diff --git a/stan/math/prim/fun/scalar_seq_view.hpp b/stan/math/prim/fun/scalar_seq_view.hpp
index 59be83833f1..5e7a176b8fc 100644
--- a/stan/math/prim/fun/scalar_seq_view.hpp
+++ b/stan/math/prim/fun/scalar_seq_view.hpp
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ class scalar_seq_view<C, require_eigen_vector_t<C>> {
    * @param i index
    * @return the element at the specified position in the container
    */
-  inline auto operator[](size_t i) const { return c_.coeffRef(i); }
+  inline auto operator[](size_t i) const { return c_.coeff(i); }
 
   inline auto size() const noexcept { return c_.size(); }