Deref coercion doesn't happen in this particular case when using `?` operator.

Problem

In the following line, set_not_after function expects a &openssl::asn1::Asn1TimeRef, and openssl::asn1::Asn1Time implements Deref<Target = Asn1TimeRef>.

x509.set_not_after(&openssl::asn1::Asn1Time::days_from_now(10)?)?;

But the line results in the following error.

error[E0308]: `?` operator has incompatible types
   --> src\main.rs:119:25
    |
119 |     x509.set_not_after(&openssl::asn1::Asn1Time::days_from_now(10)?)?;
    |                         ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ expected `Asn1TimeRef`, found `Asn1Time`
    |
    = note: `?` operator cannot convert from `Asn1Time` to `Asn1TimeRef`

Whereas the following lines work perfectly fine.

x509.set_not_after(&*openssl::asn1::Asn1Time::days_from_now(10)?)?;

x509.set_not_after(&&openssl::asn1::Asn1Time::days_from_now(10)?)?;

x509.set_not_after(&openssl::asn1::Asn1Time::days_from_now(10)?.deref())?;

x509.set_not_after(&openssl::asn1::Asn1Time::days_from_now(10).unwrap())?;

Steps

1. Add openssl crate to your package.
2. Try to create an instance of openssl::x509::X509Builder.
3. Use any of its functions (e.g. set_not_after).
4. Run the command cargo check.

This issue should be replicable without openssl crate too but I could not find a way.

Possible Solution(s)

No response

Notes

No response

Version

cargo 1.90.0 (840b83a10 2025-07-30)
release: 1.90.0
commit-hash: 840b83a10fb0e039a83f4d70ad032892c287570a
commit-date: 2025-07-30
host: x86_64-pc-windows-msvc
libgit2: 1.9.1 (sys:0.20.2 vendored)
libcurl: 8.14.1-DEV (sys:0.4.82+curl-8.14.1 vendored ssl:Schannel)
os: Windows 10.0.26100 (Windows 11 CoreSingleLanguage) [64-bit]

Start with the minimal reproduction using the openssl example and run cargo check, comparing the four expression forms shown in the report. Read the compiler behavior around the ? operator and deref coercion, then establish whether the result is expected or identify the compiler change and regression test needed.