diff --git a/src/Php/CompilerBase.php b/src/Php/CompilerBase.php
index 6349e17f..d08b7f23 100644
--- a/src/Php/CompilerBase.php
+++ b/src/Php/CompilerBase.php
@@ -2963,10 +2963,12 @@ class CompilerBase extends \PhpAot\Core\Translator
         return $tmpVar;
     }
 
-    protected function convertToRef(NodeAbstract $expr): string {
+    protected function convertToRef(NodeAbstract $expr): string
+    {
         $this->checkLeftValue($expr);
-        if ($this->isVarExpr($expr) and $this->isNativeType($this->parseIdentifier($expr))) {
-            $this->fatalError($expr, 'Cannot convert variable of native type to reference');
+        $var = $this->parseIdentifier($expr);
+        if ($this->isVarExpr($expr) and $this->isNativeType($var)) {
+            $this->localVars[$var] = self::TYPE_VAR;
         }
         return $this->parseIdentifier($expr) . '.toReference()';
     }
diff --git a/tests/zend/closures/closure_003.phpt b/tests/zend/closures/closure_003.phpt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b224a50c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/zend/closures/closure_003.phpt
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+--TEST--
+Closure 003: Lambda with lexical variables (local scope)
+--FILE--
+<?php
+
+function run () {
+    $x = 4;
+
+    $lambda1 = function () use ($x) {
+        echo "$x\n";
+    };
+
+    $lambda2 = function () use (&$x) {
+        echo "$x\n";
+    };
+
+    $lambda1();
+    $lambda2();
+    $x++;
+    $lambda1();
+    $lambda2();
+}
+
+function main() {
+    run();
+    echo "Done\n";
+}
+?>
+--EXPECT--
+4
+4
+4
+5
+Done
diff --git a/tests/zend/closures/closure_004.phpt b/tests/zend/closures/closure_004.phpt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..236e54b1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/zend/closures/closure_004.phpt
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+--TEST--
+Closure 004: Lambda with lexical variables (scope lifetime)
+--FILE--
+<?php
+
+function run () {
+    $x = 4;
+
+    $lambda1 = function () use ($x) {
+        echo "$x\n";
+    };
+
+    $lambda2 = function () use (&$x) {
+        echo "$x\n";
+        $x++;
+    };
+
+    return array($lambda1, $lambda2);
+}
+
+function main() {
+    list ($lambda1, $lambda2) = run();
+
+    $lambda1();
+    $lambda2();
+    $lambda1();
+    $lambda2();
+
+    echo "Done\n";
+}
+?>
+--EXPECT--
+4
+4
+4
+5
+Done