diff --git a/src/Psalm/Checker/MethodChecker.php b/src/Psalm/Checker/MethodChecker.php
index 8ad4752f9..75fd18e01 100644
--- a/src/Psalm/Checker/MethodChecker.php
+++ b/src/Psalm/Checker/MethodChecker.php
@@ -126,19 +126,7 @@ class MethodChecker extends FunctionLikeChecker
 
         $storage = self::getStorage($project_checker, $method_id);
 
-        if ($storage->return_type) {
-            return $storage->returns_by_ref;
-        }
-
-        $class_storage = $project_checker->classlike_storage_provider->get($fq_class_name);
-
-        foreach ($class_storage->overridden_method_ids[$method_name] as $overridden_method_id) {
-            $overridden_storage = self::getStorage($project_checker, $overridden_method_id);
-
-            return $overridden_storage->returns_by_ref;
-        }
-
-        return false;
+        return $storage->returns_by_ref;
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/src/Psalm/Checker/Statements/Expression/CallChecker.php b/src/Psalm/Checker/Statements/Expression/CallChecker.php
index bf15c0319..db582ae5e 100644
--- a/src/Psalm/Checker/Statements/Expression/CallChecker.php
+++ b/src/Psalm/Checker/Statements/Expression/CallChecker.php
@@ -1127,7 +1127,11 @@ class CallChecker
 
             $stmt->inferredType = $return_type;
 
-            if ($returns_by_ref && $stmt->inferredType && !$stmt->inferredType->by_ref) {
+            if ($returns_by_ref) {
+                if (!$stmt->inferredType) {
+                    $stmt->inferredType = Type::getMixed();
+                }
+
                 $stmt->inferredType->by_ref = $returns_by_ref;
             }
         }
diff --git a/src/Psalm/Visitor/DependencyFinderVisitor.php b/src/Psalm/Visitor/DependencyFinderVisitor.php
index 8eb0339cb..359d59f12 100644
--- a/src/Psalm/Visitor/DependencyFinderVisitor.php
+++ b/src/Psalm/Visitor/DependencyFinderVisitor.php
@@ -743,7 +743,6 @@ class DependencyFinderVisitor extends PhpParser\NodeVisitorAbstract implements P
             );
 
             if ($stmt->returnsByRef()) {
-                $storage->returns_by_ref = true;
                 $storage->return_type->by_ref = true;
             }
 
@@ -751,6 +750,10 @@ class DependencyFinderVisitor extends PhpParser\NodeVisitorAbstract implements P
             $storage->signature_return_type_location = $storage->return_type_location;
         }
 
+        if ($stmt->returnsByRef()) {
+            $storage->returns_by_ref = true;
+        }
+
         $doc_comment = $stmt->getDocComment();
 
         if (!$doc_comment) {
@@ -907,8 +910,7 @@ class DependencyFinderVisitor extends PhpParser\NodeVisitorAbstract implements P
                     $storage->return_type->ignore_nullable_issues = true;
                 }
 
-                if ($storage->return_type && $stmt->returnsByRef()) {
-                    $storage->returns_by_ref = true;
+                if ($stmt->returnsByRef() && $storage->return_type) {
                     $storage->return_type->by_ref = true;
                 }