diff --git a/include/iris/x4/core/detail/parse_into_container.hpp b/include/iris/x4/core/detail/parse_into_container.hpp
index ac90a9a5a..8a40b2493 100644
--- a/include/iris/x4/core/detail/parse_into_container.hpp
+++ b/include/iris/x4/core/detail/parse_into_container.hpp
@@ -212,7 +212,19 @@ parse_into_container(
         "`unused_type` should not be passed to `parse_into_container`. Use `x4::assume_container(attr)`"
     );
 
-    return parse_into_container_impl<Parser>::call(parser, first, last, ctx, attr);
+    if constexpr (traits::is_variant_v<Attr>) {
+        // e.g. `char` when the caller is `+char_`
+        using attribute_type = parser_traits<Parser>::attribute_type;
+     
+        // e.g. `std::string` when the attribute_type is `char`
+        using substitute_type = traits::variant_find_substitute_t<Attr, traits::build_container_t<attribute_type>>;
+
+        // instead of creating a temporary `substitute_type`, append directly into the emplaced alternative
+        auto& variant_alt = attr.template emplace<substitute_type>();
+        return parse_into_container_impl<Parser>::call(parser, first, last, ctx, variant_alt);
+    } else {
+        return parse_into_container_impl<Parser>::call(parser, first, last, ctx, attr);
+    }
 }
 
 } // iris::x4::detail
diff --git a/test/x4/alternative.cpp b/test/x4/alternative.cpp
index bb0db2d74..bd432b9f7 100644
--- a/test/x4/alternative.cpp
+++ b/test/x4/alternative.cpp
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 #include <iris/x4/char/char.hpp>
 #include <iris/x4/string/string.hpp>
 #include <iris/x4/directive/omit.hpp>
+#include <iris/x4/numeric/bool.hpp>
 #include <iris/x4/numeric/int.hpp>
 #include <iris/x4/operator/alternative.hpp>
 #include <iris/x4/operator/plus.hpp>
@@ -63,6 +64,7 @@ TEST_CASE("alternative")
     using x4::unused;
     using x4::omit;
     using x4::eps;
+    using x4::true_;
 
     IRIS_X4_ASSERT_CONSTEXPR_CTORS(char_ | char_);
 
@@ -220,7 +222,37 @@ TEST_CASE("alternative")
         (void)line;
     }
 
-    // single-element tuple tests
+    // attribute is a variant containing container
+    {
+        constexpr auto parser = +true_;
+        using Parser = std::remove_const_t<decltype(parser)>;
+        using Attr = iris::rvariant<int, std::vector<bool>>;
+        
+        using attribute_type = x4::parser_traits<Parser>::attribute_type;
+        STATIC_CHECK(std::same_as<attribute_type, std::vector<bool>>);
+
+        using substitute_type = x4::traits::variant_find_substitute_t<Attr, attribute_type>;
+        STATIC_CHECK(std::same_as<substitute_type, std::vector<bool>>);
+
+        Attr var;
+        REQUIRE(parse("truetrue", parser, var));
+    }
+    {
+        constexpr auto parser = +char_;
+        using Parser = std::remove_const_t<decltype(parser)>;
+        using Attr = iris::rvariant<int, std::string>;
+        
+        using attribute_type = x4::parser_traits<Parser>::attribute_type;
+        STATIC_CHECK(std::same_as<attribute_type, std::string>);
+
+        using substitute_type = x4::traits::variant_find_substitute_t<Attr, attribute_type>;
+        STATIC_CHECK(std::same_as<substitute_type, std::string>);
+
+        Attr var;
+        REQUIRE(parse("123", parser, var));
+    }
+
+    // single element tuple-like case
     {
         alloy::tuple<iris::rvariant<int, std::string>> fv;
         REQUIRE(parse("12345", int_ | +char_, fv));