diff --git a/mod/item.php b/mod/item.php
index 81d7c753b..6f31f917f 100755
--- a/mod/item.php
+++ b/mod/item.php
@@ -627,7 +627,7 @@ function item_post(&$a) {
 
 	if($preview) {
 		require_once('include/conversation.php');
-		$o = conversation(&$a,array(array_merge($contact_record,$datarray)),'search',false,true);
+		$o = conversation($a,array(array_merge($contact_record,$datarray)),'search',false,true);
 		logger('preview: ' . $o);
 		echo json_encode(array('preview' => $o));
 		killme();