Index: modules/file/file.module
===================================================================
RCS file: /cvs/drupal/drupal/modules/file/file.module,v
retrieving revision 1.31
diff -u -p -r1.31 file.module
--- modules/file/file.module	2 Jul 2010 12:37:57 -0000	1.31
+++ modules/file/file.module	18 Jul 2010 01:41:54 -0000
@@ -1013,7 +1013,7 @@ function file_get_file_reference_count($
  *   An integer value.
  */
 function file_get_file_references($file, $field = NULL, $age = FIELD_LOAD_REVISION, $field_type = 'file') {
-  $references = drupal_static(__FUNCTION__, array());
+  $references = &drupal_static(__FUNCTION__, array());
   $fields = isset($field) ? array($field['field_name'] => $field) : field_info_fields();
 
   foreach ($fields as $field_name => $file_field) {