diff --git a/lib/checkclass.cpp b/lib/checkclass.cpp
index 6ed701737..f30942e04 100644
--- a/lib/checkclass.cpp
+++ b/lib/checkclass.cpp
@@ -1416,6 +1416,13 @@ void CheckClass::checkReturnPtrThis(const Scope *scope, const Function *func, co
             continue;
 
         foundReturn = true;
+
+        const Token *retExpr = tok->astOperand1();
+        if (retExpr && retExpr->str() == "=")
+            retExpr = retExpr->astOperand1();
+        if (retExpr && retExpr->isUnaryOp("*") && Token::simpleMatch(retExpr->astOperand1(), "this"))
+            continue;
+
         std::string cast("( " + scope->className + " & )");
         if (Token::simpleMatch(tok->next(), cast.c_str()))
             tok = tok->tokAt(4);
@@ -1450,8 +1457,7 @@ void CheckClass::checkReturnPtrThis(const Scope *scope, const Function *func, co
         }
 
         // check if *this is returned
-        else if (!(Token::Match(tok->next(), "(| * this ;|=") ||
-                   Token::simpleMatch(tok->next(), "operator= (") ||
+        else if (!(Token::simpleMatch(tok->next(), "operator= (") ||
                    Token::simpleMatch(tok->next(), "this . operator= (") ||
                    (Token::Match(tok->next(), "%type% :: operator= (") &&
                     tok->next()->str() == scope->className)))
diff --git a/test/testclass.cpp b/test/testclass.cpp
index 65e0c4fb0..ed9109627 100644
--- a/test/testclass.cpp
+++ b/test/testclass.cpp
@@ -1479,6 +1479,18 @@ private:
             "A &A::operator =(int *other) { return (*this); };\n"
             "A &A::operator =(long *other) { return this->operator = (*(int *)other); };");
         ASSERT_EQUALS("", errout.str());
+
+        checkOpertorEqRetRefThis( // #9045
+            "class V {\n"
+            "public:\n"
+            "    V& operator=(const V& r) {\n"
+            "        if (this == &r) {\n"
+            "            return ( *this );\n"
+            "        }\n"
+            "        return *this;\n"
+            "    }\n"
+            "};\n");
+        ASSERT_EQUALS("", errout.str());
     }
 
     void operatorEqRetRefThis4() {