diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 8f5c84781e5..8c9400b4a66 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ PHP                                                                        NEWS
     with values as references. (David Carlier)
   . Fix dateformat_format when the time is an array of references.
     (David Carlier)
+  . Fix UConverter::transcode with substitutes as references. (David Carlier)
 
 - Embed:
   . Fixed bug GH-8533 (Unable to link dynamic libphp on Mac). (Kévin Dunglas)
diff --git a/ext/intl/converter/converter.c b/ext/intl/converter/converter.c
index 75fbfbc8e88..4342eabcaf9 100644
--- a/ext/intl/converter/converter.c
+++ b/ext/intl/converter/converter.c
@@ -749,13 +749,13 @@ PHP_METHOD(UConverter, transcode) {
 			zval *tmpzval;
 
 			if (U_SUCCESS(error) &&
-				(tmpzval = zend_hash_str_find(Z_ARRVAL_P(options), "from_subst", sizeof("from_subst") - 1)) != NULL &&
+				(tmpzval = zend_hash_str_find_deref(Z_ARRVAL_P(options), "from_subst", sizeof("from_subst") - 1)) != NULL &&
 				Z_TYPE_P(tmpzval) == IS_STRING) {
 				error = U_ZERO_ERROR;
 				ucnv_setSubstChars(src_cnv, Z_STRVAL_P(tmpzval), Z_STRLEN_P(tmpzval) & 0x7F, &error);
 			}
 			if (U_SUCCESS(error) &&
-				(tmpzval = zend_hash_str_find(Z_ARRVAL_P(options), "to_subst", sizeof("to_subst") - 1)) != NULL &&
+				(tmpzval = zend_hash_str_find_deref(Z_ARRVAL_P(options), "to_subst", sizeof("to_subst") - 1)) != NULL &&
 				Z_TYPE_P(tmpzval) == IS_STRING) {
 				error = U_ZERO_ERROR;
 				ucnv_setSubstChars(dest_cnv, Z_STRVAL_P(tmpzval), Z_STRLEN_P(tmpzval) & 0x7F, &error);
diff --git a/ext/intl/tests/uconverter_transcode_references.phpt b/ext/intl/tests/uconverter_transcode_references.phpt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a2b1be20d1d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ext/intl/tests/uconverter_transcode_references.phpt
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+--TEST--
+UConverter::transcode issue with substitutes values as references
+--EXTENSIONS--
+intl
+--FILE--
+<?php
+$subst = '??';
+$opts = array('from_subst' => '?', 'to_subst' => &$subst);
+var_dump(UConverter::transcode("This is an ascii string", 'ascii', 'utf-8', $opts));
+$opts = array('from_subst' => &$subst, 'to_subst' => '?');
+var_dump(UConverter::transcode("This is an ascii string", 'ascii', 'utf-8', $opts));
+// should yield the same results
+$opts = array('from_subst' => '?', 'to_subst' => '??');
+var_dump(UConverter::transcode("This is an ascii string", 'ascii', 'utf-8', $opts));
+$opts = array('from_subst' => '??', 'to_subst' => '?');
+var_dump(UConverter::transcode("This is an ascii string", 'ascii', 'utf-8', $opts));
+?>
+--EXPECT--
+bool(false)
+string(23) "This is an ascii string"
+bool(false)
+string(23) "This is an ascii string"