diff --git a/lib/checkclass.cpp b/lib/checkclass.cpp
index 02916d682..109bd314b 100644
--- a/lib/checkclass.cpp
+++ b/lib/checkclass.cpp
@@ -948,12 +948,14 @@ void CheckClass::operatorEqRetRefThis()
 
                     if (tok1 && tok1->next() && tok1->next()->str() == "{")
                     {
+                        bool foundReturn = false;
                         const Token *last = tok1->next()->link();
                         for (tok1 = tok1->tokAt(2); tok1 && tok1 != last; tok1 = tok1->next())
                         {
                             // check for return of reference to this
                             if (tok1->str() == "return")
                             {
+                                foundReturn = true;
                                 std::string cast("( " + name->str() + " & )");
                                 if (Token::Match(tok1->next(), cast.c_str()))
                                     tok1 = tok1->tokAt(4);
@@ -964,6 +966,8 @@ void CheckClass::operatorEqRetRefThis()
                                     operatorEqRetRefThisError(tok);
                             }
                         }
+                        if (!foundReturn)
+                            operatorEqRetRefThisError(tok);
                     }
                 }
             }
@@ -1005,12 +1009,14 @@ void CheckClass::operatorEqRetRefThis()
 
                     if (tok1 && tok1->next() && tok1->next()->str() == "{")
                     {
+                        bool foundReturn = false;
                         const Token *last = tok1->next()->link();
                         for (tok1 = tok1->tokAt(2); tok1 && tok1 != last; tok1 = tok1->next())
                         {
                             // check for return of reference to this
                             if (tok1->str() == "return")
                             {
+                                foundReturn = true;
                                 std::string cast("( " + name->str() + " & )");
                                 if (Token::Match(tok1->next(), cast.c_str()))
                                     tok1 = tok1->tokAt(4);
@@ -1021,6 +1027,8 @@ void CheckClass::operatorEqRetRefThis()
                                     operatorEqRetRefThisError(tok);
                             }
                         }
+                        if (!foundReturn)
+                            operatorEqRetRefThisError(tok);
                     }
                 }
             }
diff --git a/test/testclass.cpp b/test/testclass.cpp
index d418ff406..a8ca70792 100644
--- a/test/testclass.cpp
+++ b/test/testclass.cpp
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@ private:
         TEST_CASE(operatorEqRetRefThis2); // ticket #1323
         TEST_CASE(operatorEqRetRefThis3); // ticket #1405
         TEST_CASE(operatorEqRetRefThis4); // ticket #1451
+        TEST_CASE(operatorEqRetRefThis5); // ticket #1550
         TEST_CASE(operatorEqToSelf1);   // single class
         TEST_CASE(operatorEqToSelf2);   // nested class
         TEST_CASE(operatorEqToSelf3);   // multiple inheritance
@@ -315,7 +316,7 @@ private:
             "{\n"
             "  szp &operator =(int *other) {};\n"
             "};");
-        ASSERT_EQUALS("", errout.str());
+        ASSERT_EQUALS("[test.cpp:3]: (style) 'operator=' should return reference to self\n", errout.str());
     }
 
     void operatorEqRetRefThis3()
@@ -341,6 +342,17 @@ private:
         ASSERT_EQUALS("", errout.str());
     }
 
+    void operatorEqRetRefThis5()
+    {
+        // ticket # 1550
+        checkOpertorEqRetRefThis(
+            "class A {\n"
+            "public:\n"
+            "    A & operator=(const A &a) { }\n"
+            "};");
+        ASSERT_EQUALS("[test.cpp:3]: (style) 'operator=' should return reference to self\n", errout.str());
+    }
+
     // Check that operator Equal checks for assignment to self
     void checkOpertorEqToSelf(const char code[])
     {