--TEST-- Get property hook by ref and indirect modification --FILE-- byVal; } set { $this->byVal = $value; } } } $test = new Test; try { $test->byVal = []; $test->byVal[] = 42; } catch (\Error $e) { echo $e->getMessage(), "\n"; } var_dump($test->byVal); try { $test->byVal =& $ref; } catch (Error $e) { echo $e->getMessage(), "\n"; } ?> --EXPECT-- Indirect modification of Test::$byVal is not allowed array(0) { } Cannot assign by reference to overloaded object