--- a/src/oct-obj.h
+++ b/src/oct-obj.h
@@ -47,7 +47,6 @@
 public:
 
   Octave_object (void) : Array<tree_constant> () { }
-  Octave_object (int n) : Array<tree_constant> (n) { }
   Octave_object (int n, const tree_constant& val)
     : Array<tree_constant> (n, val) { }
 
@@ -86,6 +85,21 @@
 
 private:
 
+// This constructor is private with no definition to keep statements
+// like
+//
+//   Octave_object foo = 5;
+//   Octave_object foo = 5.0;
+//
+// from doing different things.  Instead, you have to use the
+// constructor
+//
+//   Octave_object (n, val);
+//
+// and supply a default value to create a vector-valued Octave_object.
+
+  Octave_object (int n) : Array<tree_constant> (n);
+
   void maybe_resize (int n);
 
   tree_constant& elem (int n);