diff -u b/quicktabs.api.php b/quicktabs.api.php
--- b/quicktabs.api.php
+++ b/quicktabs.api.php
@@ -5,9 +5,11 @@
  *
  * @param &$quicktabs
  *   A loaded Quicktabs object, either from the database or from code.
- *   If the object is a custom Quicktab, it's custom property is set to TRUE, and the structure of the object differs.
+ *
+ * @param &$quicktabs (optional)
+ *   If the quicktab is a custom tab, then its contents is also provided.
  */
-function hook_quicktabs_alter(&$quicktabs) {
+function hook_quicktabs_alter(&$quicktabs, &$custom_tabs) {
 }
 
 /**
diff -u b/quicktabs.module b/quicktabs.module
--- b/quicktabs.module
+++ b/quicktabs.module
@@ -197,13 +197,13 @@
     $name = preg_replace('/[^[a-zA-Z]_]/', '_', $name);
     $contents = array();
 
-    // Create an $info object, and pass the settings and custom tabs by reference to alter them.
-    $info = new stdClass();
-    $info->machine_name = $name;
-    $info->custom = TRUE;
-    $info->settings = &$settings;
-    $info->tabs = &$custom_tabs;
-    drupal_alter('quicktabs', $info);
+    $settings  = $settings + array(
+        'machine_name' => $name,
+        'custom' => TRUE,
+      );
+    $info = (object) $settings;
+    drupal_alter('quicktabs', $info, $custom_tabs);
+    $settings = (array) $info;
   }
   else {
     // If $name doesn't correspond to an existing Quicktabs instance, and there