diff --git a/src/ast.js b/src/ast.js
index a78c6cb79..ba287c8c0 100644
--- a/src/ast.js
+++ b/src/ast.js
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ const Position = require("./ast/position");
  *     - [Exit](#exit)
  *     - [Clone](#clone)
  *     - [Assign](#assign)
+ *     - [AssignRef](#assignref)
  *     - [Array](#array)
  *     - [List](#list)
  *     - [Variable](#variable)
@@ -458,6 +459,7 @@ AST.prototype.checkNodes = function() {
 [
   require("./ast/array"),
   require("./ast/assign"),
+  require("./ast/assignref"),
   require("./ast/bin"),
   require("./ast/block"),
   require("./ast/boolean"),
diff --git a/src/ast/assign.js b/src/ast/assign.js
index 1a77582e0..0d8050398 100644
--- a/src/ast/assign.js
+++ b/src/ast/assign.js
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ module.exports = Expression.extends(KIND, function Assign(
   location
 ) {
   Expression.apply(this, [KIND, docs, location]);
-  this.operator = operator;
   this.left = left;
   this.right = right;
+  this.operator = operator;
 });
diff --git a/src/ast/assignref.js b/src/ast/assignref.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..cde820f20
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ast/assignref.js
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright (C) 2018 Glayzzle (BSD3 License)
+ * @authors https://github.com/glayzzle/php-parser/graphs/contributors
+ * @url http://glayzzle.com
+ */
+"use strict";
+
+const Expression = require("./expression");
+const KIND = "assignref";
+
+/**
+ * Assigns a value to the specified target
+ * @constructor Assign
+ * @extends {Expression}
+ * @property {Expression} left
+ * @property {Expression} right
+ * @property {String} operator
+ */
+module.exports = Expression.extends(KIND, function AssignRef(
+    left,
+    right,
+    docs,
+    location
+) {
+    Expression.apply(this, [KIND, docs, location]);
+    this.left = left;
+    this.right = right;
+});
diff --git a/src/parser/expr.js b/src/parser/expr.js
index 250a2fa7d..721a95fb1 100644
--- a/src/parser/expr.js
+++ b/src/parser/expr.js
@@ -354,21 +354,19 @@ module.exports = {
           if (isConst) this.error("VARIABLE");
           let right;
           if (this.next().token == "&") {
-            right = this.read_byref(
-              function() {
-                if (this.token === this.tok.T_NEW) {
-                  if (this.php7) {
-                    this.error();
-                  }
-                  return this.read_new_expr();
-                } else {
-                  return this.read_variable(false, false);
-                }
-              }.bind(this)
-            );
-          } else {
-            right = this.read_expr();
+            this.next();
+            if (this.token === this.tok.T_NEW) {
+              if (this.php7) {
+                this.error();
+              }
+              right = this.read_new_expr();
+            } else {
+              right = this.read_variable(false, false);
+            }
+
+            return result("assignref", expr, right);
           }
+          right = this.read_expr();
           return result("assign", expr, right, "=");
         }
 
diff --git a/test/snapshot/__snapshots__/assign.test.js.snap b/test/snapshot/__snapshots__/assign.test.js.snap
index 28c9e3f46..2bb47f92c 100644
--- a/test/snapshot/__snapshots__/assign.test.js.snap
+++ b/test/snapshot/__snapshots__/assign.test.js.snap
@@ -402,16 +402,14 @@ exports[`assign with ref 1`] = `
 Program {
   "children": Array [
     ExpressionStatement {
-      "expression": Assign {
-        "kind": "assign",
+      "expression": AssignRef {
+        "kind": "assignref",
         "left": Variable {
           "curly": false,
           "kind": "variable",
           "name": "bar",
         },
-        "operator": "=",
         "right": Variable {
-          "byref": true,
           "curly": false,
           "kind": "variable",
           "name": "foo",
diff --git a/test/snapshot/__snapshots__/byref.test.js.snap b/test/snapshot/__snapshots__/byref.test.js.snap
index b0a79c975..b839867a1 100644
--- a/test/snapshot/__snapshots__/byref.test.js.snap
+++ b/test/snapshot/__snapshots__/byref.test.js.snap
@@ -4,14 +4,13 @@ exports[`byref call result 1`] = `
 Program {
   "children": Array [
     ExpressionStatement {
-      "expression": Assign {
-        "kind": "assign",
+      "expression": AssignRef {
+        "kind": "assignref",
         "left": Variable {
           "curly": false,
           "kind": "variable",
           "name": "a",
         },
-        "operator": "=",
         "right": Call {
           "arguments": Array [
             Variable {
@@ -21,7 +20,6 @@ Program {
               "name": "b",
             },
           ],
-          "byref": true,
           "kind": "call",
           "what": ClassReference {
             "kind": "classreference",
@@ -42,16 +40,14 @@ exports[`byref callable variable #2 1`] = `
 Program {
   "children": Array [
     ExpressionStatement {
-      "expression": Assign {
-        "kind": "assign",
+      "expression": AssignRef {
+        "kind": "assignref",
         "left": Variable {
           "curly": false,
           "kind": "variable",
           "name": "var",
         },
-        "operator": "=",
         "right": Variable {
-          "byref": true,
           "curly": true,
           "kind": "variable",
           "name": Variable {
@@ -73,16 +69,14 @@ exports[`byref callable variable #3 1`] = `
 Program {
   "children": Array [
     ExpressionStatement {
-      "expression": Assign {
-        "kind": "assign",
+      "expression": AssignRef {
+        "kind": "assignref",
         "left": Variable {
           "curly": false,
           "kind": "variable",
           "name": "var",
         },
-        "operator": "=",
         "right": Variable {
-          "byref": true,
           "curly": false,
           "kind": "variable",
           "name": Variable {
@@ -108,16 +102,14 @@ exports[`byref callable variable #4 1`] = `
 Program {
   "children": Array [
     ExpressionStatement {
-      "expression": Assign {
-        "kind": "assign",
+      "expression": AssignRef {
+        "kind": "assignref",
         "left": Variable {
           "curly": false,
           "kind": "variable",
           "name": "var",
         },
-        "operator": "=",
         "right": OffsetLookup {
-          "byref": true,
           "kind": "offsetlookup",
           "offset": Variable {
             "curly": false,
@@ -143,16 +135,14 @@ exports[`byref callable variable #5 1`] = `
 Program {
   "children": Array [
     ExpressionStatement {
-      "expression": Assign {
-        "kind": "assign",
+      "expression": AssignRef {
+        "kind": "assignref",
         "left": Variable {
           "curly": false,
           "kind": "variable",
           "name": "var",
         },
-        "operator": "=",
         "right": OffsetLookup {
-          "byref": true,
           "kind": "offsetlookup",
           "offset": Variable {
             "curly": false,
@@ -178,16 +168,14 @@ exports[`byref callable variable #6 1`] = `
 Program {
   "children": Array [
     ExpressionStatement {
-      "expression": Assign {
-        "kind": "assign",
+      "expression": AssignRef {
+        "kind": "assignref",
         "left": Variable {
           "curly": false,
           "kind": "variable",
           "name": "var",
         },
-        "operator": "=",
         "right": OffsetLookup {
-          "byref": true,
           "kind": "offsetlookup",
           "offset": Variable {
             "curly": false,
@@ -221,17 +209,15 @@ exports[`byref callable variable #7 1`] = `
 Program {
   "children": Array [
     ExpressionStatement {
-      "expression": Assign {
-        "kind": "assign",
+      "expression": AssignRef {
+        "kind": "assignref",
         "left": Variable {
           "curly": false,
           "kind": "variable",
           "name": "var",
         },
-        "operator": "=",
         "right": Call {
           "arguments": Array [],
-          "byref": true,
           "kind": "call",
           "what": PropertyLookup {
             "kind": "propertylookup",
@@ -259,17 +245,15 @@ exports[`byref callable variable #8 1`] = `
 Program {
   "children": Array [
     ExpressionStatement {
-      "expression": Assign {
-        "kind": "assign",
+      "expression": AssignRef {
+        "kind": "assignref",
         "left": Variable {
           "curly": false,
           "kind": "variable",
           "name": "var",
         },
-        "operator": "=",
         "right": Call {
           "arguments": Array [],
-          "byref": true,
           "kind": "call",
           "what": ClassReference {
             "kind": "classreference",
@@ -290,16 +274,14 @@ exports[`byref callable variable 1`] = `
 Program {
   "children": Array [
     ExpressionStatement {
-      "expression": Assign {
-        "kind": "assign",
+      "expression": AssignRef {
+        "kind": "assignref",
         "left": Variable {
           "curly": false,
           "kind": "variable",
           "name": "var",
         },
-        "operator": "=",
         "right": Variable {
-          "byref": true,
           "curly": false,
           "kind": "variable",
           "name": "var",
@@ -498,17 +480,15 @@ exports[`byref new class 1`] = `
 Program {
   "children": Array [
     ExpressionStatement {
-      "expression": Assign {
-        "kind": "assign",
+      "expression": AssignRef {
+        "kind": "assignref",
         "left": Variable {
           "curly": false,
           "kind": "variable",
           "name": "a",
         },
-        "operator": "=",
         "right": New {
           "arguments": Array [],
-          "byref": true,
           "kind": "new",
           "what": ClassReference {
             "kind": "classreference",
@@ -555,16 +535,14 @@ exports[`byref propertylookup 1`] = `
 Program {
   "children": Array [
     ExpressionStatement {
-      "expression": Assign {
-        "kind": "assign",
+      "expression": AssignRef {
+        "kind": "assignref",
         "left": Variable {
           "curly": false,
           "kind": "variable",
           "name": "var",
         },
-        "operator": "=",
         "right": PropertyLookup {
-          "byref": true,
           "kind": "propertylookup",
           "offset": Identifier {
             "kind": "identifier",
@@ -607,16 +585,14 @@ exports[`byref static lookup 1`] = `
 Program {
   "children": Array [
     ExpressionStatement {
-      "expression": Assign {
-        "kind": "assign",
+      "expression": AssignRef {
+        "kind": "assignref",
         "left": Variable {
           "curly": false,
           "kind": "variable",
           "name": "var",
         },
-        "operator": "=",
         "right": StaticLookup {
-          "byref": true,
           "kind": "staticlookup",
           "offset": Variable {
             "curly": false,
@@ -642,16 +618,14 @@ exports[`byref staticlookup #2 1`] = `
 Program {
   "children": Array [
     ExpressionStatement {
-      "expression": Assign {
-        "kind": "assign",
+      "expression": AssignRef {
+        "kind": "assignref",
         "left": Variable {
           "curly": false,
           "kind": "variable",
           "name": "var",
         },
-        "operator": "=",
         "right": StaticLookup {
-          "byref": true,
           "kind": "staticlookup",
           "offset": Variable {
             "curly": true,
@@ -681,16 +655,14 @@ exports[`byref staticlookup #3 1`] = `
 Program {
   "children": Array [
     ExpressionStatement {
-      "expression": Assign {
-        "kind": "assign",
+      "expression": AssignRef {
+        "kind": "assignref",
         "left": Variable {
           "curly": false,
           "kind": "variable",
           "name": "var",
         },
-        "operator": "=",
         "right": StaticLookup {
-          "byref": true,
           "kind": "staticlookup",
           "offset": Variable {
             "curly": false,
@@ -724,16 +696,14 @@ exports[`byref staticlookup #4 1`] = `
 Program {
   "children": Array [
     ExpressionStatement {
-      "expression": Assign {
-        "kind": "assign",
+      "expression": AssignRef {
+        "kind": "assignref",
         "left": Variable {
           "curly": false,
           "kind": "variable",
           "name": "var",
         },
-        "operator": "=",
         "right": StaticLookup {
-          "byref": true,
           "kind": "staticlookup",
           "offset": Variable {
             "curly": false,
@@ -759,16 +729,14 @@ exports[`byref staticlookup #5 1`] = `
 Program {
   "children": Array [
     ExpressionStatement {
-      "expression": Assign {
-        "kind": "assign",
+      "expression": AssignRef {
+        "kind": "assignref",
         "left": Variable {
           "curly": false,
           "kind": "variable",
           "name": "var",
         },
-        "operator": "=",
         "right": StaticLookup {
-          "byref": true,
           "kind": "staticlookup",
           "offset": Variable {
             "curly": true,
@@ -798,16 +766,14 @@ exports[`byref staticlookup #6 1`] = `
 Program {
   "children": Array [
     ExpressionStatement {
-      "expression": Assign {
-        "kind": "assign",
+      "expression": AssignRef {
+        "kind": "assignref",
         "left": Variable {
           "curly": false,
           "kind": "variable",
           "name": "var",
         },
-        "operator": "=",
         "right": StaticLookup {
-          "byref": true,
           "kind": "staticlookup",
           "offset": Variable {
             "curly": false,
@@ -841,16 +807,14 @@ exports[`byref staticlookup 1`] = `
 Program {
   "children": Array [
     ExpressionStatement {
-      "expression": Assign {
-        "kind": "assign",
+      "expression": AssignRef {
+        "kind": "assignref",
         "left": Variable {
           "curly": false,
           "kind": "variable",
           "name": "var",
         },
-        "operator": "=",
         "right": StaticLookup {
-          "byref": true,
           "kind": "staticlookup",
           "offset": Variable {
             "curly": false,
@@ -876,16 +840,14 @@ exports[`byref variable 1`] = `
 Program {
   "children": Array [
     ExpressionStatement {
-      "expression": Assign {
-        "kind": "assign",
+      "expression": AssignRef {
+        "kind": "assignref",
         "left": Variable {
           "curly": false,
           "kind": "variable",
           "name": "var",
         },
-        "operator": "=",
         "right": Variable {
-          "byref": true,
           "curly": false,
           "kind": "variable",
           "name": "foo",
@@ -903,16 +865,14 @@ exports[`byref variable 2`] = `
 Program {
   "children": Array [
     ExpressionStatement {
-      "expression": Assign {
-        "kind": "assign",
+      "expression": AssignRef {
+        "kind": "assignref",
         "left": Variable {
           "curly": false,
           "kind": "variable",
           "name": "a",
         },
-        "operator": "=",
         "right": Variable {
-          "byref": true,
           "curly": false,
           "kind": "variable",
           "name": "var",
@@ -962,3 +922,70 @@ Program {
   "kind": "program",
 }
 `;
+
+exports[`byref with bin #2 1`] = `
+Program {
+  "children": Array [
+    ExpressionStatement {
+      "expression": Bin {
+        "kind": "bin",
+        "left": AssignRef {
+          "kind": "assignref",
+          "left": Variable {
+            "curly": false,
+            "kind": "variable",
+            "name": "foo",
+          },
+          "right": Variable {
+            "curly": false,
+            "kind": "variable",
+            "name": "bar",
+          },
+        },
+        "right": Number {
+          "kind": "number",
+          "value": "1",
+        },
+        "type": "+",
+      },
+      "kind": "expressionstatement",
+    },
+  ],
+  "errors": Array [],
+  "kind": "program",
+}
+`;
+
+exports[`byref with bin 1`] = `
+Program {
+  "children": Array [
+    ExpressionStatement {
+      "expression": Bin {
+        "kind": "bin",
+        "left": AssignRef {
+          "kind": "assignref",
+          "left": Variable {
+            "curly": false,
+            "kind": "variable",
+            "name": "foo",
+          },
+          "right": Variable {
+            "curly": false,
+            "kind": "variable",
+            "name": "bar",
+          },
+        },
+        "right": Variable {
+          "curly": false,
+          "kind": "variable",
+          "name": "bar",
+        },
+        "type": "||",
+      },
+      "kind": "expressionstatement",
+    },
+  ],
+  "errors": Array [],
+  "kind": "program",
+}
+`;
diff --git a/test/snapshot/__snapshots__/location.test.js.snap b/test/snapshot/__snapshots__/location.test.js.snap
index 0464c287b..bad31dd8c 100644
--- a/test/snapshot/__snapshots__/location.test.js.snap
+++ b/test/snapshot/__snapshots__/location.test.js.snap
@@ -1684,6 +1684,96 @@ Program {
 }
 `;
 
+exports[`Test locations assign by ref 1`] = `
+Program {
+  "children": Array [
+    ExpressionStatement {
+      "expression": AssignRef {
+        "kind": "assignref",
+        "left": Variable {
+          "curly": false,
+          "kind": "variable",
+          "loc": Location {
+            "end": Position {
+              "column": 4,
+              "line": 1,
+              "offset": 4,
+            },
+            "source": "$var",
+            "start": Position {
+              "column": 0,
+              "line": 1,
+              "offset": 0,
+            },
+          },
+          "name": "var",
+        },
+        "loc": Location {
+          "end": Position {
+            "column": 13,
+            "line": 1,
+            "offset": 13,
+          },
+          "source": "$var = &$var;",
+          "start": Position {
+            "column": 0,
+            "line": 1,
+            "offset": 0,
+          },
+        },
+        "right": Variable {
+          "curly": false,
+          "kind": "variable",
+          "loc": Location {
+            "end": Position {
+              "column": 12,
+              "line": 1,
+              "offset": 12,
+            },
+            "source": "$var",
+            "start": Position {
+              "column": 8,
+              "line": 1,
+              "offset": 8,
+            },
+          },
+          "name": "var",
+        },
+      },
+      "kind": "expressionstatement",
+      "loc": Location {
+        "end": Position {
+          "column": 13,
+          "line": 1,
+          "offset": 13,
+        },
+        "source": "$var = &$var;",
+        "start": Position {
+          "column": 0,
+          "line": 1,
+          "offset": 0,
+        },
+      },
+    },
+  ],
+  "errors": Array [],
+  "kind": "program",
+  "loc": Location {
+    "end": Position {
+      "column": 13,
+      "line": 1,
+      "offset": 13,
+    },
+    "source": "$var = &$var;",
+    "start": Position {
+      "column": 0,
+      "line": 1,
+      "offset": 0,
+    },
+  },
+}
+`;
+
 exports[`Test locations assign mutliple 1`] = `
 Program {
   "children": Array [
diff --git a/test/snapshot/__snapshots__/new.test.js.snap b/test/snapshot/__snapshots__/new.test.js.snap
index 618baa8b7..74990b872 100644
--- a/test/snapshot/__snapshots__/new.test.js.snap
+++ b/test/snapshot/__snapshots__/new.test.js.snap
@@ -4,17 +4,15 @@ exports[`new #348 - byref usage deprecated 1`] = `
 Program {
   "children": Array [
     ExpressionStatement {
-      "expression": Assign {
-        "kind": "assign",
+      "expression": AssignRef {
+        "kind": "assignref",
         "left": Variable {
           "curly": false,
           "kind": "variable",
           "name": "a",
         },
-        "operator": "=",
         "right": New {
           "arguments": Array [],
-          "byref": true,
           "kind": "new",
           "what": ClassReference {
             "kind": "classreference",
diff --git a/test/snapshot/__snapshots__/variable.test.js.snap b/test/snapshot/__snapshots__/variable.test.js.snap
index 2d73e0e8f..a643a0fcf 100644
--- a/test/snapshot/__snapshots__/variable.test.js.snap
+++ b/test/snapshot/__snapshots__/variable.test.js.snap
@@ -788,16 +788,14 @@ Program {
       "kind": "expressionstatement",
     },
     ExpressionStatement {
-      "expression": Assign {
-        "kind": "assign",
+      "expression": AssignRef {
+        "kind": "assignref",
         "left": Variable {
           "curly": false,
           "kind": "variable",
           "name": "b",
         },
-        "operator": "=",
         "right": Variable {
-          "byref": true,
           "curly": false,
           "kind": "variable",
           "name": "c",
diff --git a/test/snapshot/byref.test.js b/test/snapshot/byref.test.js
index d6ac4674b..9f8bdf4d9 100644
--- a/test/snapshot/byref.test.js
+++ b/test/snapshot/byref.test.js
@@ -101,4 +101,10 @@ describe('byref', () => {
   it('closure', () => {
     expect(parser.parseEval('$var = function () use (&$message) { };')).toMatchSnapshot();
   });
+  it('with bin', () => {
+    expect(parser.parseEval('$foo = &$bar || $bar;')).toMatchSnapshot();
+  });
+  it('with bin #2', () => {
+    expect(parser.parseEval('$foo = &$bar + 1;')).toMatchSnapshot();
+  });
 });
diff --git a/test/snapshot/location.test.js b/test/snapshot/location.test.js
index 8fc0bda19..106ba94b7 100644
--- a/test/snapshot/location.test.js
+++ b/test/snapshot/location.test.js
@@ -542,6 +542,16 @@ describe("Test locations", function() {
       })
     ).toMatchSnapshot();
   });
+  it("assign by ref", function() {
+    expect(
+      parser.parseEval("$var = &$var;", {
+        ast: {
+          withPositions: true,
+          withSource: true
+        }
+      })
+    ).toMatchSnapshot();
+  });
   it("assign mutliple", function() {
     expect(
       parser.parseEval("$var = $other = true;", {