diff --git a/admin/configure.php b/admin/configure.php
index 752b9534..b67294b6 100644
--- a/admin/configure.php
+++ b/admin/configure.php
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ function civicrm_source($fileName, $lineMode = FALSE) {
     foreach ($queries as $query) {
       $query = trim($query);
       if (!empty($query)) {
-        $res = &$db->query($query);
+        $res =& $db->query($query);
         if (PEAR::isError($res)) {
           die("Cannot execute $query: " . $res->getMessage());
         }
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ function civicrm_source($fileName, $lineMode = FALSE) {
       $string = ereg_replace("\n\-\-[^\n]*\n", "\n", $string);
       $string = trim($string);
       if (!empty($string)) {
-        $res = &$db->query($string);
+        $res =& $db->query($string);
         if (PEAR::isError($res)) {
           die("Cannot execute $string: " . $res->getMessage());
         }
diff --git a/admin/plugins/civicrm/civicrm.php b/admin/plugins/civicrm/civicrm.php
index ac3ece25..1e6a7353 100755
--- a/admin/plugins/civicrm/civicrm.php
+++ b/admin/plugins/civicrm/civicrm.php
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ function onUserAfterDelete($user, $succes, $msg) {
   public function onUserLogin($user, $options = array()) {
     $app  = JFactory::getApplication();
     if ( $app->isAdmin() ) {
-      $jUser =& JFactory::getUser();
+      $jUser = JFactory::getUser();
       $jId = $jUser->get('id');
       self::civicrmResetNavigation( $jId );
     }
diff --git a/admin/plugins/civicrmicon/civicrmicon.php b/admin/plugins/civicrmicon/civicrmicon.php
index 5545afb2..d88feead 100644
--- a/admin/plugins/civicrmicon/civicrmicon.php
+++ b/admin/plugins/civicrmicon/civicrmicon.php
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ public function onGetIcons($context) {
           background-image:url("'.$img.'");
         }
       ';
-      $document =& JFactory::getDocument();
+      $document = JFactory::getDocument();
       $document->addStyleDeclaration( $css );
       $icon[0]['image'] = 'civicrm';
     } else {