diff --git a/wp-includes/cache.php b/wp-includes/cache.php
index c79aa1e526..f285be3a90 100644
--- a/wp-includes/cache.php
+++ b/wp-includes/cache.php
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ function wp_cache_incr( $key, $offset = 1, $group = '' ) {
  * @global WP_Object_Cache $wp_object_cache WordPress Object Cache
  */
 function wp_cache_init() {
-	$GLOBALS['wp_object_cache'] =& new WP_Object_Cache();
+	$GLOBALS['wp_object_cache'] = new WP_Object_Cache();
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/wp-includes/class-wp.php b/wp-includes/class-wp.php
index ace304c937..479c3d41e8 100644
--- a/wp-includes/class-wp.php
+++ b/wp-includes/class-wp.php
@@ -573,7 +573,7 @@ class WP_MatchesMapRegex {
 	 * @return string
 	 */
 	function apply($subject, $matches) {
-		$oSelf =& new WP_MatchesMapRegex($subject, $matches);
+		$oSelf = new WP_MatchesMapRegex($subject, $matches);
 		return $oSelf->output;
 	}
 
diff --git a/wp-includes/l10n.php b/wp-includes/l10n.php
index 94534c4e57..d468ae33de 100644
--- a/wp-includes/l10n.php
+++ b/wp-includes/l10n.php
@@ -483,7 +483,7 @@ function load_child_theme_textdomain( $domain, $path = false ) {
 function &get_translations_for_domain( $domain ) {
 	global $l10n;
 	if ( !isset( $l10n[$domain] ) ) {
-		$l10n[$domain] = &new NOOP_Translations;
+		$l10n[$domain] = new NOOP_Translations;
 	}
 	return $l10n[$domain];
 }
diff --git a/wp-includes/query.php b/wp-includes/query.php
index 1887a6f0a3..c94af44e16 100644
--- a/wp-includes/query.php
+++ b/wp-includes/query.php
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ function set_query_var($var, $value) {
  */
 function &query_posts($query) {
 	unset($GLOBALS['wp_query']);
-	$GLOBALS['wp_query'] =& new WP_Query();
+	$GLOBALS['wp_query'] = new WP_Query();
 	return $GLOBALS['wp_query']->query($query);
 }
 
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ function &query_posts($query) {
  */
 function wp_reset_query() {
 	unset($GLOBALS['wp_query']);
-	$GLOBALS['wp_query'] =& $GLOBALS['wp_the_query'];
+	$GLOBALS['wp_query'] = $GLOBALS['wp_the_query'];
 	wp_reset_postdata();
 }
 
diff --git a/wp-includes/taxonomy.php b/wp-includes/taxonomy.php
index ced5002a07..9b8319c1d5 100644
--- a/wp-includes/taxonomy.php
+++ b/wp-includes/taxonomy.php
@@ -1161,7 +1161,7 @@ function &get_terms($taxonomies, $args = '') {
 
 	foreach ( $taxonomies as $taxonomy ) {
 		if ( ! taxonomy_exists($taxonomy) ) {
-			$error = & new WP_Error('invalid_taxonomy', __('Invalid Taxonomy'));
+			$error = new WP_Error('invalid_taxonomy', __('Invalid Taxonomy'));
 			return $error;
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/wp-includes/theme.php b/wp-includes/theme.php
index 073c8dfd4f..bca713427d 100644
--- a/wp-includes/theme.php
+++ b/wp-includes/theme.php
@@ -1728,7 +1728,7 @@ function add_custom_background( $header_callback = '', $admin_header_callback =
 	if ( ! is_admin() )
 		return;
 	require_once( ABSPATH . 'wp-admin/custom-background.php' );
-	$GLOBALS['custom_background'] =& new Custom_Background( $admin_header_callback, $admin_image_div_callback );
+	$GLOBALS['custom_background'] = new Custom_Background( $admin_header_callback, $admin_image_div_callback );
 	add_action( 'admin_menu', array( &$GLOBALS['custom_background'], 'init' ) );
 }
 
diff --git a/wp-includes/widgets.php b/wp-includes/widgets.php
index 1291110bc5..ff53c11973 100644
--- a/wp-includes/widgets.php
+++ b/wp-includes/widgets.php
@@ -321,7 +321,7 @@ class WP_Widget_Factory {
 	}
 
 	function register($widget_class) {
-		$this->widgets[$widget_class] = & new $widget_class();
+		$this->widgets[$widget_class] = new $widget_class();
 	}
 
 	function unregister($widget_class) {