diff --git a/workflow/engine/classes/class.pluginRegistry.php b/workflow/engine/classes/class.pluginRegistry.php
index 74ebb6257..b46a27376 100755
--- a/workflow/engine/classes/class.pluginRegistry.php
+++ b/workflow/engine/classes/class.pluginRegistry.php
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ class PMPluginRegistry {
         $this->registerFolder($sNamespace, $sNamespace, $detail->sPluginFolder ); //register the default directory, later we can have more
         $this->_aPluginDetails[$sNamespace]->enabled = true;
         $oPlugin = new $detail->sClassName( $detail->sNamespace, $detail->sFilename );
-        $this->_aPlugins[$detail->sNamespace] =& $oPlugin;
+        $this->_aPlugins[$detail->sNamespace] = $oPlugin;
         if (method_exists($oPlugin, 'enable')) {
           $oPlugin->enable();
         }
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ class PMPluginRegistry {
       if ( $sNamespace == $namespace ) {
         unset ($this->_aPluginDetails[$sNamespace]);
         $oPlugin = new $detail->sClassName( $detail->sNamespace, $detail->sFilename );
-        $this->_aPlugins[$detail->sNamespace] =& $oPlugin;
+        $this->_aPlugins[$detail->sNamespace] = $oPlugin;
         if (method_exists($oPlugin, 'disable')) {
           $oPlugin->disable();
         }
@@ -431,7 +431,7 @@ class PMPluginRegistry {
       foreach ( $this->_aPluginDetails as $namespace=>$detail ) {
         if ( $sNamespace == $namespace ) {
           $oPlugin = new $detail->sClassName( $detail->sNamespace, $detail->sFilename );
-          $this->_aPlugins[$detail->sNamespace] =& $oPlugin;
+          $this->_aPlugins[$detail->sNamespace] = $oPlugin;
           $oPlugin->install();
         }
       }
@@ -968,7 +968,7 @@ class PMPluginRegistry {
             require_once $sFilename;
             if (class_exists($detail->sClassName)) {
               $oPlugin = new $detail->sClassName( $detail->sNamespace, $detail->sFilename );
-              $this->_aPlugins[$detail->sNamespace] =& $oPlugin;
+              $this->_aPlugins[$detail->sNamespace] = $oPlugin;
               $iPlugins++;
               $oPlugin->setup();
             }