diff --git a/src/json.hpp b/src/json.hpp
index 84352ce9b..02d28613f 100644
--- a/src/json.hpp
+++ b/src/json.hpp
@@ -4972,7 +4972,7 @@ class basic_json
         /// defines a reference to the type iterated over (value_type)
         using reference = typename basic_json::const_reference;
         /// the category of the iterator
-        using iterator_category = std::random_access_iterator_tag;
+        using iterator_category = std::bidirectional_iterator_tag;
 
         /// default constructor
         const_iterator() = default;
diff --git a/src/json.hpp.re2c b/src/json.hpp.re2c
index f745c8751..ae4a41bb4 100644
--- a/src/json.hpp.re2c
+++ b/src/json.hpp.re2c
@@ -4972,7 +4972,7 @@ class basic_json
         /// defines a reference to the type iterated over (value_type)
         using reference = typename basic_json::const_reference;
         /// the category of the iterator
-        using iterator_category = std::random_access_iterator_tag;
+        using iterator_category = std::bidirectional_iterator_tag;
 
         /// default constructor
         const_iterator() = default;