diff --git a/Generals/Code/GameEngine/Include/Common/GlobalData.h b/Generals/Code/GameEngine/Include/Common/GlobalData.h
index dbf1330340..4d06757f7f 100644
--- a/Generals/Code/GameEngine/Include/Common/GlobalData.h
+++ b/Generals/Code/GameEngine/Include/Common/GlobalData.h
@@ -560,6 +560,11 @@ class GlobalData : public SubsystemInterface
 // singleton
 extern GlobalData* TheWritableGlobalData;
 
+// use TheGlobalData for all read-only accesses
+#if __cplusplus >= 201703L
+inline const GlobalData* const& TheGlobalData = TheWritableGlobalData;
+#else
 #define TheGlobalData ((const GlobalData*)TheWritableGlobalData)
+#endif
 
 #endif
diff --git a/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Include/Common/GlobalData.h b/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Include/Common/GlobalData.h
index 9dc544d9b2..fba180d123 100644
--- a/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Include/Common/GlobalData.h
+++ b/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Include/Common/GlobalData.h
@@ -573,6 +573,11 @@ class GlobalData : public SubsystemInterface
 // singleton
 extern GlobalData* TheWritableGlobalData;
 
+// use TheGlobalData for all read-only accesses
+#if __cplusplus >= 201703L
+inline const GlobalData* const& TheGlobalData = TheWritableGlobalData;
+#else
 #define TheGlobalData ((const GlobalData*)TheWritableGlobalData)
+#endif
 
 #endif