diff --git a/rules-tests/DowngradePhp81/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/DowngradeSetAccessibleReflectionPropertyRector/Fixture/on_return.php.inc b/rules-tests/DowngradePhp81/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/DowngradeSetAccessibleReflectionPropertyRector/Fixture/on_return.php.inc
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..13eaea5a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rules-tests/DowngradePhp81/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/DowngradeSetAccessibleReflectionPropertyRector/Fixture/on_return.php.inc
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace Rector\Tests\DowngradePhp81\Rector\StmtsAwareInterface\DowngradeSetAccessibleReflectionPropertyRector\Fixture;
+
+class OnReturn
+{
+    public function run($object)
+    {
+        return new \ReflectionMethod($object, 'bar');
+    }
+}
+
+?>
+-----
+<?php
+
+namespace Rector\Tests\DowngradePhp81\Rector\StmtsAwareInterface\DowngradeSetAccessibleReflectionPropertyRector\Fixture;
+
+class OnReturn
+{
+    public function run($object)
+    {
+        $reflection = new \ReflectionMethod($object, 'bar');
+        $reflection->setAccessible(true);
+        return $reflection;
+    }
+}
+
+?>
diff --git a/rules/DowngradePhp81/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/DowngradeSetAccessibleReflectionPropertyRector.php b/rules/DowngradePhp81/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/DowngradeSetAccessibleReflectionPropertyRector.php
index ef3180c4..323fc1da 100644
--- a/rules/DowngradePhp81/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/DowngradeSetAccessibleReflectionPropertyRector.php
+++ b/rules/DowngradePhp81/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/DowngradeSetAccessibleReflectionPropertyRector.php
@@ -9,9 +9,13 @@
 use PhpParser\Node\Expr\Assign;
 use PhpParser\Node\Expr\MethodCall;
 use PhpParser\Node\Expr\New_;
+use PhpParser\Node\Expr\Variable;
 use PhpParser\Node\Stmt;
 use PhpParser\Node\Stmt\Expression;
+use PhpParser\Node\Stmt\Return_;
 use Rector\Contract\PhpParser\Node\StmtsAwareInterface;
+use Rector\Naming\Naming\VariableNaming;
+use Rector\PHPStan\ScopeFetcher;
 use Rector\Rector\AbstractRector;
 use Symplify\RuleDocGenerator\ValueObject\CodeSample\CodeSample;
 use Symplify\RuleDocGenerator\ValueObject\RuleDefinition;
@@ -23,6 +27,11 @@
  */
 final class DowngradeSetAccessibleReflectionPropertyRector extends AbstractRector
 {
+    public function __construct(
+        private readonly VariableNaming $variableNaming
+    ) {
+    }
+
     public function getRuleDefinition(): RuleDefinition
     {
         return new RuleDefinition(
@@ -80,32 +89,54 @@ public function refactor(Node $node): ?Node
         $hasChanged = false;
 
         foreach ($node->stmts as $key => $stmt) {
-            if (! $stmt instanceof Expression) {
-                continue;
-            }
-
-            if (! $stmt->expr instanceof Assign) {
+            if (! $stmt instanceof Expression && ! $stmt instanceof Return_) {
                 continue;
             }
 
-            $assign = $stmt->expr;
-            if (! $assign->expr instanceof New_) {
-                continue;
+            if ($stmt instanceof Expression) {
+                if (! $stmt->expr instanceof Assign) {
+                    continue;
+                }
+
+                $assign = $stmt->expr;
+                if (! $assign->expr instanceof New_) {
+                    continue;
+                }
+
+                $new = $assign->expr;
+                $variable = $assign->var;
+            } else {
+                if (! $stmt->expr instanceof New_) {
+                    continue;
+                }
+
+                $new = $stmt->expr;
+                $scope = ScopeFetcher::fetch($stmt);
+                $variable = new Variable($this->variableNaming->createCountedValueName('reflection', $scope));
             }
 
-            $new = $assign->expr;
             if (! $this->isNames($new->class, ['ReflectionProperty', 'ReflectionMethod'])) {
                 continue;
             }
 
-            // next stmts should be setAccessible() call
-            $nextStmt = $node->stmts[$key + 1] ?? null;
-            if ($this->isSetAccessibleMethodCall($nextStmt)) {
-                continue;
+            if ($stmt instanceof Expression) {
+                // next stmts should be setAccessible() call
+                $nextStmt = $node->stmts[$key + 1] ?? null;
+                if ($this->isSetAccessibleMethodCall($nextStmt)) {
+                    continue;
+                }
+
+                array_splice($node->stmts, $key + 1, 0, [$this->createSetAccessibleExpression($variable)]);
+            } else {
+                $previousStmts = [
+                    new Expression(new Assign($variable, $new)),
+                    $this->createSetAccessibleExpression($variable),
+                ];
+
+                $stmt->expr = $variable;
+                array_splice($node->stmts, $key - 2, 0, $previousStmts);
             }
 
-            array_splice($node->stmts, $key + 1, 0, [$this->createSetAccessibleExpression($assign->var)]);
-
             $hasChanged = true;
         }