diff --git a/harbour/include/hbexprb.c b/harbour/include/hbexprb.c
index 6c978d2d03..4ed04e99fa 100644
--- a/harbour/include/hbexprb.c
+++ b/harbour/include/hbexprb.c
@@ -1021,6 +1021,11 @@ static HB_EXPR_FUNC( hb_compExprUseArrayAt )
 
       case HB_EA_POP_PCODE:
          {
+            /* to manage strings as bytes arrays, they must be pushed by reference */
+            /* arrays also are passed by reference */
+            if( pSelf->value.asList.pExprList->ExprType == HB_ET_VARIABLE )
+               pSelf->value.asList.pExprList->ExprType = HB_ET_VARREF;
+
             HB_EXPR_USE( pSelf->value.asList.pExprList, HB_EA_PUSH_PCODE );
             HB_EXPR_USE( pSelf->value.asList.pIndex, HB_EA_PUSH_PCODE );
             HB_EXPR_GENPCODE1( hb_compGenPCode1, HB_P_ARRAYPOP );