diff --git a/include/svl/poolitem.hxx b/include/svl/poolitem.hxx
index 2977ae7298f2..82b27c115c47 100644
--- a/include/svl/poolitem.hxx
+++ b/include/svl/poolitem.hxx
@@ -137,7 +137,8 @@ private:
 
 protected:
                              explicit SfxPoolItem( sal_uInt16 nWhich = 0 );
-                             SfxPoolItem( const SfxPoolItem& );
+                             SfxPoolItem( const SfxPoolItem& rCopy)
+                                 : SfxPoolItem(rCopy.m_nWhich) {}
 
 public:
     virtual                  ~SfxPoolItem();
diff --git a/svl/source/items/poolitem.cxx b/svl/source/items/poolitem.cxx
index 4fbd3c9f5fd6..aebe8cda4389 100644
--- a/svl/source/items/poolitem.cxx
+++ b/svl/source/items/poolitem.cxx
@@ -35,13 +35,6 @@ SfxPoolItem::SfxPoolItem(sal_uInt16 const nWhich)
 }
 
 
-SfxPoolItem::SfxPoolItem( const SfxPoolItem& rCpy )
-    : m_nRefCount(0) // don't copy that
-    , m_nWhich(rCpy.m_nWhich)
-    , m_nKind(SfxItemKind::NONE)
-{}
-
-
 SfxPoolItem::~SfxPoolItem()
 {
     assert((m_nRefCount == 0 || m_nRefCount > SFX_ITEMS_MAXREF)