #include <boost/units/systems/si.hpp>
 #include <boost/units/systems/cgs.hpp>
+#include <boost/units/base_units/metric/liter.hpp>
+#include <boost/units/base_units/metric/minute.hpp>
+#include <boost/units/base_units/si/second.hpp>
+#include <boost/type_traits/is_constructible.hpp>
 
 #include <iostream>
 
@@ -108,3 +112,11 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(test_dimensionless_conversions) {
     BOOST_CONSTEXPR_OR_CONST bu::quantity<bu::divide_typeof_helper<bu::cgs::mass, bu::si::mass>::type> dimensionless_test5(dimensionless_test4);
     BOOST_UNITS_CHECK_CLOSE(dimensionless_test5.value(), 2e5);
 }
+
+BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(test_unrelated_constructible) {
+  typedef boost::units::quantity<boost::units::metric::liter_base_unit::unit_type> liter;
+  typedef boost::units::quantity<boost::units::metric::minute_base_unit::unit_type> minute;
+  typedef boost::units::quantity<boost::units::si::second_base_unit::unit_type> second;
+  BOOST_CHECK((!boost::is_constructible<liter, minute>::value));
+  BOOST_CHECK((boost::is_constructible<second, minute>::value));
+}