diff --git a/system/core/Common.php b/system/core/Common.php
index cd6b9335..d82a29d8 100644
--- a/system/core/Common.php
+++ b/system/core/Common.php
@@ -241,7 +241,10 @@
 			}
 		}
 
-		return $_config[0] =& $config;
+    # Fix irritating PHP error
+    # see http://stackoverflow.com/questions/28348879/only-variable-references-should-be-returned-by-reference-codeigniter
+		$_config[0] =& $config;
+    return $_config[0];
 	}
 
 // ------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -505,4 +508,4 @@
 
 
 /* End of file Common.php */
-/* Location: ./system/core/Common.php */
\ No newline at end of file
+/* Location: ./system/core/Common.php */