diff --git a/Zend/zend_object_handlers.c b/Zend/zend_object_handlers.c
index ff8d99addc34e..6f0dc7811ee76 100644
--- a/Zend/zend_object_handlers.c
+++ b/Zend/zend_object_handlers.c
@@ -593,10 +593,24 @@ ZEND_API void zend_std_write_property(zval *object, zval *member, zval *value, v
 						ZVAL_COPY_VALUE(&garbage, Z_REFVAL_P(variable_ptr)); /* old value should be destroyed */
 
 						/* To check: can't *variable_ptr be some system variable like error_zval here? */
-						ZVAL_COPY_VALUE(Z_REFVAL_P(variable_ptr), value);
-						if (Z_REFCOUNTED_P(value) && Z_REFCOUNT_P(value) > 0) {
-							zval_copy_ctor(Z_REFVAL_P(variable_ptr));
+						if (UNEXPECTED(Z_REFCOUNTED_P(value))) {
+							if (EXPECTED(!Z_ISREF_P(value))) {
+								Z_ADDREF_P(value);
+							} else {
+								if (Z_REFCOUNT_P(value) == 1) {
+									ZVAL_UNREF(value);
+								} else {
+									value = Z_REFVAL_P(value);
+								}
+								if (Z_REFCOUNTED_P(value)) {
+									if (UNEXPECTED(Z_REFVAL_P(variable_ptr) == value)) {
+										goto exit;
+									}
+									Z_ADDREF_P(value);
+								}
+							}
 						}
+						ZVAL_COPY_VALUE(Z_REFVAL_P(variable_ptr), value);
 						zval_ptr_dtor(&garbage);
 					} else {
 						zval garbage;