diff --git a/include/nlohmann/json.hpp b/include/nlohmann/json.hpp
index 16fb5a3a7..4676b2c5b 100644
--- a/include/nlohmann/json.hpp
+++ b/include/nlohmann/json.hpp
@@ -5728,7 +5728,9 @@ class basic_json
             switch (lhs_type)
             {
                 case value_t::array:
-                    return *lhs.m_value.array < *rhs.m_value.array;
+                    // note parentheses are necessary, see
+                    // https://github.com/nlohmann/json/issues/1530
+                    return (*lhs.m_value.array < *rhs.m_value.array);
 
                 case value_t::object:
                     return *lhs.m_value.object < *rhs.m_value.object;
diff --git a/single_include/nlohmann/json.hpp b/single_include/nlohmann/json.hpp
index 6b0702c43..7f86528f4 100644
--- a/single_include/nlohmann/json.hpp
+++ b/single_include/nlohmann/json.hpp
@@ -18493,7 +18493,9 @@ class basic_json
             switch (lhs_type)
             {
                 case value_t::array:
-                    return *lhs.m_value.array < *rhs.m_value.array;
+                    // note parentheses are necessary, see
+                    // https://github.com/nlohmann/json/issues/1530
+                    return (*lhs.m_value.array < *rhs.m_value.array);
 
                 case value_t::object:
                     return *lhs.m_value.object < *rhs.m_value.object;