diff --git a/ext/date/php_date.c b/ext/date/php_date.c
index a3cd5734d6226..24e16e3936730 100644
--- a/ext/date/php_date.c
+++ b/ext/date/php_date.c
@@ -2539,11 +2539,7 @@ static void date_object_free_storage_period(void *object TSRMLS_DC)
 /* Advanced Interface */
 PHPAPI zval *php_date_instantiate(zend_class_entry *pce, zval *object TSRMLS_DC)
 {
-	Z_TYPE_P(object) = IS_OBJECT;
 	object_init_ex(object, pce);
-	Z_SET_REFCOUNT_P(object, 1);
-	Z_UNSET_ISREF_P(object);
-
 	return object;
 }
 
@@ -2651,15 +2647,18 @@ PHP_FUNCTION(date_create)
 	zval           *timezone_object = NULL;
 	char           *time_str = NULL;
 	int             time_str_len = 0;
+	zval            datetime_object;
 
 	if (zend_parse_parameters(ZEND_NUM_ARGS() TSRMLS_CC, "|sO!", &time_str, &time_str_len, &timezone_object, date_ce_timezone) == FAILURE) {
 		RETURN_FALSE;
 	}
 
-	php_date_instantiate(date_ce_date, return_value TSRMLS_CC);
-	if (!php_date_initialize(zend_object_store_get_object(return_value TSRMLS_CC), time_str, time_str_len, NULL, timezone_object, 0 TSRMLS_CC)) {
+	php_date_instantiate(date_ce_date, &datetime_object TSRMLS_CC);
+	if (!php_date_initialize(zend_object_store_get_object(&datetime_object TSRMLS_CC), time_str, time_str_len, NULL, timezone_object, 0 TSRMLS_CC)) {
+		zval_dtor(&datetime_object);
 		RETURN_FALSE;
 	}
+	RETVAL_ZVAL(&datetime_object, 0, 0);
 }
 /* }}} */
 
@@ -2671,15 +2670,18 @@ PHP_FUNCTION(date_create_immutable)
 	zval           *timezone_object = NULL;
 	char           *time_str = NULL;
 	int             time_str_len = 0;
+	zval            datetime_object;
 
 	if (zend_parse_parameters(ZEND_NUM_ARGS() TSRMLS_CC, "|sO!", &time_str, &time_str_len, &timezone_object, date_ce_timezone) == FAILURE) {
 		RETURN_FALSE;
 	}
 
-	php_date_instantiate(date_ce_immutable, return_value TSRMLS_CC);
-	if (!php_date_initialize(zend_object_store_get_object(return_value TSRMLS_CC), time_str, time_str_len, NULL, timezone_object, 0 TSRMLS_CC)) {
+	php_date_instantiate(date_ce_immutable, &datetime_object TSRMLS_CC);
+	if (!php_date_initialize(zend_object_store_get_object(&datetime_object TSRMLS_CC), time_str, time_str_len, NULL, timezone_object, 0 TSRMLS_CC)) {
+		zval_dtor(&datetime_object);
 		RETURN_FALSE;
 	}
+	RETVAL_ZVAL(&datetime_object, 0, 0);
 }
 /* }}} */
 
@@ -2691,15 +2693,18 @@ PHP_FUNCTION(date_create_from_format)
 	zval           *timezone_object = NULL;
 	char           *time_str = NULL, *format_str = NULL;
 	int             time_str_len = 0, format_str_len = 0;
+	zval            datetime_object;
 
 	if (zend_parse_parameters(ZEND_NUM_ARGS() TSRMLS_CC, "ss|O", &format_str, &format_str_len, &time_str, &time_str_len, &timezone_object, date_ce_timezone) == FAILURE) {
 		RETURN_FALSE;
 	}
 
-	php_date_instantiate(date_ce_date, return_value TSRMLS_CC);
-	if (!php_date_initialize(zend_object_store_get_object(return_value TSRMLS_CC), time_str, time_str_len, format_str, timezone_object, 0 TSRMLS_CC)) {
+	php_date_instantiate(date_ce_date, &datetime_object TSRMLS_CC);
+	if (!php_date_initialize(zend_object_store_get_object(&datetime_object TSRMLS_CC), time_str, time_str_len, format_str, timezone_object, 0 TSRMLS_CC)) {
+		zval_dtor(&datetime_object);
 		RETURN_FALSE;
 	}
+	RETVAL_ZVAL(&datetime_object, 0, 0);
 }
 /* }}} */
 
@@ -2711,15 +2716,18 @@ PHP_FUNCTION(date_create_immutable_from_format)
 	zval           *timezone_object = NULL;
 	char           *time_str = NULL, *format_str = NULL;
 	int             time_str_len = 0, format_str_len = 0;
+	zval            datetime_object;
 
 	if (zend_parse_parameters(ZEND_NUM_ARGS() TSRMLS_CC, "ss|O", &format_str, &format_str_len, &time_str, &time_str_len, &timezone_object, date_ce_timezone) == FAILURE) {
 		RETURN_FALSE;
 	}
 
-	php_date_instantiate(date_ce_immutable, return_value TSRMLS_CC);
-	if (!php_date_initialize(zend_object_store_get_object(return_value TSRMLS_CC), time_str, time_str_len, format_str, timezone_object, 0 TSRMLS_CC)) {
+	php_date_instantiate(date_ce_immutable, &datetime_object TSRMLS_CC);
+	if (!php_date_initialize(zend_object_store_get_object(&datetime_object TSRMLS_CC), time_str, time_str_len, format_str, timezone_object, 0 TSRMLS_CC)) {
+		zval_dtor(&datetime_object);
 		RETURN_FALSE;
 	}
+	RETVAL_ZVAL(&datetime_object, 0, 0);
 }
 /* }}} */
 
@@ -2789,7 +2797,7 @@ PHP_METHOD(DateTimeImmutable, createFromMutable)
 }
 /* }}} */
 
-static int php_date_initialize_from_hash(zval **return_value, php_date_obj **dateobj, HashTable *myht TSRMLS_DC)
+static int php_date_initialize_from_hash(php_date_obj **dateobj, HashTable *myht TSRMLS_DC)
 {
 	zval            **z_date = NULL;
 	zval            **z_timezone = NULL;
@@ -2859,7 +2867,7 @@ PHP_METHOD(DateTime, __set_state)
 
 	php_date_instantiate(date_ce_date, return_value TSRMLS_CC);
 	dateobj = (php_date_obj *) zend_object_store_get_object(return_value TSRMLS_CC);
-	if (!php_date_initialize_from_hash(&return_value, &dateobj, myht TSRMLS_CC)) {
+	if (!php_date_initialize_from_hash(&dateobj, myht TSRMLS_CC)) {
 		php_error(E_ERROR, "Invalid serialization data for DateTime object");
 	}
 }
@@ -2881,7 +2889,7 @@ PHP_METHOD(DateTimeImmutable, __set_state)
 
 	php_date_instantiate(date_ce_immutable, return_value TSRMLS_CC);
 	dateobj = (php_date_obj *) zend_object_store_get_object(return_value TSRMLS_CC);
-	if (!php_date_initialize_from_hash(&return_value, &dateobj, myht TSRMLS_CC)) {
+	if (!php_date_initialize_from_hash(&dateobj, myht TSRMLS_CC)) {
 		php_error(E_ERROR, "Invalid serialization data for DateTimeImmutable object");
 	}
 }
@@ -2899,7 +2907,7 @@ PHP_METHOD(DateTime, __wakeup)
 
 	myht = Z_OBJPROP_P(object);
 
-	if (!php_date_initialize_from_hash(&return_value, &dateobj, myht TSRMLS_CC)) {
+	if (!php_date_initialize_from_hash(&dateobj, myht TSRMLS_CC)) {
 		php_error(E_ERROR, "Invalid serialization data for DateTime object");
 	}
 }
diff --git a/ext/date/tests/bug51866.phpt b/ext/date/tests/bug51866.phpt
index 9474f4f58d44d..9481aebe9d40b 100644
--- a/ext/date/tests/bug51866.phpt
+++ b/ext/date/tests/bug51866.phpt
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ array(4) {
 
 string(6) "Y-m-d+"
 string(19) "2001-11-29 13:20:01"
-object(DateTime)#2 (3) {
+object(DateTime)#%d (3) {
   ["date"]=>
   string(26) "2001-11-29 %d:%d:%d.%d"
   ["timezone_type"]=>
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ array(4) {
 
 string(7) "Y-m-d +"
 string(19) "2001-11-29 13:20:01"
-object(DateTime)#3 (3) {
+object(DateTime)#%d (3) {
   ["date"]=>
   string(26) "2001-11-29 %d:%d:%d.%d"
   ["timezone_type"]=>
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ array(4) {
 
 string(6) "Y-m-d+"
 string(10) "2001-11-29"
-object(DateTime)#2 (3) {
+object(DateTime)#%d (3) {
   ["date"]=>
   string(26) "2001-11-29 %d:%d:%d.%d"
   ["timezone_type"]=>
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ array(4) {
 
 string(7) "Y-m-d +"
 string(11) "2001-11-29 "
-object(DateTime)#2 (3) {
+object(DateTime)#%d (3) {
   ["date"]=>
   string(26) "2001-11-29 %d:%d:%d.%d"
   ["timezone_type"]=>