diff --git a/system/drivers/DB_sqlite.php b/system/drivers/DB_sqlite.php
index 6428dd5..1192e6d 100644
--- a/system/drivers/DB_sqlite.php
+++ b/system/drivers/DB_sqlite.php
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@
 	 * @param	string	an SQL query
 	 * @return	string
 	 */	
-    function &_prep_query($sql)
+    function _prep_query($sql)
     {
 		return $sql;
     }