diff --git a/Zend/zend_vm_def.h b/Zend/zend_vm_def.h
index aecc6027f7f..c3b6ed6cd30 100644
--- a/Zend/zend_vm_def.h
+++ b/Zend/zend_vm_def.h
@@ -2924,6 +2924,7 @@ ZEND_VM_HANDLER(111, ZEND_RETURN_BY_REF, CONST|TMP|VAR|CV, ANY)
 
 					ALLOC_ZVAL(ret);
 					INIT_PZVAL_COPY(ret, *retval_ptr_ptr);
+					zval_copy_ctor(ret);
 					*EG(return_value_ptr_ptr) = ret;
 				}
 				break;
diff --git a/Zend/zend_vm_execute.h b/Zend/zend_vm_execute.h
index 98696bdf951..78d6e921cdb 100644
--- a/Zend/zend_vm_execute.h
+++ b/Zend/zend_vm_execute.h
@@ -2414,6 +2414,7 @@ static int ZEND_FASTCALL  ZEND_RETURN_BY_REF_SPEC_CONST_HANDLER(ZEND_OPCODE_HAND
 
 					ALLOC_ZVAL(ret);
 					INIT_PZVAL_COPY(ret, *retval_ptr_ptr);
+					zval_copy_ctor(ret);
 					*EG(return_value_ptr_ptr) = ret;
 				}
 				break;
@@ -7741,6 +7742,7 @@ static int ZEND_FASTCALL  ZEND_RETURN_BY_REF_SPEC_TMP_HANDLER(ZEND_OPCODE_HANDLE
 
 					ALLOC_ZVAL(ret);
 					INIT_PZVAL_COPY(ret, *retval_ptr_ptr);
+					zval_copy_ctor(ret);
 					*EG(return_value_ptr_ptr) = ret;
 				}
 				break;
@@ -12969,6 +12971,7 @@ static int ZEND_FASTCALL  ZEND_RETURN_BY_REF_SPEC_VAR_HANDLER(ZEND_OPCODE_HANDLE
 
 					ALLOC_ZVAL(ret);
 					INIT_PZVAL_COPY(ret, *retval_ptr_ptr);
+					zval_copy_ctor(ret);
 					*EG(return_value_ptr_ptr) = ret;
 				}
 				break;
@@ -30615,6 +30618,7 @@ static int ZEND_FASTCALL  ZEND_RETURN_BY_REF_SPEC_CV_HANDLER(ZEND_OPCODE_HANDLER
 
 					ALLOC_ZVAL(ret);
 					INIT_PZVAL_COPY(ret, *retval_ptr_ptr);
+					zval_copy_ctor(ret);
 					*EG(return_value_ptr_ptr) = ret;
 				}
 				break;