diff --git a/system/drivers/DB_mssql.php b/system/drivers/DB_mssql.php
index 6156ec3..48d1929 100644
--- a/system/drivers/DB_mssql.php
+++ b/system/drivers/DB_mssql.php
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@
 	 * @param	string	an SQL query
 	 * @return	string
 	 */	
-    function &_prep_query($sql)
+    function _prep_query($sql)
     {
 		return $sql;
     }