diff --git a/Zend/tests/closures/oss_fuzz_538730793.phpt b/Zend/tests/closures/oss_fuzz_538730793.phpt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..e5347a03ee90
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Zend/tests/closures/oss_fuzz_538730793.phpt
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+--TEST--
+OSS-Fuzz #538730793 (Assertion failure when returning by-ref from closure invoke)
+--FILE--
+<?php
+
+$x = function&(){};
+$y = $x->__invoke();
+var_dump($y);
+
+?>
+--EXPECTF--
+Notice: Only variable references should be returned by reference in %s on line %d
+NULL
diff --git a/Zend/zend_closures.c b/Zend/zend_closures.c
index 4aa467315907..44f7db5020f2 100644
--- a/Zend/zend_closures.c
+++ b/Zend/zend_closures.c
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ ZEND_METHOD(Closure, __invoke) /* {{{ */
 	zend_closure_get_closure(Z_OBJ_P(ZEND_THIS), &fcc.calling_scope, &fcc.function_handler, &fcc.object, false);
 	fcc.called_scope = fcc.calling_scope;
 	zend_call_known_fcc(&fcc, return_value, num_args, args, named_args);
+	zend_return_unwrap_ref(execute_data, return_value);
 
 	/* destruct the function also, then - we have allocated it in get_method */
 	zend_string_release_ex(func->internal_function.function_name, 0);