diff --git a/Zend/zend.c b/Zend/zend.c
index ea397db1c4b9f..53270763eb314 100644
--- a/Zend/zend.c
+++ b/Zend/zend.c
@@ -415,7 +415,7 @@ ZEND_API void zend_print_flat_zval_r(zval *expr) /* {{{ */
 			zend_print_flat_zval_r(Z_REFVAL_P(expr));
 			break;
 		default:
-			zend_print_variable(expr);
+			zend_print_zval(expr, 0);
 			break;
 	}
 }
diff --git a/Zend/zend.h b/Zend/zend.h
index 7db86dd986d3a..b1c1e66867338 100644
--- a/Zend/zend.h
+++ b/Zend/zend.h
@@ -243,6 +243,10 @@ ZEND_API size_t zend_print_zval(zval *expr, int indent);
 ZEND_API void zend_print_zval_r(zval *expr, int indent);
 ZEND_API zend_string *zend_print_zval_r_to_str(zval *expr, int indent);
 ZEND_API void zend_print_flat_zval_r(zval *expr);
+
+#define zend_print_variable(var) \
+	zend_print_zval((var), 0)
+
 ZEND_API ZEND_COLD void zend_output_debug_string(zend_bool trigger_break, const char *format, ...) ZEND_ATTRIBUTE_FORMAT(printf, 2, 3);
 
 ZEND_API void zend_activate(void);
diff --git a/Zend/zend_constants.c b/Zend/zend_constants.c
index c64de9839b1ed..daf430d1f960f 100644
--- a/Zend/zend_constants.c
+++ b/Zend/zend_constants.c
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ void free_zend_constant(zval *zv)
 		}
 		efree(c);
 	} else {
-		zval_internal_dtor(&c->value);
+		zval_internal_ptr_dtor(&c->value);
 		if (c->name) {
 			zend_string_release_ex(c->name, 1);
 		}
diff --git a/Zend/zend_execute_API.c b/Zend/zend_execute_API.c
index 8d39de01010d5..eba3b625ab044 100644
--- a/Zend/zend_execute_API.c
+++ b/Zend/zend_execute_API.c
@@ -528,23 +528,6 @@ ZEND_API zend_bool zend_is_executing(void) /* {{{ */
 }
 /* }}} */
 
-ZEND_API void _zval_ptr_dtor(zval *zval_ptr ZEND_FILE_LINE_DC) /* {{{ */
-{
-	i_zval_ptr_dtor(zval_ptr ZEND_FILE_LINE_RELAY_CC);
-}
-/* }}} */
-
-ZEND_API void _zval_internal_ptr_dtor(zval *zval_ptr ZEND_FILE_LINE_DC) /* {{{ */
-{
-	if (Z_REFCOUNTED_P(zval_ptr)) {
-		Z_DELREF_P(zval_ptr);
-		if (Z_REFCOUNT_P(zval_ptr) == 0) {
-			_zval_internal_dtor_for_ptr(zval_ptr ZEND_FILE_LINE_CC);
-		}
-	}
-}
-/* }}} */
-
 ZEND_API int zend_use_undefined_constant(zend_string *name, zend_ast_attr attr, zval *result) /* {{{ */
 {
 	char *colon;
diff --git a/Zend/zend_variables.c b/Zend/zend_variables.c
index 15df7486512d1..32612f6cf020e 100644
--- a/Zend/zend_variables.c
+++ b/Zend/zend_variables.c
@@ -108,65 +108,32 @@ static void ZEND_FASTCALL zend_ast_ref_destroy_wrapper(zend_ast_ref *ast ZEND_FI
 }
 #endif
 
-ZEND_API void _zval_internal_dtor(zval *zvalue ZEND_FILE_LINE_DC)
+ZEND_API void _zval_ptr_dtor(zval *zval_ptr ZEND_FILE_LINE_DC) /* {{{ */
 {
-	switch (Z_TYPE_P(zvalue)) {
-		case IS_STRING:
-			CHECK_ZVAL_STRING_REL(Z_STR_P(zvalue));
-			zend_string_release_ex(Z_STR_P(zvalue), 1);
-			break;
-		case IS_ARRAY:
-		case IS_CONSTANT_AST:
-		case IS_OBJECT:
-		case IS_RESOURCE:
-			zend_error_noreturn(E_CORE_ERROR, "Internal zval's can't be arrays, objects or resources");
-			break;
-		case IS_REFERENCE: {
-				zend_reference *ref = (zend_reference*)Z_REF_P(zvalue);
-
-				zval_internal_ptr_dtor(&ref->val);
-				free(ref);
-				break;
-			}
-		case IS_LONG:
-		case IS_DOUBLE:
-		case IS_FALSE:
-		case IS_TRUE:
-		case IS_NULL:
-		default:
-			break;
-	}
+	i_zval_ptr_dtor(zval_ptr ZEND_FILE_LINE_RELAY_CC);
 }
+/* }}} */
 
-ZEND_API void _zval_internal_dtor_for_ptr(zval *zvalue ZEND_FILE_LINE_DC)
+ZEND_API void _zval_internal_ptr_dtor(zval *zval_ptr ZEND_FILE_LINE_DC) /* {{{ */
 {
-	switch (Z_TYPE_P(zvalue)) {
-		case IS_STRING:
-			CHECK_ZVAL_STRING_REL(Z_STR_P(zvalue));
-			zend_string_free(Z_STR_P(zvalue));
-			break;
-		case IS_ARRAY:
-		case IS_CONSTANT_AST:
-		case IS_OBJECT:
-		case IS_RESOURCE:
-			zend_error_noreturn(E_CORE_ERROR, "Internal zval's can't be arrays, objects or resources");
-			break;
-		case IS_REFERENCE: {
-				zend_reference *ref = (zend_reference*)Z_REF_P(zvalue);
-
-				zval_internal_ptr_dtor(&ref->val);
-				free(ref);
-				break;
+	if (Z_REFCOUNTED_P(zval_ptr)) {
+		zend_refcounted *ref = Z_COUNTED_P(zval_ptr);
+
+		if (GC_DELREF(ref) == 0) {
+			if (Z_TYPE_P(zval_ptr) == IS_STRING) {
+				zend_string *str = (zend_string*)ref;
+
+				CHECK_ZVAL_STRING_REL(str);
+				ZEND_ASSERT(!ZSTR_IS_INTERNED(str));
+				ZEND_ASSERT((GC_FLAGS(str) & IS_STR_PERSISTENT));
+				free(str);
+			} else {
+				zend_error_noreturn(E_CORE_ERROR, "Internal zval's can't be arrays, objects, resources or reference");
 			}
-		case IS_LONG:
-		case IS_DOUBLE:
-		case IS_FALSE:
-		case IS_TRUE:
-		case IS_NULL:
-		default:
-			break;
+		}
 	}
 }
+/* }}} */
 
 /* This function should only be used as a copy constructor, i.e. it
  * should only be called AFTER a zval has been copied to another
@@ -183,17 +150,6 @@ ZEND_API void zval_add_ref(zval *p)
 	}
 }
 
-ZEND_API void zval_add_ref_unref(zval *p)
-{
-	if (Z_REFCOUNTED_P(p)) {
-		if (Z_ISREF_P(p)) {
-			ZVAL_COPY(p, Z_REFVAL_P(p));
-		} else {
-			Z_ADDREF_P(p);
-		}
-	}
-}
-
 ZEND_API void ZEND_FASTCALL _zval_copy_ctor_func(zval *zvalue ZEND_FILE_LINE_DC)
 {
 	if (EXPECTED(Z_TYPE_P(zvalue) == IS_ARRAY)) {
@@ -206,25 +162,7 @@ ZEND_API void ZEND_FASTCALL _zval_copy_ctor_func(zval *zvalue ZEND_FILE_LINE_DC)
 }
 
 
-ZEND_API size_t zend_print_variable(zval *var)
-{
-	return zend_print_zval(var, 0);
-}
-
-
-ZEND_API void _zval_dtor_wrapper(zval *zvalue)
-{
-	zval_dtor(zvalue);
-}
-
-
 #if ZEND_DEBUG
-ZEND_API void _zval_internal_dtor_wrapper(zval *zvalue)
-{
-	zval_internal_dtor(zvalue);
-}
-
-
 ZEND_API void _zval_ptr_dtor_wrapper(zval *zval_ptr)
 {
 
diff --git a/Zend/zend_variables.h b/Zend/zend_variables.h
index 9be2dc8d483a8..154378d71fc51 100644
--- a/Zend/zend_variables.h
+++ b/Zend/zend_variables.h
@@ -71,42 +71,33 @@ static zend_always_inline void _zval_opt_copy_ctor(zval *zvalue ZEND_FILE_LINE_D
 	}
 }
 
-ZEND_API size_t zend_print_variable(zval *var);
 ZEND_API void _zval_ptr_dtor(zval *zval_ptr ZEND_FILE_LINE_DC);
-ZEND_API void _zval_internal_dtor_for_ptr(zval *zvalue ZEND_FILE_LINE_DC);
-ZEND_API void _zval_internal_dtor(zval *zvalue ZEND_FILE_LINE_DC);
 ZEND_API void _zval_internal_ptr_dtor(zval *zvalue ZEND_FILE_LINE_DC);
-ZEND_API void _zval_dtor_wrapper(zval *zvalue);
 #define zval_copy_ctor(zvalue) _zval_copy_ctor((zvalue) ZEND_FILE_LINE_CC)
 #define zval_opt_copy_ctor(zvalue) _zval_opt_copy_ctor((zvalue) ZEND_FILE_LINE_CC)
-#define zval_dtor(zvalue) zval_ptr_dtor_nogc(zvalue)
 #define zval_ptr_dtor(zval_ptr) _zval_ptr_dtor((zval_ptr) ZEND_FILE_LINE_CC)
 #define zval_ptr_dtor_nogc(zval_ptr) _zval_ptr_dtor_nogc((zval_ptr) ZEND_FILE_LINE_CC)
-#define zval_internal_dtor(zvalue) _zval_internal_dtor((zvalue) ZEND_FILE_LINE_CC)
 #define zval_internal_ptr_dtor(zvalue) _zval_internal_ptr_dtor((zvalue) ZEND_FILE_LINE_CC)
-#define zval_dtor_wrapper _zval_dtor_wrapper
+
+/* Kept for compatibility */
+#define zval_dtor(zvalue) zval_ptr_dtor_nogc(zvalue)
+#define zval_internal_dtor(zvalue) _zval_internal_ptr_dtor((zvalue) ZEND_FILE_LINE_CC)
 
 #if ZEND_DEBUG
 ZEND_API void _zval_ptr_dtor_wrapper(zval *zval_ptr);
-ZEND_API void _zval_internal_dtor_wrapper(zval *zvalue);
 ZEND_API void _zval_internal_ptr_dtor_wrapper(zval *zvalue);
 #define zval_ptr_dtor_wrapper _zval_ptr_dtor_wrapper
-#define zval_internal_dtor_wrapper _zval_internal_dtor_wrapper
 #define zval_internal_ptr_dtor_wrapper _zval_internal_ptr_dtor_wrapper
 #else
 #define zval_ptr_dtor_wrapper _zval_ptr_dtor
-#define zval_internal_dtor_wrapper _zval_internal_dtor
 #define zval_internal_ptr_dtor_wrapper _zval_internal_ptr_dtor
 #endif
 
 ZEND_API void zval_add_ref(zval *p);
-ZEND_API void zval_add_ref_unref(zval *p);
 
 END_EXTERN_C()
 
-#define ZVAL_DESTRUCTOR zval_dtor_wrapper
 #define ZVAL_PTR_DTOR zval_ptr_dtor_wrapper
-#define ZVAL_INTERNAL_DTOR zval_internal_dtor_wrapper
 #define ZVAL_INTERNAL_PTR_DTOR zval_internal_ptr_dtor_wrapper
 
 #endif
diff --git a/Zend/zend_vm_def.h b/Zend/zend_vm_def.h
index af57737f2583d..65b3f9faaf5b4 100644
--- a/Zend/zend_vm_def.h
+++ b/Zend/zend_vm_def.h
@@ -6412,7 +6412,7 @@ ZEND_VM_COLD_HANDLER(79, ZEND_EXIT, CONST|TMPVAR|UNUSED|CV, ANY)
 						break;
 					}
 				}
-				zend_print_variable(ptr);
+				zend_print_zval(ptr, 0);
 			}
 		} while (0);
 		FREE_OP1();
diff --git a/Zend/zend_vm_execute.h b/Zend/zend_vm_execute.h
index 4ca9f76a039c8..c8e198b0b6532 100644
--- a/Zend/zend_vm_execute.h
+++ b/Zend/zend_vm_execute.h
@@ -3523,7 +3523,7 @@ static ZEND_VM_COLD ZEND_OPCODE_HANDLER_RET ZEND_FASTCALL ZEND_EXIT_SPEC_CONST_H
 						break;
 					}
 				}
-				zend_print_variable(ptr);
+				zend_print_zval(ptr, 0);
 			}
 		} while (0);
 
@@ -12727,7 +12727,7 @@ static ZEND_VM_COLD ZEND_OPCODE_HANDLER_RET ZEND_FASTCALL ZEND_EXIT_SPEC_TMPVAR_
 						break;
 					}
 				}
-				zend_print_variable(ptr);
+				zend_print_zval(ptr, 0);
 			}
 		} while (0);
 		zval_ptr_dtor_nogc(free_op1);
@@ -30417,7 +30417,7 @@ static ZEND_VM_COLD ZEND_OPCODE_HANDLER_RET ZEND_FASTCALL ZEND_EXIT_SPEC_UNUSED_
 						break;
 					}
 				}
-				zend_print_variable(ptr);
+				zend_print_zval(ptr, 0);
 			}
 		} while (0);
 
@@ -37487,7 +37487,7 @@ static ZEND_VM_COLD ZEND_OPCODE_HANDLER_RET ZEND_FASTCALL ZEND_EXIT_SPEC_CV_HAND
 						break;
 					}
 				}
-				zend_print_variable(ptr);
+				zend_print_zval(ptr, 0);
 			}
 		} while (0);