diff --git a/pear/PEAR.php b/pear/PEAR.php
index 3062194d5cb..84994fee178 100644
--- a/pear/PEAR.php
+++ b/pear/PEAR.php
@@ -477,7 +477,7 @@ class PEAR
      * @see PEAR::setErrorHandling
      * @since PHP 4.0.5
      */
-    function &raiseError($message = null,
+    function raiseError($message = null,
                          $code = null,
                          $mode = null,
                          $options = null,