diff --git a/utils/include/edm4hep/utils/ParticleIDUtils.h b/utils/include/edm4hep/utils/ParticleIDUtils.h
index 640ec037..738b3c4f 100644
--- a/utils/include/edm4hep/utils/ParticleIDUtils.h
+++ b/utils/include/edm4hep/utils/ParticleIDUtils.h
@@ -55,8 +55,8 @@ class PIDHandler {
 public:
   PIDHandler() = default;
   ~PIDHandler() = default;
-  PIDHandler(const PIDHandler&) = default;
-  PIDHandler& operator=(const PIDHandler&) = default;
+  PIDHandler(const PIDHandler&) = delete;
+  PIDHandler& operator=(const PIDHandler&) = delete;
   PIDHandler(PIDHandler&&) = default;
   PIDHandler& operator=(PIDHandler&&) = default;