--TEST-- Return values are separated for references with rc=1 --FILE-- <?php function test1() : array { $array = []; $ref =& $array; unset($ref); return $array; } function test2() : string { $int = 42; $ref =& $int; unset($ref); return $int; } var_dump(test1()); var_dump(test2()); ?> --EXPECT-- array(0) { } string(2) "42"