diff --git a/filter.hpp b/filter.hpp
index 10a793c6..c8e35a55 100644
--- a/filter.hpp
+++ b/filter.hpp
@@ -72,12 +72,16 @@ class iter::impl::Filtered {
     }
 
    public:
-    using iterator_category = std::input_iterator_tag;
+    using iterator_category = select_input_or_forward_iter<ContainerT>;
     using value_type = iterator_traits_deref<ContainerT>;
     using difference_type = std::ptrdiff_t;
     using pointer = value_type*;
     using reference = value_type&;
 
+    template <bool Dummy = true, typename = enable_if_has_forward_iter_t<
+                                     DependentType<Dummy, ContainerT>>>
+    Iterator() : filter_func_(nullptr) {}
+
     Iterator(IteratorWrapper<ContainerT>&& sub_iter,
         IteratorWrapper<ContainerT>&& sub_end, FilterFunc& filter_func)
         : sub_iter_{std::move(sub_iter)},
diff --git a/internal/iterbase.hpp b/internal/iterbase.hpp
index 7b460bf5..1c1bd5a7 100644
--- a/internal/iterbase.hpp
+++ b/internal/iterbase.hpp
@@ -75,6 +75,14 @@ namespace iter {
     using get_iters::get_begin;
     using get_iters::get_end;
 
+    template <bool, typename T>
+    struct DependentTypeImpl {
+      using type = T;
+    };
+
+    template <bool Dummy, typename T>
+    using DependentType = typename DependentTypeImpl<Dummy, T>::type;
+
     template <typename T>
     struct type_is {
       using type = T;
@@ -196,6 +204,27 @@ namespace iter {
 
     template <typename T>
     using has_random_access_iter = is_random_access_iter<iterator_type<T>>;
+
+    template <typename Iter>
+    using is_forward_iter = std::integral_constant<bool,
+        std::is_convertible<
+            typename std::iterator_traits<Iter>::iterator_category,
+            std::forward_iterator_tag>::value
+            && std::is_default_constructible<Iter>::value>;
+
+    template <typename Container>
+    using has_forward_iter = is_forward_iter<iterator_type<Container>>;
+
+    template <typename ContainerT>
+    using select_input_or_forward_iter =
+        typename std::conditional<has_forward_iter<ContainerT>::value,
+            std::forward_iterator_tag, std::input_iterator_tag>::type;
+
+    template <typename ContainerT, typename ResultT = void>
+    using enable_if_has_forward_iter_t =
+        typename std::enable_if<has_forward_iter<ContainerT>::value,
+            ResultT>::type;
+
     // because std::advance assumes a lot and is actually smart, I need a dumb
 
     // version that will work with most things
diff --git a/test/helpers.hpp b/test/helpers.hpp
index aa80cd3c..9f2f9139 100644
--- a/test/helpers.hpp
+++ b/test/helpers.hpp
@@ -12,6 +12,123 @@
 
 namespace itertest {
 
+  namespace archetypes {
+    template <typename Iter>
+    class InputIterator {
+      using Traits = std::iterator_traits<Iter>;
+      Iter it_;
+
+     public:
+      using iterator_category = std::input_iterator_tag;
+      using value_type = typename Traits::value_type;
+      using difference_type = typename Traits::difference_type;
+      using pointer = Iter;
+      using reference = typename Traits::reference;
+
+      Iter base() const {
+        return it_;
+      }
+
+      explicit InputIterator(Iter it) : it_(it) {}
+
+      reference operator*() const {
+        return *it_;
+      }
+      pointer operator->() const {
+        return it_;
+      }
+
+      InputIterator& operator++() {
+        ++it_;
+        return *this;
+      }
+      InputIterator operator++(int) {
+        InputIterator tmp(*this);
+        ++(*this);
+        return tmp;
+      }
+
+      friend bool operator==(
+          const InputIterator& LHS, const InputIterator& RHS) {
+        return LHS.it_ == RHS.it_;
+      }
+      friend bool operator!=(
+          const InputIterator& LHS, const InputIterator& RHS) {
+        return LHS.it_ != RHS.it_;
+      }
+    };
+
+    template <typename Iter>
+    class ForwardIterator {
+      using Traits = std::iterator_traits<Iter>;
+      Iter it_;
+
+     public:
+      using iterator_category = std::forward_iterator_tag;
+      using value_type = typename Traits::value_type;
+      using difference_type = typename Traits::difference_type;
+      using pointer = Iter;
+      using reference = typename Traits::reference;
+
+      Iter base() const {
+        return it_;
+      }
+
+      ForwardIterator() : it_() {}
+      explicit ForwardIterator(Iter it) : it_(it) {}
+
+      reference operator*() const {
+        return *it_;
+      }
+      pointer operator->() const {
+        return it_;
+      }
+
+      ForwardIterator& operator++() {
+        ++it_;
+        return *this;
+      }
+      ForwardIterator operator++(int) {
+        ForwardIterator tmp(*this);
+        ++(*this);
+        return tmp;
+      }
+
+      friend bool operator==(
+          const ForwardIterator& LHS, const ForwardIterator& RHS) {
+        return LHS.it_ == RHS.it_;
+      }
+      friend bool operator!=(
+          const ForwardIterator& LHS, const ForwardIterator& RHS) {
+        return LHS.it_ != RHS.it_;
+      }
+    };
+
+    template <typename ContainerT, template <typename Iter> typename IterWrap>
+    class Container {
+      ContainerT container_;
+
+     public:
+      using iterator = IterWrap<typename ContainerT::iterator>;
+      using const_iterator = IterWrap<typename ContainerT::const_iterator>;
+
+      Container(ContainerT const& c) : container_(c) {}
+
+      iterator begin() {
+        return iterator(container_.begin());
+      }
+      iterator end() {
+        return iterator(container_.end());
+      }
+      const_iterator begin() const {
+        return const_iterator(container_.begin());
+      }
+      const_iterator end() const {
+        return const_iterator(container_.end());
+      }
+    };
+  }  // namespace archetypes
+
   // non-copyable. non-movable. non-default-constructible
   class SolidInt {
    private:
@@ -217,8 +334,9 @@ namespace itertest {
           decltype(++std::declval<T&>()),             // prefix ++
           decltype(std::declval<T&>()++),             // postfix ++
           decltype(
-              std::declval<const T&>() != std::declval<const T&>()),      //  !=
-          decltype(std::declval<const T&>() == std::declval<const T&>())  //  ==
+              std::declval<const T&>() != std::declval<const T&>()),  //  !=
+          decltype(
+              std::declval<const T&>() == std::declval<const T&>())  //  ==,
           >> : std::true_type {};
 
   template <typename T>
@@ -297,6 +415,12 @@ class DiffEndRange {
     SubIter end_;
 
    public:
+    using iterator_category = std::input_iterator_tag;
+    using difference_type = std::ptrdiff_t;
+    using value_type = T;
+    using pointer = T*;
+    using reference = T&;
+
 #ifdef CHAR_RANGE_DEFAULT_CONSTRUCTIBLE
     Iterator() = default;
 #endif
@@ -335,6 +459,12 @@ class DiffEndRange {
     SubIter end_;
 
    public:
+    using iterator_category = std::input_iterator_tag;
+    using difference_type = std::ptrdiff_t;
+    using value_type = T;
+    using pointer = T*;
+    using reference = T&;
+
 #ifdef CHAR_RANGE_DEFAULT_CONSTRUCTIBLE
     ReverseIterator() = default;
 #endif
diff --git a/test/test_filter.cpp b/test/test_filter.cpp
index 73f684ee..26463de4 100644
--- a/test/test_filter.cpp
+++ b/test/test_filter.cpp
@@ -192,6 +192,28 @@ TEST_CASE("filter: iterator meets requirements", "[filter]") {
   REQUIRE(itertest::IsIterator<decltype(std::begin(c))>::value);
 }
 
+TEST_CASE("filter: iterator is input if base is input", "[filter]") {
+  using namespace itertest::archetypes;
+  using C = Container<std::string, InputIterator>;
+  C c(std::string{"abcdef"});
+  auto f = filter([](char c) { return c != 'a' && c != 'e'; }, c);
+  using IterT = decltype(std::begin(f));
+  REQUIRE(std::is_same<typename std::iterator_traits<IterT>::iterator_category,
+      std::input_iterator_tag>::value);
+  REQUIRE(!itertest::IsForwardIterator<IterT>::value);
+}
+
+TEST_CASE("filter: iterator is forward if base is forward", "[filter]") {
+  using namespace itertest::archetypes;
+  using C = Container<std::string, ForwardIterator>;
+  C c(std::string{"abcdef"});
+  auto f = filter([](char c) { return c != 'a' && c != 'e'; }, c);
+  using IterT = decltype(std::begin(f));
+  REQUIRE(std::is_same<typename std::iterator_traits<IterT>::iterator_category,
+      std::forward_iterator_tag>::value);
+  REQUIRE(itertest::IsForwardIterator<IterT>::value);
+}
+
 template <typename T, typename U>
 using ImpT = decltype(filter(std::declval<T>(), std::declval<U>()));
 TEST_CASE("filter: has correct ctor and assign ops", "[filter]") {
diff --git a/test/test_filterfalse.cpp b/test/test_filterfalse.cpp
index 7a74a0df..b6dc815c 100644
--- a/test/test_filterfalse.cpp
+++ b/test/test_filterfalse.cpp
@@ -156,6 +156,28 @@ TEST_CASE("filterfalse: iterator meets requirements", "[filterfalse]") {
   REQUIRE(itertest::IsIterator<decltype(std::begin(c))>::value);
 }
 
+TEST_CASE("filter: iterator is input if base is input", "[filter]") {
+  using namespace itertest::archetypes;
+  using C = Container<std::string, InputIterator>;
+  C c(std::string{"abcdef"});
+  auto f = filterfalse([](char c) { return c != 'a' && c != 'e'; }, c);
+  using IterT = decltype(std::begin(f));
+  REQUIRE(std::is_same<typename std::iterator_traits<IterT>::iterator_category,
+      std::input_iterator_tag>::value);
+  REQUIRE(!itertest::IsForwardIterator<IterT>::value);
+}
+
+TEST_CASE("filter: iterator is forward if base is forward", "[filter]") {
+  using namespace itertest::archetypes;
+  using C = Container<std::string, ForwardIterator>;
+  C c(std::string{"abcdef"});
+  auto f = filterfalse([](char c) { return c != 'a' && c != 'e'; }, c);
+  using IterT = decltype(std::begin(f));
+  REQUIRE(std::is_same<typename std::iterator_traits<IterT>::iterator_category,
+      std::forward_iterator_tag>::value);
+  REQUIRE(itertest::IsForwardIterator<IterT>::value);
+}
+
 template <typename T, typename U>
 using ImpT = decltype(filterfalse(std::declval<T>(), std::declval<U>()));
 TEST_CASE("filterfalse: has correct ctor and assign ops", "[filterfalse]") {