diff --git a/compiler/expressions.cpp b/compiler/expressions.cpp
index 43104f3a..9082bbe1 100644
--- a/compiler/expressions.cpp
+++ b/compiler/expressions.cpp
@@ -100,6 +100,11 @@ bool find_userop(SemaContext& sc, int oper, Type* type1, Type* type2, int numpar
     size_t i;
     bool savepri, savealt;
 
+    if (type1->isReference())
+        type1 = type1->inner();
+    if (type2 && type2->isReference())
+        type2 = type2->inner();
+
     /* since user-defined operators on untagged operands are forbidden, we have
      * a quick exit.
      */
diff --git a/tests/regressions/overload-float-ref.out b/tests/regressions/overload-float-ref.out
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1f06a5d4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/regressions/overload-float-ref.out
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+143.750000
+10143.750000
diff --git a/tests/regressions/overload-float-ref.sp b/tests/regressions/overload-float-ref.sp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..78678495
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/regressions/overload-float-ref.sp
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+#include <shell>
+
+void test(float& damage) {
+    printf("%f\n", damage);
+    int new_damage = 10000;
+    damage += float(new_damage);
+    printf("%f\n", damage);
+}
+
+public main() {
+    float damage = 143.75;
+    test(damage);
+}