diff --git a/rules-tests/CodeQuality/Rector/ClassMethod/InlineArrayReturnAssignRector/Fixture/skip_use_closure_use_by_ref.php.inc b/rules-tests/CodeQuality/Rector/ClassMethod/InlineArrayReturnAssignRector/Fixture/skip_use_closure_use_by_ref.php.inc
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..c35a374c51d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rules-tests/CodeQuality/Rector/ClassMethod/InlineArrayReturnAssignRector/Fixture/skip_use_closure_use_by_ref.php.inc
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace Rector\Tests\CodeQuality\Rector\ClassMethod\InlineArrayReturnAssignRector\Fixture;
+
+final class SkipUseClosureUseByRef
+{
+    public static function getData(): array
+    {
+        $closure = function () use (&$person)
+        {
+            $person['name'] = 'Timmy';
+            $person['surname'] = 'Back';
+
+            return $person;
+        };
+
+        $person = ['test'];
+        var_dump($closure());
+    }
+}
diff --git a/rules/CodeQuality/Rector/ClassMethod/InlineArrayReturnAssignRector.php b/rules/CodeQuality/Rector/ClassMethod/InlineArrayReturnAssignRector.php
index 36c0a730442..04f999bcccc 100644
--- a/rules/CodeQuality/Rector/ClassMethod/InlineArrayReturnAssignRector.php
+++ b/rules/CodeQuality/Rector/ClassMethod/InlineArrayReturnAssignRector.php
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 use PhpParser\Node\Expr\Array_;
 use PhpParser\Node\Expr\ArrayDimFetch;
 use PhpParser\Node\Expr\Assign;
+use PhpParser\Node\Expr\Closure;
 use PhpParser\Node\Expr\New_;
 use PhpParser\Node\Expr\Variable;
 use PhpParser\Node\FunctionLike;
@@ -100,6 +101,18 @@ public function refactor(Node $node): ?Node
                     return null;
                 }
             }
+
+            if ($node instanceof Closure) {
+                foreach ($node->uses as $use) {
+                    if (! $use->byRef) {
+                        continue;
+                    }
+
+                    if ($this->isName($use->var, $returnedVariableName)) {
+                        return null;
+                    }
+                }
+            }
         }
 
         $emptyArrayAssign = $this->resolveDefaultEmptyArrayAssign($stmts, $returnedVariableName);