diff --git a/lib/symboldatabase.cpp b/lib/symboldatabase.cpp
index 83366a8ba..ef0b6923b 100644
--- a/lib/symboldatabase.cpp
+++ b/lib/symboldatabase.cpp
@@ -6340,6 +6340,7 @@ static const Token * parsedecl(const Token *type, ValueType * const valuetype, V
                 valuetype->type = vt2->type;
             valuetype->constness += vt2->constness;
             valuetype->pointer += vt2->pointer;
+            valuetype->reference = vt2->reference;
             type = type->linkAt(1)->next();
             continue;
         } else if (type->isSigned())
diff --git a/test/testautovariables.cpp b/test/testautovariables.cpp
index ea82a1fcb..52f12bfab 100644
--- a/test/testautovariables.cpp
+++ b/test/testautovariables.cpp
@@ -124,6 +124,7 @@ private:
         TEST_CASE(returnReference22);
         TEST_CASE(returnReference23);
         TEST_CASE(returnReference24); // #10098
+        TEST_CASE(returnReference25); // #10983
         TEST_CASE(returnReferenceFunction);
         TEST_CASE(returnReferenceContainer);
         TEST_CASE(returnReferenceLiteral);
@@ -1552,6 +1553,18 @@ private:
         ASSERT_EQUALS("[test.cpp:5]: (error) Reference to temporary returned.\n", errout.str());
     }
 
+    void returnReference25()
+    {
+        check("int& f();\n" // #10983
+              "    auto g() -> decltype(f()) {\n"
+              "    return f();\n"
+              "}\n"
+              "int& h() {\n"
+              "    return g();\n"
+              "}\n");
+        ASSERT_EQUALS("", errout.str());
+    }
+
     void returnReferenceFunction() {
         check("int& f(int& a) {\n"
               "    return a;\n"