--- a/index.php
+++ b/index.php
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
   * Instantiate Smarty
   */
  require_once($gitphp_conf['smarty_prefix'] . "Smarty.class.php");
- $tpl =& new Smarty;
+ $tpl = new Smarty;
  if ((!isset($_GET['a'])) || (
      	($_GET['a'] != "commitdiff_plain") &&
      	($_GET['a'] != "blob_plain") &&