diff --git a/ext/filter/filter.c b/ext/filter/filter.c
index 344353b0bcf..56f2c27818c 100644
--- a/ext/filter/filter.c
+++ b/ext/filter/filter.c
@@ -617,10 +617,12 @@ static void php_filter_array_handler(zval *input, zval **op, zval *return_value
 	if (!op) {
 		SEPARATE_ZVAL(&input);
 		*return_value = *input;
+		zval_copy_ctor(return_value);
 		php_filter_call(&return_value, FILTER_DEFAULT, NULL, 0, FILTER_REQUIRE_ARRAY TSRMLS_CC);
 	} else if (Z_TYPE_PP(op) == IS_LONG) {
 		SEPARATE_ZVAL(&input);
 		*return_value = *input;
+		zval_copy_ctor(return_value);
 		php_filter_call(&return_value, Z_LVAL_PP(op), NULL, 0, FILTER_REQUIRE_ARRAY TSRMLS_CC);
 	} else if (Z_TYPE_PP(op) == IS_ARRAY) {
 		array_init(return_value);