diff --git a/src/wp-includes/class-wp-block-type.php b/src/wp-includes/class-wp-block-type.php
index 6ad8ebcd6790e..052db4b11ccf2 100644
--- a/src/wp-includes/class-wp-block-type.php
+++ b/src/wp-includes/class-wp-block-type.php
@@ -334,9 +334,10 @@ public function __construct( $block_type, $args = array() ) {
 	 * @return string|string[]|null|void The value read from the new property if the first item in the array provided,
 	 *                                   null when value not found, or void when unknown property name provided.
 	 */
-	public function __get( $name ) {
+	public function &__get( $name ) {
 		if ( 'variations' === $name ) {
-			return $this->get_variations();
+			$this->variations = $this->get_variations();
+			return $this->variations;
 		}
 
 		if ( ! in_array( $name, $this->deprecated_properties, true ) ) {
diff --git a/tests/phpunit/tests/blocks/wpBlockType.php b/tests/phpunit/tests/blocks/wpBlockType.php
index b826faf575946..1680e403c5096 100644
--- a/tests/phpunit/tests/blocks/wpBlockType.php
+++ b/tests/phpunit/tests/blocks/wpBlockType.php
@@ -641,6 +641,20 @@ public function test_get_block_type_variations_filter_variations() {
 		$this->assertSameSets( $obtained_variations, $expected_variations, 'The variations that was initially set should be filtered.' );
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * @ticket 60309
+	 */
+	public function test_can_access_original_varations_variable() {
+		$block_type               = new WP_Block_Type(
+			'test/block',
+			array(
+				'title' => 'Test title',
+			)
+		);
+		$block_type->variations[] = array( 'name' => 'var1' );
+		$this->assertSameSets( array( array( 'name' => 'var1' ) ), $block_type->variations );
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Mock variation callback.
 	 *