diff --git a/rules-tests/Php81/Rector/Property/ReadOnlyPropertyRector/Fixture/skip_by_ref_param.php.inc b/rules-tests/Php81/Rector/Property/ReadOnlyPropertyRector/Fixture/skip_by_ref_param.php.inc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c024a051e1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rules-tests/Php81/Rector/Property/ReadOnlyPropertyRector/Fixture/skip_by_ref_param.php.inc
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace Rector\Tests\Php81\Rector\Property\ReadOnlyPropertyRector\Fixture;
+
+final class SkipByRefParam
+{
+    public function __construct(private  array &$idx)
+    {
+    }
+}
diff --git a/rules/Php81/Rector/Property/ReadOnlyPropertyRector.php b/rules/Php81/Rector/Property/ReadOnlyPropertyRector.php
index 97834726c2..b335fb454a 100644
--- a/rules/Php81/Rector/Property/ReadOnlyPropertyRector.php
+++ b/rules/Php81/Rector/Property/ReadOnlyPropertyRector.php
@@ -222,6 +222,10 @@ private function refactorParam(Class_ $class, ClassMethod $classMethod, Param $p
             return null;
         }
 
+        if ($param->byRef) {
+            return null;
+        }
+
         if ($this->paramAnalyzer->isParamReassign($classMethod, $param)) {
             return null;
         }