diff --git a/ext/pdo/pdo_stmt.c b/ext/pdo/pdo_stmt.c
index 824c6ccb3e1..0b60d50a1a2 100755
--- a/ext/pdo/pdo_stmt.c
+++ b/ext/pdo/pdo_stmt.c
@@ -2177,10 +2177,14 @@ static int pdo_stmt_iter_valid(zend_object_iterator *iter TSRMLS_DC)
 	return I->fetch_ahead ? SUCCESS : FAILURE;
 }
 
-static void pdo_stmt_iter_get_data(zend_object_iterator *iter, zval ***data TSRMLS_DC)
+static void pdo_stmt_iter_get_data(zend_object_iterator *iter, zval ***data, int by_ref TSRMLS_DC)
 {
 	struct php_pdo_iterator *I = (struct php_pdo_iterator*)iter->data;
 
+	if (by_ref) {
+		zend_error(E_ERROR, "An iterator cannot be used with foreach by reference");
+	}
+
 	/* sanity */
 	if (!I->fetch_ahead) {
 		*data = NULL;
@@ -2237,11 +2241,15 @@ static zend_object_iterator_funcs pdo_stmt_iter_funcs = {
 	NULL
 };
 
-zend_object_iterator *pdo_stmt_iter_get(zend_class_entry *ce, zval *object TSRMLS_DC)
+zend_object_iterator *pdo_stmt_iter_get(zend_class_entry *ce, zval *object, int by_ref TSRMLS_DC)
 {
 	pdo_stmt_t *stmt = (pdo_stmt_t*)zend_object_store_get_object(object TSRMLS_CC);
 	struct php_pdo_iterator *I;
 
+	if (by_ref) {
+		zend_error(E_ERROR, "An iterator cannot be used with foreach by reference");
+	}
+
 	I = ecalloc(1, sizeof(*I));
 	I->iter.funcs = &pdo_stmt_iter_funcs;
 	I->iter.data = I;
diff --git a/ext/pdo/php_pdo_int.h b/ext/pdo/php_pdo_int.h
index a2f49a6ef60..6ed411cb592 100755
--- a/ext/pdo/php_pdo_int.h
+++ b/ext/pdo/php_pdo_int.h
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ extern zend_object_value pdo_dbstmt_new(zend_class_entry *ce TSRMLS_DC);
 extern zend_function_entry pdo_dbstmt_functions[];
 extern zend_class_entry *pdo_dbstmt_ce;
 void pdo_dbstmt_free_storage(pdo_stmt_t *stmt TSRMLS_DC);
-zend_object_iterator *pdo_stmt_iter_get(zend_class_entry *ce, zval *object TSRMLS_DC);
+zend_object_iterator *pdo_stmt_iter_get(zend_class_entry *ce, zval *object, int by_ref TSRMLS_DC);
 extern zend_object_handlers pdo_dbstmt_object_handlers;
 int pdo_stmt_describe_columns(pdo_stmt_t *stmt TSRMLS_DC);
 int pdo_stmt_setup_fetch_mode(INTERNAL_FUNCTION_PARAMETERS, pdo_stmt_t *stmt, int skip_first_arg);
diff --git a/ext/simplexml/simplexml.c b/ext/simplexml/simplexml.c
index b5552108a15..1b2455673e5 100644
--- a/ext/simplexml/simplexml.c
+++ b/ext/simplexml/simplexml.c
@@ -1769,9 +1769,14 @@ static xmlNodePtr php_sxe_reset_iterator(php_sxe_object *sxe, int use_data TSRML
 	return NULL;
 }
 
-zend_object_iterator *php_sxe_get_iterator(zend_class_entry *ce, zval *object TSRMLS_DC)
+zend_object_iterator *php_sxe_get_iterator(zend_class_entry *ce, zval *object, int by_ref TSRMLS_DC)
 {
-	php_sxe_iterator *iterator = emalloc(sizeof(php_sxe_iterator));
+	php_sxe_iterator *iterator;
+
+	if (by_ref) {
+		zend_error(E_ERROR, "An iterator cannot be used with foreach by reference");
+	}
+	iterator = emalloc(sizeof(php_sxe_iterator));
 
 	object->refcount++;
 	iterator->intern.data = (void*)object;
diff --git a/ext/spl/spl_array.c b/ext/spl/spl_array.c
index a715c66a8c9..7b759fd2b52 100755
--- a/ext/spl/spl_array.c
+++ b/ext/spl/spl_array.c
@@ -757,10 +757,27 @@ zend_object_iterator_funcs spl_array_it_funcs = {
 	spl_array_it_rewind
 };
 
-zend_object_iterator *spl_array_get_iterator(zend_class_entry *ce, zval *object TSRMLS_DC) /* {{{ */
+zend_object_iterator *spl_array_obj_get_iterator(zend_class_entry *ce, zval *object, int by_ref TSRMLS_DC) /* {{{ */
 {
-	spl_array_it       *iterator     = emalloc(sizeof(spl_array_it));
-	spl_array_object   *array_object = (spl_array_object*)zend_object_store_get_object(object TSRMLS_CC);
+	/* disable by_ref check */
+	/* We enable by ref if the returned thing does. If it is an ArrayIterator */
+	/* or derived then it does if it's current() method is not overloaded. */
+	return zend_user_it_get_new_iterator(ce, object, 0 TSRMLS_CC);
+}
+/* }}} */
+
+zend_object_iterator *spl_array_get_iterator(zend_class_entry *ce, zval *object, int by_ref TSRMLS_DC) /* {{{ */
+{
+	spl_array_it       *iterator;
+	spl_array_object   *array_object;
+
+#if MBO_0
+	if (by_ref && /* check current() is overloaded, else it works */) {
+		zend_error(E_ERROR, "An iterator cannot be used with foreach by reference");
+	}
+#endif
+	iterator     = emalloc(sizeof(spl_array_it));
+	array_object = (spl_array_object*)zend_object_store_get_object(object TSRMLS_CC);
 
 	object->refcount++;
 	iterator->intern.data = (void*)object;
@@ -1392,6 +1409,8 @@ PHP_MINIT_FUNCTION(spl_array)
 	REGISTER_SPL_IMPLEMENTS(ArrayObject, Aggregate);
 	REGISTER_SPL_IMPLEMENTS(ArrayObject, ArrayAccess);
 	memcpy(&spl_handler_ArrayObject, zend_get_std_object_handlers(), sizeof(zend_object_handlers));
+	spl_ce_ArrayObject->get_iterator = spl_array_obj_get_iterator;
+
 	spl_handler_ArrayObject.clone_obj = spl_array_object_clone;
 	spl_handler_ArrayObject.read_dimension = spl_array_read_dimension;
 	spl_handler_ArrayObject.write_dimension = spl_array_write_dimension;
diff --git a/ext/spl/spl_directory.c b/ext/spl/spl_directory.c
index 26ad85c365b..6fde9737ccd 100755
--- a/ext/spl/spl_directory.c
+++ b/ext/spl/spl_directory.c
@@ -963,10 +963,16 @@ zend_object_iterator_funcs spl_filesystem_dir_it_funcs = {
 };
 
 /* {{{ spl_ce_dir_get_iterator */
-zend_object_iterator *spl_filesystem_dir_get_iterator(zend_class_entry *ce, zval *object TSRMLS_DC)
+zend_object_iterator *spl_filesystem_dir_get_iterator(zend_class_entry *ce, zval *object, int by_ref TSRMLS_DC)
 {
-	spl_filesystem_dir_it *iterator   = emalloc(sizeof(spl_filesystem_dir_it));
-	spl_filesystem_object *dir_object = (spl_filesystem_object*)zend_object_store_get_object(object TSRMLS_CC);
+	spl_filesystem_dir_it *iterator;
+	spl_filesystem_object *dir_object;
+
+	if (by_ref) {
+		zend_error(E_ERROR, "An iterator cannot be used with foreach by reference");
+	}
+	iterator   = emalloc(sizeof(spl_filesystem_dir_it));
+	dir_object = (spl_filesystem_object*)zend_object_store_get_object(object TSRMLS_CC);
 
 	object->refcount += 2;;
 	iterator->intern.data = (void*)object;
@@ -1168,10 +1174,16 @@ zend_object_iterator_funcs spl_filesystem_tree_it_funcs = {
 };
 
 /* {{{ spl_ce_dir_get_iterator */
-zend_object_iterator *spl_filesystem_tree_get_iterator(zend_class_entry *ce, zval *object TSRMLS_DC)
+zend_object_iterator *spl_filesystem_tree_get_iterator(zend_class_entry *ce, zval *object, int by_ref TSRMLS_DC)
 {
-	spl_filesystem_dir_it *iterator   = emalloc(sizeof(spl_filesystem_dir_it));
-	spl_filesystem_object *dir_object = (spl_filesystem_object*)zend_object_store_get_object(object TSRMLS_CC);
+	spl_filesystem_dir_it *iterator;
+	spl_filesystem_object *dir_object;
+
+	if (by_ref) {
+		zend_error(E_ERROR, "An iterator cannot be used with foreach by reference");
+	}
+	iterator   = emalloc(sizeof(spl_filesystem_dir_it));
+	dir_object = (spl_filesystem_object*)zend_object_store_get_object(object TSRMLS_CC);
 
 	object->refcount++;
 	iterator->intern.data = (void*)object;
diff --git a/ext/spl/spl_iterators.c b/ext/spl/spl_iterators.c
index b42c69c8b90..642a1a276d8 100755
--- a/ext/spl/spl_iterators.c
+++ b/ext/spl/spl_iterators.c
@@ -278,7 +278,7 @@ next_step:
 					object->iterators[object->level].state = RS_NEXT;
 				}
 				object->iterators = erealloc(object->iterators, sizeof(spl_sub_iterator) * (++object->level+1));
-				sub_iter = ce->get_iterator(ce, child TSRMLS_CC);
+				sub_iter = ce->get_iterator(ce, child, 0 TSRMLS_CC);
 				object->iterators[object->level].iterator = sub_iter;
 				object->iterators[object->level].zobject = child;
 				object->iterators[object->level].ce = ce;
@@ -340,10 +340,16 @@ static void spl_recursive_it_rewind(zend_object_iterator *iter TSRMLS_DC)
 	spl_recursive_it_rewind_ex((spl_recursive_it_object*)iter->data, ((spl_recursive_it_iterator*)iter)->zobject TSRMLS_CC);
 }
 
-static zend_object_iterator *spl_recursive_it_get_iterator(zend_class_entry *ce, zval *zobject TSRMLS_DC)
+static zend_object_iterator *spl_recursive_it_get_iterator(zend_class_entry *ce, zval *zobject, int by_ref TSRMLS_DC)
 {
-	spl_recursive_it_iterator *iterator = emalloc(sizeof(spl_recursive_it_iterator));
-	spl_recursive_it_object   *object   = (spl_recursive_it_object*)zend_object_store_get_object(zobject TSRMLS_CC);
+	spl_recursive_it_iterator *iterator;
+	spl_recursive_it_object   *object;
+
+	if (by_ref) {
+		zend_error(E_ERROR, "An iterator cannot be used with foreach by reference");
+	}
+	iterator = emalloc(sizeof(spl_recursive_it_iterator));
+	object   = (spl_recursive_it_object*)zend_object_store_get_object(zobject TSRMLS_CC);
 
 	zobject->refcount++;
 	iterator->intern.data = (void*)object;
@@ -430,7 +436,7 @@ SPL_METHOD(RecursiveIteratorIterator, __construct)
 		intern->nextElement = NULL;
 	}
 	ce_iterator = Z_OBJCE_P(iterator); /* respect inheritance, don't use spl_ce_RecursiveIterator */
-	intern->iterators[0].iterator = ce_iterator->get_iterator(ce_iterator, iterator TSRMLS_CC);
+	intern->iterators[0].iterator = ce_iterator->get_iterator(ce_iterator, iterator, 0 TSRMLS_CC);
 	if (inc_refcount) {
 		iterator->refcount++;
 	}
@@ -918,7 +924,7 @@ static inline spl_dual_it_object* spl_dual_it_construct(INTERNAL_FUNCTION_PARAME
 		case DIT_AppendIterator:
 			spl_instantiate(U_CLASS_ENTRY(spl_ce_ArrayIterator), &intern->u.append.zarrayit, 1 TSRMLS_CC);
 			zend_call_method_with_0_params(&intern->u.append.zarrayit, U_CLASS_ENTRY(spl_ce_ArrayIterator), &U_CLASS_ENTRY(spl_ce_ArrayIterator)->constructor, "__construct", NULL);
-			intern->u.append.iterator = U_CLASS_ENTRY(spl_ce_ArrayIterator)->get_iterator(U_CLASS_ENTRY(spl_ce_ArrayIterator), intern->u.append.zarrayit TSRMLS_CC);
+			intern->u.append.iterator = U_CLASS_ENTRY(spl_ce_ArrayIterator)->get_iterator(U_CLASS_ENTRY(spl_ce_ArrayIterator), intern->u.append.zarrayit, 0 TSRMLS_CC);
 			php_set_error_handling(EH_NORMAL, NULL TSRMLS_CC);
 			return intern;
 #if HAVE_PCRE || HAVE_BUNDLED_PCRE
@@ -954,7 +960,7 @@ static inline spl_dual_it_object* spl_dual_it_construct(INTERNAL_FUNCTION_PARAME
 	intern->inner.zobject = zobject;
 	intern->inner.ce = dit_type == DIT_IteratorIterator ? ce : Z_OBJCE_P(zobject);
 	intern->inner.object = zend_object_store_get_object(zobject TSRMLS_CC);
-	intern->inner.iterator = intern->inner.ce->get_iterator(intern->inner.ce, zobject TSRMLS_CC);
+	intern->inner.iterator = intern->inner.ce->get_iterator(intern->inner.ce, zobject, 0 TSRMLS_CC);
 
 	php_set_error_handling(EH_NORMAL, NULL TSRMLS_CC);
 	return intern;
@@ -2209,7 +2215,7 @@ int spl_append_it_next_iterator(spl_dual_it_object *intern TSRMLS_DC) /* {{{*/
 		intern->inner.zobject = *it;
 		intern->inner.ce = Z_OBJCE_PP(it);
 		intern->inner.object = zend_object_store_get_object(*it TSRMLS_CC);
-		intern->inner.iterator = intern->inner.ce->get_iterator(intern->inner.ce, *it TSRMLS_CC);
+		intern->inner.iterator = intern->inner.ce->get_iterator(intern->inner.ce, *it, 0 TSRMLS_CC);
 		spl_dual_it_rewind(intern TSRMLS_CC);
 		return SUCCESS;
 	} else {
@@ -2362,7 +2368,7 @@ PHP_FUNCTION(iterator_to_array)
 	
 	array_init(return_value);
 	
-	iter = Z_OBJCE_P(obj)->get_iterator(Z_OBJCE_P(obj), obj TSRMLS_CC);
+	iter = Z_OBJCE_P(obj)->get_iterator(Z_OBJCE_P(obj), obj, 0 TSRMLS_CC);
 
 	if (iter->funcs->rewind) {
 		iter->funcs->rewind(iter TSRMLS_CC);
@@ -2406,7 +2412,7 @@ PHP_FUNCTION(iterator_count)
 		RETURN_FALSE;
 	}
 	
-	iter = Z_OBJCE_P(obj)->get_iterator(Z_OBJCE_P(obj), obj TSRMLS_CC);
+	iter = Z_OBJCE_P(obj)->get_iterator(Z_OBJCE_P(obj), obj, 0 TSRMLS_CC);
 
 	if (iter->funcs->rewind) {
 		iter->funcs->rewind(iter TSRMLS_CC);
diff --git a/ext/unicode/unicode_iterators.c b/ext/unicode/unicode_iterators.c
index 377ebfd588f..a3de0ae05ac 100644
--- a/ext/unicode/unicode_iterators.c
+++ b/ext/unicode/unicode_iterators.c
@@ -239,10 +239,16 @@ zend_object_iterator_funcs text_iter_cp_funcs = {
 	text_iter_rewind,
 };
 
-static zend_object_iterator* text_iter_get_iterator(zend_class_entry *ce, zval *object TSRMLS_DC)
+static zend_object_iterator* text_iter_get_iterator(zend_class_entry *ce, zval *object, int by_ref TSRMLS_DC)
 {
-	text_iter_it* 	iterator 	= emalloc(sizeof(text_iter_it));
-	text_iter_obj*	iter_object = (text_iter_obj *) zend_object_store_get_object(object TSRMLS_CC);
+	text_iter_it* 	iterator;
+	text_iter_obj*	iter_object;
+
+	if (by_ref) {
+		zend_error(E_ERROR, "An iterator cannot be used with foreach by reference");
+	}
+	iterator 	= emalloc(sizeof(text_iter_it));
+	iter_object = (text_iter_obj *) zend_object_store_get_object(object TSRMLS_CC);
 
 	ZVAL_ADDREF(object);
 	iterator->intern.data  = (void *) object;