diff --git a/rules-tests/Php80/Rector/Switch_/ChangeSwitchToMatchRector/Fixture/skip_by_ref_method.php.inc b/rules-tests/Php80/Rector/Switch_/ChangeSwitchToMatchRector/Fixture/skip_by_ref_method.php.inc
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..07aaa8fbb08
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rules-tests/Php80/Rector/Switch_/ChangeSwitchToMatchRector/Fixture/skip_by_ref_method.php.inc
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace Rector\Tests\Php80\Rector\Switch_\ChangeSwitchToMatchRector\Fixture;
+
+/**
+ * @see https://3v4l.org/7CEb0
+ */
+final class SkipByRefMethod {
+    private int $monday = 0;
+    private int $tuesday = 0;
+    // ...
+
+    private function &getRef(int $index): int {
+        switch ($index) {
+            case 0:
+                return $this->monday;
+            case 1:
+                return $this->tuesday;
+            // ...
+            default:
+                throw new LogicException();
+        }
+    }
+
+    public function setAtIndex(int $index, int $value) {
+        $ref = &$this->getRef($index);
+        $ref = $value;
+    }
+}
+
+?>
diff --git a/rules/Php80/Rector/Switch_/ChangeSwitchToMatchRector.php b/rules/Php80/Rector/Switch_/ChangeSwitchToMatchRector.php
index 8fe47104481..271047249be 100644
--- a/rules/Php80/Rector/Switch_/ChangeSwitchToMatchRector.php
+++ b/rules/Php80/Rector/Switch_/ChangeSwitchToMatchRector.php
@@ -11,9 +11,11 @@
 use PhpParser\Node\Expr\Cast\Int_;
 use PhpParser\Node\Expr\Cast\String_;
 use PhpParser\Node\Expr\Match_;
+use PhpParser\Node\FunctionLike;
 use PhpParser\Node\Stmt\Expression;
 use PhpParser\Node\Stmt\Return_;
 use PhpParser\Node\Stmt\Switch_;
+use PhpParser\NodeVisitor;
 use PHPStan\Type\ObjectType;
 use Rector\Contract\PhpParser\Node\StmtsAwareInterface;
 use Rector\NodeAnalyzer\ExprAnalyzer;
@@ -81,13 +83,18 @@ public function getNodeTypes(): array
 
     /**
      * @param StmtsAwareInterface $node
+     * @return null|Node|NodeVisitor::DONT_TRAVERSE_CURRENT_AND_CHILDREN
      */
-    public function refactor(Node $node): ?Node
+    public function refactor(Node $node): null|Node|int
     {
         if (! is_array($node->stmts)) {
             return null;
         }
 
+        if ($node instanceof FunctionLike && $node->returnsByRef()) {
+            return NodeVisitor::DONT_TRAVERSE_CURRENT_AND_CHILDREN;
+        }
+
         $hasChanged = false;
 
         foreach ($node->stmts as $key => $stmt) {