diff --git a/lib/Default/SmrPlayer.class.inc b/lib/Default/SmrPlayer.class.inc
index af9f0a5f8..f1238c428 100644
--- a/lib/Default/SmrPlayer.class.inc
+++ b/lib/Default/SmrPlayer.class.inc
@@ -1857,7 +1857,7 @@ class SmrPlayer extends AbstractSmrPlayer {
 							WHERE '.$this->SQL.' AND message_type_id = ' . $this->db->escapeNumber($messageTypeID));
 	}
 
-	public function &getPlottedCourse() {
+	public function getPlottedCourse() {
 		if(!isset($this->plottedCourse)) {
 			require_once(get_file_loc('Plotter.class.inc'));
 			// check if we have a course plotted
diff --git a/templates/Default/engine/Default/includes/PlottedCourse.inc b/templates/Default/engine/Default/includes/PlottedCourse.inc
index 2ac22b3b6..745a5c096 100644
--- a/templates/Default/engine/Default/includes/PlottedCourse.inc
+++ b/templates/Default/engine/Default/includes/PlottedCourse.inc
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 <?php
 if($ThisPlayer->hasPlottedCourse()) {
-	$PlottedCourse =& $ThisPlayer->getPlottedCourse();
+	$PlottedCourse = $ThisPlayer->getPlottedCourse();
 	$CancelCourseHREF = SmrSession::getNewHREF(create_container('course_plot_cancel_processing.php'));
 	$ReplotCourseHREF = SmrSession::getNewHREF(create_container('course_plot_processing.php', '', array('to' => $PlottedCourse->getEndSectorID(), 'from' => $ThisSector->getSectorID())));
 	$NextSector =& SmrSector::getSector($ThisPlayer->getGameID(),$PlottedCourse->getNextOnPath(),$ThisPlayer->getAccountID()); ?>