diff --git a/SeQuant/core/expressions/constant.hpp b/SeQuant/core/expressions/constant.hpp
index b3c046cd3c..f02e6cc897 100644
--- a/SeQuant/core/expressions/constant.hpp
+++ b/SeQuant/core/expressions/constant.hpp
@@ -43,7 +43,8 @@ class Constant : public Expr {
   template <typename U>
     requires(!is_constant_v<U> && !is_an_expr_v<std::remove_reference_t<U>> &&
              !Expr::is_shared_ptr_of_expr_or_derived<
-                 std::remove_reference_t<U>>::value)
+                 std::remove_reference_t<U>>::value &&
+             std::constructible_from<scalar_type, U>)
   explicit Constant(U &&value) : value_(std::forward<U>(value)) {}
 
   /// @tparam T the result type; default to the type of value_
diff --git a/SeQuant/core/expressions/expr_operators.hpp b/SeQuant/core/expressions/expr_operators.hpp
index b65a9e2a84..e1e0967e3c 100644
--- a/SeQuant/core/expressions/expr_operators.hpp
+++ b/SeQuant/core/expressions/expr_operators.hpp
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 #include <SeQuant/core/expressions/expr_ptr.hpp>
 #include <SeQuant/core/expressions/product.hpp>
 #include <SeQuant/core/expressions/sum.hpp>
+#include <SeQuant/core/expressions/variable.hpp>
 #include <SeQuant/core/utility/macros.hpp>
 
 #include <concepts>
@@ -149,6 +150,42 @@ inline ExprPtr operator/(const ExprPtr &lhs, const Constant &rhs) {
   return lhs * ex<Constant>(1.0 / rhs.value());
 }
 
+template <typename T>
+  requires(std::constructible_from<Variable, T>)
+ExprPtr operator+(T &&lhs, const ExprPtr &rhs) {
+  return ex<Variable>(std::forward<T>(lhs)) + rhs;
+}
+
+template <typename T>
+  requires(std::constructible_from<Variable, T>)
+ExprPtr operator+(const ExprPtr &lhs, T &&rhs) {
+  return lhs + ex<Variable>(std::forward<T>(rhs));
+}
+
+template <typename T>
+  requires(std::constructible_from<Variable, T>)
+ExprPtr operator-(T &&lhs, const ExprPtr &rhs) {
+  return ex<Variable>(std::forward<T>(lhs)) - rhs;
+}
+
+template <typename T>
+  requires(std::constructible_from<Variable, T>)
+ExprPtr operator-(const ExprPtr &lhs, T &&rhs) {
+  return lhs - ex<Variable>(std::forward<T>(rhs));
+}
+
+template <typename T>
+  requires(std::constructible_from<Variable, T>)
+ExprPtr operator*(T &&lhs, const ExprPtr &rhs) {
+  return ex<Variable>(std::forward<T>(lhs)) * rhs;
+}
+
+template <typename T>
+  requires(std::constructible_from<Variable, T>)
+ExprPtr operator*(const ExprPtr &lhs, T &&rhs) {
+  return lhs * ex<Variable>(std::forward<T>(rhs));
+}
+
 }  // namespace sequant
 
 #endif  // SEQUANT_EXPRESSIONS_OPERATORS_HPP
diff --git a/SeQuant/core/expressions/variable.hpp b/SeQuant/core/expressions/variable.hpp
index eac472a21a..eb184c6180 100644
--- a/SeQuant/core/expressions/variable.hpp
+++ b/SeQuant/core/expressions/variable.hpp
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 #include <SeQuant/core/expressions/labeled.hpp>
 #include <SeQuant/core/hash.hpp>
 #include <SeQuant/core/utility/macros.hpp>
+#include <SeQuant/core/utility/string.hpp>
 
 #include <string>
 #include <string_view>
@@ -21,11 +22,18 @@ class Variable : public Expr, public MutatableLabeled {
   Variable(Variable &&) = default;
   Variable &operator=(const Variable &) = default;
   Variable &operator=(Variable &&) = default;
-  template <typename U, typename = std::enable_if_t<!is_variable_v<U>>>
+  template <typename U>
+    requires(!is_variable_v<U> && !is_an_expr_v<std::remove_reference_t<U>> &&
+             !Expr::is_shared_ptr_of_expr_or_derived<
+                 std::remove_reference_t<U>>::value &&
+             std::constructible_from<std::wstring, U>)
   explicit Variable(U &&label) : label_(std::forward<U>(label)) {}
 
   Variable(std::wstring label) : label_(std::move(label)), conjugated_(false) {}
 
+  Variable(const std::string &label)
+      : label_(sequant::toUtf16(label)), conjugated_(false) {}
+
   /// @return variable label
   /// @warning conjugation does not change it
   std::wstring_view label() const override;
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_expr.cpp b/tests/unit/test_expr.cpp
index 13db3c0f04..b6ade55fd3 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_expr.cpp
+++ b/tests/unit/test_expr.cpp
@@ -851,6 +851,29 @@ TEST_CASE("expr", "[elements]") {
         REQUIRE(res == ex<Constant>(rational(1, 5)));
       }
 
+      SECTION("Overloads with Variables") {
+        auto One = ex<Constant>(1);
+        auto Two = ex<Constant>(2);
+
+        ExprPtr res1 = One + L"x";
+        simplify(res1);
+        REQUIRE(res1 == simplify(One + ex<Variable>(L"x")));
+        REQUIRE(simplify(L"x" + One) == res1);
+
+        ExprPtr res2 = res1 - "x";
+        simplify(res2);
+        REQUIRE(res2 == One);
+
+        ExprPtr res3 = L"x" - One;
+        simplify(res3);
+        REQUIRE(res3 == ex<Variable>(L"x") - One);
+
+        ExprPtr res4 = Two * "y";
+        simplify(res4);
+        REQUIRE(res4 == simplify(Two * ex<Variable>("y")));
+        REQUIRE(simplify("y" * Two) == res4);
+      }
+
       SECTION("Divide by Constant") {
         ex1 = ex<Constant>(5);