diff --git a/Zend/zend_ast.c b/Zend/zend_ast.c
index a278f435fc848..c1d973f67c85c 100644
--- a/Zend/zend_ast.c
+++ b/Zend/zend_ast.c
@@ -100,6 +100,18 @@ ZEND_API zend_ast * ZEND_FASTCALL zend_ast_create_constant(zend_string *name, ze
 	return (zend_ast *) ast;
 }
 
+ZEND_API zend_ast * ZEND_FASTCALL zend_ast_create_op_array(zend_op_array *op_array) {
+	zend_ast_op_array *ast;
+
+	ast = zend_ast_alloc(sizeof(zend_ast_op_array));
+	ast->kind = ZEND_AST_OP_ARRAY;
+	ast->attr = 0;
+	ast->lineno = CG(zend_lineno);
+	ast->op_array = op_array;
+
+	return (zend_ast *) ast;
+}
+
 ZEND_API zend_ast * ZEND_FASTCALL zend_ast_create_class_const_or_name(zend_ast *class_name, zend_ast *name) {
 	zend_string *name_str = zend_ast_get_str(name);
 	if (zend_string_equals_ci(name_str, ZSTR_KNOWN(ZEND_STR_CLASS))) {
@@ -992,7 +1004,7 @@ ZEND_API zend_result ZEND_FASTCALL zend_ast_evaluate_inner(
 		}
 		case ZEND_AST_OP_ARRAY:
 		{
-			zend_function *func = Z_PTR_P(&((zend_ast_zval*)(ast))->val);
+			zend_function *func = (zend_function *)zend_ast_get_op_array(ast)->op_array;
 
 			zend_create_closure(result, func, scope, scope, NULL);
 			return SUCCESS;
@@ -1076,8 +1088,10 @@ static size_t ZEND_FASTCALL zend_ast_tree_size(zend_ast *ast)
 {
 	size_t size;
 
-	if (ast->kind == ZEND_AST_ZVAL || ast->kind == ZEND_AST_CONSTANT || ast->kind == ZEND_AST_OP_ARRAY) {
+	if (ast->kind == ZEND_AST_ZVAL || ast->kind == ZEND_AST_CONSTANT) {
 		size = sizeof(zend_ast_zval);
+	} else if (ast->kind == ZEND_AST_OP_ARRAY) {
+		size = sizeof(zend_ast_op_array);
 	} else if (zend_ast_is_list(ast)) {
 		uint32_t i;
 		zend_ast_list *list = zend_ast_get_list(ast);
@@ -1138,12 +1152,13 @@ static void* ZEND_FASTCALL zend_ast_tree_copy(zend_ast *ast, void *buf)
 			}
 		}
 	} else if (ast->kind == ZEND_AST_OP_ARRAY) {
-		zend_ast_zval *new = (zend_ast_zval*)buf;
-		new->kind = ZEND_AST_OP_ARRAY;
-		new->attr = ast->attr;
-		ZVAL_COPY(&new->val, &((zend_ast_zval *) ast)->val);
-		Z_LINENO(new->val) = zend_ast_get_lineno(ast);
-		buf = (void*)((char*)buf + sizeof(zend_ast_zval));
+		zend_ast_op_array *old = zend_ast_get_op_array(ast);
+		zend_ast_op_array *new = (zend_ast_op_array*)buf;
+		new->kind = old->kind;
+		new->attr = old->attr;
+		new->lineno = old->lineno;
+		new->op_array = old->op_array;
+		buf = (void*)((char*)buf + sizeof(zend_ast_op_array));
 	} else if (zend_ast_is_decl(ast)) {
 		/* Not implemented. */
 		ZEND_UNREACHABLE();
@@ -1211,7 +1226,7 @@ ZEND_API void ZEND_FASTCALL zend_ast_destroy(zend_ast *ast)
 	} else if (EXPECTED(ast->kind == ZEND_AST_CONSTANT)) {
 		zend_string_release_ex(zend_ast_get_constant_name(ast), 0);
 	} else if (EXPECTED(ast->kind == ZEND_AST_OP_ARRAY)) {
-		ZEND_ASSERT(!Z_REFCOUNTED(((zend_ast_zval*)(ast))->val));
+		/* Nothing to do. */
 	} else if (EXPECTED(zend_ast_is_decl(ast))) {
 		zend_ast_decl *decl = (zend_ast_decl *) ast;
 
diff --git a/Zend/zend_ast.h b/Zend/zend_ast.h
index 363679dda3ff6..db41802b16f16 100644
--- a/Zend/zend_ast.h
+++ b/Zend/zend_ast.h
@@ -207,6 +207,15 @@ typedef struct _zend_ast_zval {
 	zval val;
 } zend_ast_zval;
 
+typedef struct _zend_op_array zend_op_array;
+
+typedef struct _zend_ast_op_array {
+	zend_ast_kind kind;
+	zend_ast_attr attr;
+	uint32_t lineno;
+	zend_op_array *op_array;
+} zend_ast_op_array;
+
 /* Separate structure for function and class declaration, as they need extra information. */
 typedef struct _zend_ast_decl {
 	zend_ast_kind kind;
@@ -231,6 +240,8 @@ ZEND_API zend_ast * ZEND_FASTCALL zend_ast_create_zval_from_long(zend_long lval)
 ZEND_API zend_ast * ZEND_FASTCALL zend_ast_create_constant(zend_string *name, zend_ast_attr attr);
 ZEND_API zend_ast * ZEND_FASTCALL zend_ast_create_class_const_or_name(zend_ast *class_name, zend_ast *name);
 
+ZEND_API zend_ast * ZEND_FASTCALL zend_ast_create_op_array(zend_op_array *op_array);
+
 #if ZEND_AST_SPEC
 # define ZEND_AST_SPEC_CALL(name, ...) \
 	ZEND_EXPAND_VA(ZEND_AST_SPEC_CALL_(name, __VA_ARGS__, _n, _5, _4, _3, _2, _1, _0)(__VA_ARGS__))
@@ -353,6 +364,11 @@ static zend_always_inline zend_string *zend_ast_get_str(zend_ast *ast) {
 	return Z_STR_P(zv);
 }
 
+static zend_always_inline zend_ast_op_array *zend_ast_get_op_array(zend_ast *ast) {
+	ZEND_ASSERT(ast->kind == ZEND_AST_OP_ARRAY);
+	return (zend_ast_op_array *) ast;
+}
+
 static zend_always_inline zend_string *zend_ast_get_constant_name(zend_ast *ast) {
 	ZEND_ASSERT(ast->kind == ZEND_AST_CONSTANT);
 	ZEND_ASSERT(Z_TYPE(((zend_ast_zval *) ast)->val) == IS_STRING);
@@ -369,7 +385,7 @@ static zend_always_inline uint32_t zend_ast_get_lineno(zend_ast *ast) {
 	if (ast->kind == ZEND_AST_ZVAL) {
 		zval *zv = zend_ast_get_zval(ast);
 		return Z_LINENO_P(zv);
-	} else if (ast->kind == ZEND_AST_CONSTANT || ast->kind == ZEND_AST_OP_ARRAY) {
+	} else if (ast->kind == ZEND_AST_CONSTANT) {
 		zval *zv = &((zend_ast_zval *) ast)->val;
 		return Z_LINENO_P(zv);
 	} else {
diff --git a/Zend/zend_compile.c b/Zend/zend_compile.c
index f426f350e264c..23dfd4577812a 100644
--- a/Zend/zend_compile.c
+++ b/Zend/zend_compile.c
@@ -11220,13 +11220,10 @@ static void zend_compile_const_expr_closure(zend_ast **ast_ptr)
 	}
 
 	znode node;
-	zend_op_array *op = zend_compile_func_decl(&node, *ast_ptr, FUNC_DECL_LEVEL_CONSTEXPR);
+	zend_op_array *op = zend_compile_func_decl(&node, (zend_ast*)closure_ast, FUNC_DECL_LEVEL_CONSTEXPR);
 
 	zend_ast_destroy(*ast_ptr);
-	zval z;
-	ZVAL_PTR(&z, op);
-	*ast_ptr = zend_ast_create_zval(&z);
-	(*ast_ptr)->kind = ZEND_AST_OP_ARRAY;
+	*ast_ptr = zend_ast_create_op_array(op);
 }
 
 static void zend_compile_const_expr_args(zend_ast **ast_ptr)
diff --git a/ext/opcache/zend_file_cache.c b/ext/opcache/zend_file_cache.c
index 41165270598ee..74e0d19d1b6de 100644
--- a/ext/opcache/zend_file_cache.c
+++ b/ext/opcache/zend_file_cache.c
@@ -365,7 +365,7 @@ static void zend_file_cache_serialize_ast(zend_ast                 *ast,
 		}
 	} else if (ast->kind == ZEND_AST_OP_ARRAY) {
 		/* The op_array itself will be serialized as part of the dynamic_func_defs. */
-		SERIALIZE_PTR(Z_PTR(((zend_ast_zval*)ast)->val));
+		SERIALIZE_PTR(zend_ast_get_op_array(ast)->op_array);
 	} else if (zend_ast_is_decl(ast)) {
 		/* Not implemented. */
 		ZEND_UNREACHABLE();
@@ -1250,7 +1250,7 @@ static void zend_file_cache_unserialize_ast(zend_ast                *ast,
 		}
 	} else if (ast->kind == ZEND_AST_OP_ARRAY) {
 		/* The op_array itself will be unserialized as part of the dynamic_func_defs. */
-		UNSERIALIZE_PTR(Z_PTR(((zend_ast_zval*)ast)->val));
+		UNSERIALIZE_PTR(zend_ast_get_op_array(ast)->op_array);
 	} else if (zend_ast_is_decl(ast)) {
 		/* Not implemented. */
 		ZEND_UNREACHABLE();
diff --git a/ext/opcache/zend_persist.c b/ext/opcache/zend_persist.c
index 1aedbeb3ddb6b..9e89980b67e14 100644
--- a/ext/opcache/zend_persist.c
+++ b/ext/opcache/zend_persist.c
@@ -189,8 +189,11 @@ static zend_ast *zend_persist_ast(zend_ast *ast)
 		}
 		node = (zend_ast *) copy;
 	} else if (ast->kind == ZEND_AST_OP_ARRAY) {
-		zend_ast_zval *copy = zend_shared_memdup(ast, sizeof(zend_ast_zval));
-		zend_persist_op_array(&copy->val);
+		zend_ast_op_array *copy = zend_shared_memdup(ast, sizeof(zend_ast_op_array));
+		zval z;
+		ZVAL_PTR(&z, copy->op_array);
+		zend_persist_op_array(&z);
+		copy->op_array = Z_PTR(z);
 		node = (zend_ast *) copy;
 	} else if (zend_ast_is_decl(ast)) {
 		/* Not implemented. */
diff --git a/ext/opcache/zend_persist_calc.c b/ext/opcache/zend_persist_calc.c
index d4082365dbcd7..0c53923354c42 100644
--- a/ext/opcache/zend_persist_calc.c
+++ b/ext/opcache/zend_persist_calc.c
@@ -87,8 +87,10 @@ static void zend_persist_ast_calc(zend_ast *ast)
 			}
 		}
 	} else if (ast->kind == ZEND_AST_OP_ARRAY) {
-		ADD_SIZE(sizeof(zend_ast_zval));
-		zend_persist_op_array_calc(&((zend_ast_zval*)(ast))->val);
+		ADD_SIZE(sizeof(zend_ast_op_array));
+		zval z;
+		ZVAL_PTR(&z, zend_ast_get_op_array(ast)->op_array);
+		zend_persist_op_array_calc(&z);
 	} else if (zend_ast_is_decl(ast)) {
 		/* Not implemented. */
 		ZEND_UNREACHABLE();
diff --git a/main/debug_gdb_scripts.c b/main/debug_gdb_scripts.c
index 13288fc9adc8d..590a4f42abb97 100644
--- a/main/debug_gdb_scripts.c
+++ b/main/debug_gdb_scripts.c
@@ -860,6 +860,8 @@ asm(
     ".ascii \"\\n\"\n"
     ".ascii \"        if kind == enum_value('ZEND_AST_ZVAL') or kind == enum_value('ZEND_AST_CONSTANT'):\\n\"\n"
     ".ascii \"            return self.val.cast(gdb.lookup_type('zend_ast_zval'))\\n\"\n"
+    ".ascii \"        if kind == enum_value('ZEND_AST_OP_ARRAY'):\\n\"\n"
+    ".ascii \"            return self.val.cast(gdb.lookup_type('zend_ast_op_array'))\\n\"\n"
     ".ascii \"        if kind == enum_value('ZEND_AST_ZNODE'):\\n\"\n"
     ".ascii \"            return self.val.cast(gdb.lookup_type('zend_ast_znode'))\\n\"\n"
     ".ascii \"        if self.is_decl():\\n\"\n"
diff --git a/scripts/gdb/php_gdb.py b/scripts/gdb/php_gdb.py
index b7258fb78f1a9..97f7e976b75c0 100644
--- a/scripts/gdb/php_gdb.py
+++ b/scripts/gdb/php_gdb.py
@@ -190,6 +190,8 @@ def cast(self):
 
         if kind == enum_value('ZEND_AST_ZVAL') or kind == enum_value('ZEND_AST_CONSTANT'):
             return self.val.cast(gdb.lookup_type('zend_ast_zval'))
+        if kind == enum_value('ZEND_AST_OP_ARRAY'):
+            return self.val.cast(gdb.lookup_type('zend_ast_op_array'))
         if kind == enum_value('ZEND_AST_ZNODE'):
             return self.val.cast(gdb.lookup_type('zend_ast_znode'))
         if self.is_decl():