diff --git a/src/wp-includes/load.php b/src/wp-includes/load.php
index 3b79351b97..11c36fda97 100644
--- a/src/wp-includes/load.php
+++ b/src/wp-includes/load.php
@@ -1020,7 +1020,8 @@ function wp_is_ini_value_changeable( $setting ) {
 		$ini_all = ini_get_all();
 	}
 
-	if ( isset( $ini_all[ $setting ]['access'] ) && ( INI_ALL === $ini_all[ $setting ]['access'] || INI_USER === $ini_all[ $setting ]['access'] ) ) {
+	// Bit operator to workaround https://bugs.php.net/bug.php?id=44936 which changes access level to 63 in PHP 5.2.6 - 5.2.17.
+	if ( isset( $ini_all[ $setting ]['access'] ) && ( INI_ALL === ( $ini_all[ $setting ]['access'] & 7 ) || INI_USER === ( $ini_all[ $setting ]['access'] & 7 ) ) ) {
 		return true;
 	}