diff --git a/src/OpenMesh/Core/Mesh/PolyMeshT.hh b/src/OpenMesh/Core/Mesh/PolyMeshT.hh
index d0e4d4f8..d514fedc 100644
--- a/src/OpenMesh/Core/Mesh/PolyMeshT.hh
+++ b/src/OpenMesh/Core/Mesh/PolyMeshT.hh
@@ -186,6 +186,8 @@ public:
 
   // --- constructor/destructor
   PolyMeshT() {}
+  template<typename T>
+  explicit PolyMeshT(const T& t) : Kernel(t) {}
   virtual ~PolyMeshT() {}
 
   /** Uses default copy and assignment operator.
diff --git a/src/OpenMesh/Core/Mesh/TriMeshT.hh b/src/OpenMesh/Core/Mesh/TriMeshT.hh
index 7c3359eb..bf51e29a 100644
--- a/src/OpenMesh/Core/Mesh/TriMeshT.hh
+++ b/src/OpenMesh/Core/Mesh/TriMeshT.hh
@@ -169,6 +169,10 @@ public:
 
   /// Default constructor
   TriMeshT() : PolyMesh() {}
+  explicit TriMeshT(PolyMesh rhs) : PolyMesh((rhs.triangulate(), rhs))
+  {
+  }
+
   /// Destructor
   virtual ~TriMeshT() {}