diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index c4c7f989638c..47226a98aa9b 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ PHP                                                                        NEWS
   . Fix persistent free of non-persistent connect_attr key (David Carlier).
 
 - Opcache:
+  . Fixed bug GH-21972 (Corrupted variable type when a typed by-value return
+    contains a reference wrapper). (Weilin Du)
   . Fixed tracing JIT crash when a VM interrupt is handled during an observed
     user function call. (Levi Morrison)
 
diff --git a/Zend/zend_vm_def.h b/Zend/zend_vm_def.h
index 34906e1bfcca..c46b17101546 100644
--- a/Zend/zend_vm_def.h
+++ b/Zend/zend_vm_def.h
@@ -4387,7 +4387,7 @@ ZEND_VM_COLD_CONST_HANDLER(124, ZEND_VERIFY_RETURN_TYPE, CONST|TMP|VAR|UNUSED|CV
 			ZVAL_DEREF(retval_ptr);
 		}
 
-		if (EXPECTED(ZEND_TYPE_CONTAINS_CODE(ret_info->type, Z_TYPE_P(retval_ptr)))) {
+		if (EXPECTED(ZEND_TYPE_CONTAINS_CODE(ret_info->type, Z_TYPE_P(retval_ref)))) {
 			ZEND_VM_NEXT_OPCODE();
 		}
 
@@ -4417,6 +4417,9 @@ ZEND_VM_COLD_CONST_HANDLER(124, ZEND_VERIFY_RETURN_TYPE, CONST|TMP|VAR|UNUSED|CV
 				}
 				retval_ptr = retval_ref;
 			}
+			if (EXPECTED(ZEND_TYPE_CONTAINS_CODE(ret_info->type, Z_TYPE_P(retval_ptr)))) {
+				ZEND_VM_NEXT_OPCODE();
+			}
 		}
 
 		SAVE_OPLINE();
diff --git a/Zend/zend_vm_execute.h b/Zend/zend_vm_execute.h
index d4b2aff1907b..f4f35ce2a8a9 100644
--- a/Zend/zend_vm_execute.h
+++ b/Zend/zend_vm_execute.h
@@ -10772,7 +10772,7 @@ static ZEND_VM_COLD ZEND_OPCODE_HANDLER_RET ZEND_FASTCALL ZEND_VERIFY_RETURN_TYP
 			ZVAL_DEREF(retval_ptr);
 		}
 
-		if (EXPECTED(ZEND_TYPE_CONTAINS_CODE(ret_info->type, Z_TYPE_P(retval_ptr)))) {
+		if (EXPECTED(ZEND_TYPE_CONTAINS_CODE(ret_info->type, Z_TYPE_P(retval_ref)))) {
 			ZEND_VM_NEXT_OPCODE();
 		}
 
@@ -10802,6 +10802,9 @@ static ZEND_VM_COLD ZEND_OPCODE_HANDLER_RET ZEND_FASTCALL ZEND_VERIFY_RETURN_TYP
 				}
 				retval_ptr = retval_ref;
 			}
+			if (EXPECTED(ZEND_TYPE_CONTAINS_CODE(ret_info->type, Z_TYPE_P(retval_ptr)))) {
+				ZEND_VM_NEXT_OPCODE();
+			}
 		}
 
 		SAVE_OPLINE();
@@ -21517,7 +21520,7 @@ static ZEND_OPCODE_HANDLER_RET ZEND_FASTCALL ZEND_VERIFY_RETURN_TYPE_SPEC_TMP_UN
 			ZVAL_DEREF(retval_ptr);
 		}
 
-		if (EXPECTED(ZEND_TYPE_CONTAINS_CODE(ret_info->type, Z_TYPE_P(retval_ptr)))) {
+		if (EXPECTED(ZEND_TYPE_CONTAINS_CODE(ret_info->type, Z_TYPE_P(retval_ref)))) {
 			ZEND_VM_NEXT_OPCODE();
 		}
 
@@ -21547,6 +21550,9 @@ static ZEND_OPCODE_HANDLER_RET ZEND_FASTCALL ZEND_VERIFY_RETURN_TYPE_SPEC_TMP_UN
 				}
 				retval_ptr = retval_ref;
 			}
+			if (EXPECTED(ZEND_TYPE_CONTAINS_CODE(ret_info->type, Z_TYPE_P(retval_ptr)))) {
+				ZEND_VM_NEXT_OPCODE();
+			}
 		}
 
 		SAVE_OPLINE();
@@ -30016,7 +30022,7 @@ static ZEND_OPCODE_HANDLER_RET ZEND_FASTCALL ZEND_VERIFY_RETURN_TYPE_SPEC_VAR_UN
 			ZVAL_DEREF(retval_ptr);
 		}
 
-		if (EXPECTED(ZEND_TYPE_CONTAINS_CODE(ret_info->type, Z_TYPE_P(retval_ptr)))) {
+		if (EXPECTED(ZEND_TYPE_CONTAINS_CODE(ret_info->type, Z_TYPE_P(retval_ref)))) {
 			ZEND_VM_NEXT_OPCODE();
 		}
 
@@ -30046,6 +30052,9 @@ static ZEND_OPCODE_HANDLER_RET ZEND_FASTCALL ZEND_VERIFY_RETURN_TYPE_SPEC_VAR_UN
 				}
 				retval_ptr = retval_ref;
 			}
+			if (EXPECTED(ZEND_TYPE_CONTAINS_CODE(ret_info->type, Z_TYPE_P(retval_ptr)))) {
+				ZEND_VM_NEXT_OPCODE();
+			}
 		}
 
 		SAVE_OPLINE();
@@ -37830,7 +37839,7 @@ static ZEND_OPCODE_HANDLER_RET ZEND_FASTCALL ZEND_VERIFY_RETURN_TYPE_SPEC_UNUSED
 			ZVAL_DEREF(retval_ptr);
 		}
 
-		if (EXPECTED(ZEND_TYPE_CONTAINS_CODE(ret_info->type, Z_TYPE_P(retval_ptr)))) {
+		if (EXPECTED(ZEND_TYPE_CONTAINS_CODE(ret_info->type, Z_TYPE_P(retval_ref)))) {
 			ZEND_VM_NEXT_OPCODE();
 		}
 
@@ -37860,6 +37869,9 @@ static ZEND_OPCODE_HANDLER_RET ZEND_FASTCALL ZEND_VERIFY_RETURN_TYPE_SPEC_UNUSED
 				}
 				retval_ptr = retval_ref;
 			}
+			if (EXPECTED(ZEND_TYPE_CONTAINS_CODE(ret_info->type, Z_TYPE_P(retval_ptr)))) {
+				ZEND_VM_NEXT_OPCODE();
+			}
 		}
 
 		SAVE_OPLINE();
@@ -50642,7 +50654,7 @@ static ZEND_OPCODE_HANDLER_RET ZEND_FASTCALL ZEND_VERIFY_RETURN_TYPE_SPEC_CV_UNU
 			ZVAL_DEREF(retval_ptr);
 		}
 
-		if (EXPECTED(ZEND_TYPE_CONTAINS_CODE(ret_info->type, Z_TYPE_P(retval_ptr)))) {
+		if (EXPECTED(ZEND_TYPE_CONTAINS_CODE(ret_info->type, Z_TYPE_P(retval_ref)))) {
 			ZEND_VM_NEXT_OPCODE();
 		}
 
@@ -50672,6 +50684,9 @@ static ZEND_OPCODE_HANDLER_RET ZEND_FASTCALL ZEND_VERIFY_RETURN_TYPE_SPEC_CV_UNU
 				}
 				retval_ptr = retval_ref;
 			}
+			if (EXPECTED(ZEND_TYPE_CONTAINS_CODE(ret_info->type, Z_TYPE_P(retval_ptr)))) {
+				ZEND_VM_NEXT_OPCODE();
+			}
 		}
 
 		SAVE_OPLINE();
diff --git a/ext/opcache/tests/opt/gh21972.phpt b/ext/opcache/tests/opt/gh21972.phpt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..f34f9b45ccf2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ext/opcache/tests/opt/gh21972.phpt
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+--TEST--
+GH-21972: Typed by-value return must not leak reference wrapper
+--INI--
+opcache.enable=1
+opcache.enable_cli=1
+opcache.optimization_level=-1
+--EXTENSIONS--
+opcache
+--FILE--
+<?php
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+enum ValueType {
+	case BOOL;
+	case MIXED;
+}
+
+function applyDefinition(
+	bool &$lazy = false,
+	ValueType &$type = ValueType::MIXED,
+	int &$flags = 0,
+	?string &$default = null,
+): void {
+}
+
+function getTypedValue(string $default, bool $lazy, ValueType $type): string {
+	applyDefinition($lazy, $type, default: $default);
+	return $default;
+}
+
+$value = getTypedValue('false', false, ValueType::BOOL);
+var_dump(gettype($value));
+var_dump(strtolower($value));
+var_dump(strtolower(getTypedValue('FALSE', false, ValueType::BOOL)));
+?>
+--EXPECT--
+string(6) "string"
+string(5) "false"
+string(5) "false"