diff --git a/include/itlib/generator.hpp b/include/itlib/generator.hpp
index fc08b90..b925122 100644
--- a/include/itlib/generator.hpp
+++ b/include/itlib/generator.hpp
@@ -61,35 +61,33 @@
 
 namespace itlib {
 
-namespace genimpl {
-// tempting to include expected here so we could have optional of ref and
-// ditch the T& specialization
-// ... but we promised to make standalone libs
+// why std::optional still doesn't have T& specialization is beyond me
+// it's tempting to include expected here so we could have optional of ref and
+// ditch our T& specialization, but we promised to make standalone libs
 
 template <typename T>
-class val_holder : public std::optional<T> {};
+class generator_value : public std::optional<T> {};
 
 template <typename T>
-class val_holder<T&> {
-    T* val = nullptr;
+class generator_value <T&> {
+    T* m_val = nullptr;
 public:
-    void emplace(T& v) noexcept { val = &v; }
-    void reset() noexcept { val = nullptr; }
-    T& operator*() noexcept { return *val; }
-    bool has_value() const noexcept { return val != nullptr; }
+    void emplace(T& v) noexcept { m_val = &v; }
+    void reset() noexcept { m_val = nullptr; }
+    T& operator*() noexcept { return *m_val; }
+    bool has_value() const noexcept { return m_val != nullptr; }
     explicit operator bool() const noexcept { return has_value(); }
 };
 
-} // namespace genimpl
-
 template <typename T>
 class generator {
 public:
+    // return const ref in case we're generating values, otherwise keep the ref type
     using value_ret_t = std::conditional_t<std::is_reference_v<T>, T, const T&>;
 
-    class promise_type {
-        genimpl::val_holder<T> m_val;
-    public:
+    struct promise_type {
+        generator_value<T> m_val;
+
         promise_type() noexcept = default;
 
         ~promise_type() = default;
@@ -99,25 +97,89 @@ class generator {
         std::suspend_always initial_suspend() noexcept { return {}; }
         std::suspend_always final_suspend() noexcept { return {}; }
         std::suspend_always yield_value(T value) noexcept { // assume T is noexcept move constructible
-            m_val = std::move(value);
+            if constexpr (std::is_reference_v<T>) {
+                m_val.emplace(value);
+            }
+            else {
+                m_val.emplace(std::move(value));
+            }
             return {};
         }
         void return_void() noexcept {}
         void unhandled_exception() { throw; }
 
-        value_ret_t val() const noexcept {
+        value_ret_t val() & noexcept {
             return *m_val;
         }
+        T&& val() && noexcept {
+            return std::move(*m_val);
+        }
+        void clear_value() noexcept {
+            m_val.reset();
+        }
     };
 
+    using handle_t = std::coroutine_handle<promise_type>;
+
     ~generator() {
         if (m_handle) m_handle.destroy();
     }
 
-    // std::optional interface
-    genimpl::val_holder<T> next() {}
+    // next (optional-based) interface
+
+    // NOTE: this won't return true until next() has returned an empty optional at least once
+    bool done() const noexcept {
+        return m_handle.done();
+    }
+
+    generator_value<T> next() {
+        if (done()) return {};
+        m_handle.promise().clear_value();
+        m_handle.resume();
+        return std::move(m_handle.promise().m_val);
+    }
+
+    // iterator-like/range-for interface
+
+    // emphasize that this is not a real iterator
+    class pseudo_iterator {
+        handle_t m_handle;
+    public:
+        using value_type = std::decay_t<T>;
+        using reference = value_ret_t;
+
+        pseudo_iterator() noexcept = default;
+        explicit pseudo_iterator(handle_t handle) noexcept : m_handle(handle) {}
+
+        reference operator*() const noexcept {
+            return m_handle.promise().val();
+        }
+
+        pseudo_iterator& operator++() {
+            m_handle.promise().clear_value();
+            m_handle.resume();
+            return *this;
+        }
+
+        struct end_t {};
+
+        // we're not really an iterator, but we can pretend to be one
+        friend bool operator==(const pseudo_iterator& i, end_t) noexcept { return i.m_handle.done(); }
+        friend bool operator==(end_t, const pseudo_iterator& i) noexcept { return i.m_handle.done(); }
+        friend bool operator!=(const pseudo_iterator& i, end_t) noexcept { return !i.m_handle.done(); }
+        friend bool operator!=(end_t, const pseudo_iterator& i) noexcept { return !i.m_handle.done(); }
+    };
+
+    pseudo_iterator begin() {
+        m_handle.resume();
+        return pseudo_iterator{m_handle};
+    }
+
+    pseudo_iterator::end_t end() {
+        return {};
+    }
+
 private:
-    using handle_t = std::coroutine_handle<promise_type>;
     handle_t m_handle;
     explicit generator(handle_t handle) noexcept : m_handle(handle) {}
 };
diff --git a/test/t-generator-20.cpp b/test/t-generator-20.cpp
index f12f8f1..046b913 100644
--- a/test/t-generator-20.cpp
+++ b/test/t-generator-20.cpp
@@ -2,4 +2,133 @@
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 #include <itlib/generator.hpp>
-#include <doctest/doctest.h>
\ No newline at end of file
+
+#include <doctest/doctest.h>
+#include <doctest/util/lifetime_counter.hpp>
+
+#include <stdexcept>
+#include <vector>
+#include <span>
+
+itlib::generator<int> range(int begin, int end) {
+    for (int i = begin; i < end; ++i) {
+        if (i == 103) throw std::runtime_error("test exception");
+        co_yield i;
+    }
+}
+
+TEST_CASE("simple") {
+    int i = 50;
+
+    // range for
+    for (int x : range(i, i+10)) {
+        CHECK(x == i);
+        ++i;
+    }
+    CHECK(i == 60);
+
+    // next
+    auto r = range(1, 5);
+    CHECK(*r.next() == 1);
+    CHECK_FALSE(r.done());
+    CHECK(*r.next() == 2);
+    CHECK(r.next().value() == 3);
+    CHECK(r.next().value() == 4);
+    CHECK_FALSE(r.next().has_value());
+    CHECK_FALSE(r.next().has_value()); // check once again to make sure it's safe
+    CHECK(r.done());
+
+    // exceptions
+
+    i = 0;
+    CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(
+        [&]() {
+            for (int x : range(100, 105)) {
+                i = x;
+            }
+        }(),
+        "test exception",
+        std::runtime_error
+    );
+    CHECK(i == 102);
+
+    auto tr = range(101, 105);
+    CHECK_NOTHROW(tr.next());
+    CHECK_NOTHROW(tr.next());
+    CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(tr.next(), "test exception", std::runtime_error);
+}
+
+template <typename T>
+itlib::generator<T&> ref_gen(std::span<T> vals) {
+    for (T& v : vals) {
+        co_yield v;
+    }
+}
+
+TEST_CASE("ref") {
+    std::vector<int> ints = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5};
+    auto g = ref_gen(std::span(ints));
+    for (int& i : g) {
+        i += 10;
+    }
+    CHECK(ints == std::vector<int>{11, 12, 13, 14, 15});
+
+    auto cg = ref_gen(std::span<const int>(ints));
+    const int& a = *cg.next();
+    const int& b = *cg.next();
+    for (const int& i : cg) {
+        CHECK(i > 12);
+        CHECK(i < 16);
+    }
+    CHECK(cg.done());
+    CHECK(a == 11);
+    CHECK(&a == ints.data());
+    CHECK(b == 12);
+    CHECK(&b == ints.data() + 1);
+}
+
+struct value : doctest::util::lifetime_counter<value>
+{
+    value() = default;
+    explicit value(int i) : val(i) {}
+    int val = 0;
+};
+
+itlib::generator<value> value_range(int begin, int end) {
+    for (int i = begin; i < end; ++i) {
+        co_yield value(i);
+    }
+}
+
+TEST_CASE("lifetime") {
+    doctest::util::lifetime_counter_sentry lcsentry(value::root_lifetime_stats());
+
+    int i = 0;
+    {
+        value::lifetime_stats ls;
+
+        auto r = value_range(0, 5);
+        for (value v : r) {
+            CHECK(v.val == i);
+            ++i;
+        }
+        CHECK(i == 5);
+
+        CHECK(ls.living == 0);
+        CHECK(ls.copies == 5);
+        CHECK(ls.m_ctr == 5);
+    }
+
+    {
+        value::lifetime_stats ls;
+
+        auto r = value_range(0, 3);
+        auto v1 = r.next();
+        auto v2 = r.next();
+        auto v3 = r.next();
+        auto vend = r.next();
+        CHECK(ls.living == 3);
+        CHECK(ls.copies == 0);
+        CHECK(ls.m_ctr == 6);
+    }
+}