diff --git a/data/teca_table.h b/data/teca_table.h
index 52ce8666f..a3b372eff 100644
--- a/data/teca_table.h
+++ b/data/teca_table.h
@@ -147,9 +147,11 @@ class teca_table : public teca_dataset
 
 protected:
     teca_table();
-    teca_table(const teca_table &other) = default;
-    teca_table(teca_table &&other) = default;
-    teca_table &operator=(const teca_table &other) = default;
+
+    teca_table(const teca_table &other) = delete;
+    teca_table(teca_table &&other) = delete;
+    teca_table &operator=(const teca_table &other) = delete;
+
     void declare_columns(){}
     void append(){}