diff --git a/include/pybind11/eigen.h b/include/pybind11/eigen.h
index a8e749a316..97b1d96b09 100644
--- a/include/pybind11/eigen.h
+++ b/include/pybind11/eigen.h
@@ -573,7 +573,9 @@ struct type_caster<Type, enable_if_t<is_eigen_sparse<Type>::value>> {
         if (!values || !innerIndices || !outerIndices)
             return false;
 
-        value = Eigen::MappedSparseMatrix<Scalar, Type::Flags, StorageIndex>(
+        value = Eigen::MappedSparseMatrix<Scalar,
+                                          Type::Flags & (Eigen::RowMajor | Eigen::ColMajor),
+                                          StorageIndex>(
             shape[0].cast<Index>(), shape[1].cast<Index>(), nnz,
             outerIndices.mutable_data(), innerIndices.mutable_data(), values.mutable_data());