diff --git a/include/boost/serialization/optional.hpp b/include/boost/serialization/optional.hpp
index ce1d364de..6887b9d3f 100644
--- a/include/boost/serialization/optional.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/serialization/optional.hpp
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 /////////1/////////2/////////3/////////4/////////5/////////6/////////7/////////8
 
 // (C) Copyright 2002-4 Pavel Vozenilek .
+// Copyright 2026 Gennaro Prota.
 // Distributed under the Boost Software License, Version 1.0.
 // (See accompanying file LICENSE_1_0.txt or copy at
 // http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt)
@@ -21,13 +22,16 @@
 #endif
 
 #include <boost/move/utility_core.hpp>
+#include <boost/core/addressof.hpp>
+#include <boost/utility/enable_if.hpp>
 #include <boost/serialization/item_version_type.hpp>
 #include <boost/serialization/library_version_type.hpp>
 #include <boost/serialization/version.hpp>
 #include <boost/serialization/split_free.hpp>
 #include <boost/serialization/nvp.hpp>
-#include <boost/type_traits/is_pointer.hpp>
+#include <boost/serialization/serialization.hpp>
 #include <boost/serialization/detail/is_default_constructible.hpp>
+#include <boost/serialization/detail/stack_constructor.hpp>
 
 // function specializations must be defined in the appropriate
 // namespace - boost::serialization
@@ -35,27 +39,91 @@ namespace boost {
 namespace serialization {
 namespace detail {
 
+// The value of an optional<T> is serialized like a single element of an
+// STL container: when T is default constructible we serialize it in place,
+// otherwise we route construction through save/load_construct_data so that
+// types without a default constructor can be reconstructed on load.  The
+// default-constructible path is left untouched so that archives written by
+// earlier versions of the library keep the same layout.
+
+// save the value: T is default constructible
+template<class Archive, class OT>
+typename boost::enable_if<
+    typename detail::is_default_constructible<typename OT::value_type>,
+    void
+>::type
+save_value(Archive & ar, const OT & ot){
+    ar << boost::serialization::make_nvp("value", *ot);
+}
+
+// save the value: T is not default constructible
+template<class Archive, class OT>
+typename boost::disable_if<
+    typename detail::is_default_constructible<typename OT::value_type>,
+    void
+>::type
+save_value(Archive & ar, const OT & ot){
+    typedef typename OT::value_type value_type;
+    const value_type & v = *ot;
+    const boost::serialization::item_version_type item_version(
+        boost::serialization::version<value_type>::value
+    );
+    ar << BOOST_SERIALIZATION_NVP(item_version);
+    boost::serialization::save_construct_data_adl(
+        ar,
+        boost::addressof(v),
+        item_version
+    );
+    ar << boost::serialization::make_nvp("value", v);
+}
+
+// load the value: T is default constructible
+template<class Archive, class OT>
+typename boost::enable_if<
+    typename detail::is_default_constructible<typename OT::value_type>,
+    void
+>::type
+load_value(Archive & ar, OT & ot, const unsigned int version){
+    if(0 == version){
+        boost::serialization::item_version_type item_version(0);
+        boost::serialization::library_version_type library_version(
+            ar.get_library_version()
+        );
+        if(boost::serialization::library_version_type(3) < library_version){
+            ar >> BOOST_SERIALIZATION_NVP(item_version);
+        }
+    }
+    typename OT::value_type t;
+    ar >> boost::serialization::make_nvp("value", t);
+    ot = boost::move(t);
+}
+
+// load the value: T is not default constructible
+template<class Archive, class OT>
+typename boost::disable_if<
+    typename detail::is_default_constructible<typename OT::value_type>,
+    void
+>::type
+load_value(Archive & ar, OT & ot, const unsigned int /* version */){
+    typedef typename OT::value_type value_type;
+    boost::serialization::item_version_type item_version(0);
+    ar >> BOOST_SERIALIZATION_NVP(item_version);
+    detail::stack_construct<Archive, value_type> aux(ar, item_version);
+    ar >> boost::serialization::make_nvp("value", aux.reference());
+    ot = boost::move(aux.reference());
+    ar.reset_object_address(boost::addressof(*ot), aux.address());
+}
+
 // OT is of the form optional<T>
 template<class Archive, class OT>
 void save_impl(
     Archive & ar,
     const OT & ot
 ){
-    // It is an inherent limitation to the serialization of optional.hpp
-    // that the underlying type must be either a pointer or must have a
-    // default constructor.  It's possible that this could change sometime
-    // in the future, but for now, one will have to work around it.  This can
-    // be done by serialization the optional<T> as optional<T *>
-    #ifndef BOOST_NO_CXX11_HDR_TYPE_TRAITS
-        BOOST_STATIC_ASSERT(
-            boost::serialization::detail::is_default_constructible<typename OT::value_type>::value
-            || boost::is_pointer<typename OT::value_type>::value
-        );
-    #endif
     const bool tflag(ot);
     ar << boost::serialization::make_nvp("initialized", tflag);
     if (tflag){
-        ar << boost::serialization::make_nvp("value", *ot);
+        save_value(ar, ot);
     }
 }
 
@@ -72,19 +140,7 @@ void load_impl(
         ot.reset();
         return;
     }
-
-    if(0 == version){
-        boost::serialization::item_version_type item_version(0);
-        boost::serialization::library_version_type library_version(
-            ar.get_library_version()
-        );
-        if(boost::serialization::library_version_type(3) < library_version){
-            ar >> BOOST_SERIALIZATION_NVP(item_version);
-        }
-    }
-    typename OT::value_type t;
-    ar >> boost::serialization::make_nvp("value",t);
-    ot = boost::move(t);
+    load_value(ar, ot, version);
 }
 
 } // detail
diff --git a/test/test_optional.cpp b/test/test_optional.cpp
index 42b6cc3b3..17fcba316 100644
--- a/test/test_optional.cpp
+++ b/test/test_optional.cpp
@@ -146,6 +146,77 @@ int test_move_only(){
 }
 #endif // move-only support available
 
+// A type without a default constructor.  It is reconstructed on load through
+// save_construct_data / load_construct_data, which is exactly what an
+// optional<ND> now relies on (see issue #121).  m_i is the constructor
+// argument, m_x is ordinary serialized state.
+struct ND {
+    int m_i;
+    int m_x;
+    ND(int i, int x) : m_i(i), m_x(x) {}
+    explicit ND(int i) : m_i(i), m_x(0) {}
+    template<class Archive>
+    void serialize(Archive & ar, const unsigned int /* version */){
+        ar & boost::serialization::make_nvp("x", m_x);
+    }
+    bool operator==(const ND & rhs) const {
+        return m_i == rhs.m_i && m_x == rhs.m_x;
+    }
+};
+
+namespace boost {
+namespace serialization {
+
+template<class Archive>
+void save_construct_data(
+    Archive & ar, const ND * p, const unsigned int /* version */
+){
+    ar << boost::serialization::make_nvp("i", p->m_i);
+}
+
+template<class Archive>
+void load_construct_data(
+    Archive & ar, ND * p, const unsigned int /* version */
+){
+    int i;
+    ar >> boost::serialization::make_nvp("i", i);
+    ::new(p) ND(i);
+}
+
+} // serialization
+} // boost
+
+template<template<class> class Optional>
+int test_non_default_ctor(){
+    const char * testfile = boost::archive::tmpnam(NULL);
+    BOOST_REQUIRE(NULL != testfile);
+
+    const Optional<ND> o_empty;
+    const Optional<ND> o_value(ND(7, 42));
+    {
+        test_ostream os(testfile, TEST_STREAM_FLAGS);
+        test_oarchive oa(os, TEST_ARCHIVE_FLAGS);
+        oa << boost::serialization::make_nvp("o_empty", o_empty);
+        oa << boost::serialization::make_nvp("o_value", o_value);
+    }
+    // start each target in the opposite state, so load must both reset and
+    // reconstruct
+    Optional<ND> o_empty_a(ND(1, 1));
+    Optional<ND> o_value_a;
+    {
+        test_istream is(testfile, TEST_STREAM_FLAGS);
+        test_iarchive ia(is, TEST_ARCHIVE_FLAGS);
+        ia >> boost::serialization::make_nvp("o_empty", o_empty_a);
+        ia >> boost::serialization::make_nvp("o_value", o_value_a);
+    }
+    BOOST_CHECK(! o_empty_a);
+    BOOST_CHECK(static_cast<bool>(o_value_a));
+    BOOST_CHECK(o_value_a && *o_value == *o_value_a);
+
+    std::remove(testfile);
+    return EXIT_SUCCESS;
+}
+
 #include <boost/serialization/optional.hpp>
 #ifndef BOOST_NO_CXX17_HDR_OPTIONAL
 #include <optional>
@@ -162,5 +233,9 @@ int test_main( int /* argc */, char* /* argv */[] ){
     test_move_only<std::optional>();
     #endif
     #endif
+    test_non_default_ctor<boost::optional>();
+    #ifndef BOOST_NO_CXX17_HDR_OPTIONAL
+    test_non_default_ctor<std::optional>();
+    #endif
     return EXIT_SUCCESS;
 }