diff --git a/ext/spl/spl_dllist.c b/ext/spl/spl_dllist.c
index 2ac7980a86cb..5399b685b5cf 100644
--- a/ext/spl/spl_dllist.c
+++ b/ext/spl/spl_dllist.c
@@ -1019,10 +1019,15 @@ PHP_METHOD(SplDoublyLinkedList, serialize)
 		smart_str_appendc(&buf, ':');
 		next = current->next;
 
+		/* Serializing an element can run user code, which may remove this
+		 * element (and its neighbour) from the list, so hold a reference on
+		 * both for the duration of the call. */
+		SPL_LLIST_ADDREF(current);
 		SPL_LLIST_CHECK_ADDREF(next);
 
 		php_var_serialize(&buf, &current->data, &var_hash);
 
+		SPL_LLIST_DELREF(current);
 		SPL_LLIST_CHECK_DELREF_EX(next, break;);
 
 		current = next;
diff --git a/ext/spl/tests/gh23385.phpt b/ext/spl/tests/gh23385.phpt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..236f0cbdf817
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ext/spl/tests/gh23385.phpt
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+--TEST--
+GH-23385 (Use-after-free in SplDoublyLinkedList::serialize())
+--FILE--
+<?php
+class RemoveSelf {
+    public function __serialize(): array {
+        global $list;
+        unset($list[0]);
+        return [];
+    }
+}
+
+$list = new SplDoublyLinkedList();
+$list->push([new RemoveSelf(), [1, 2, 3]]);
+$list->push("tail");
+var_dump($list->serialize());
+var_dump($list->count());
+
+class RemoveNext {
+    public function __serialize(): array {
+        global $list2;
+        unset($list2[1]);
+        return [];
+    }
+}
+
+$list2 = new SplDoublyLinkedList();
+$list2->push(new RemoveNext());
+$list2->push("removed");
+$list2->push("after");
+var_dump($list2->serialize());
+var_dump($list2->count());
+
+class RemoveAll {
+    public function __serialize(): array {
+        global $list3;
+        while (!$list3->isEmpty()) {
+            $list3->pop();
+        }
+        return [];
+    }
+}
+
+$list3 = new SplDoublyLinkedList();
+$list3->push([new RemoveAll(), [1, 2]]);
+$list3->push("x");
+$list3->push("y");
+var_dump($list3->serialize());
+var_dump($list3->count());
+?>
+--EXPECTF--
+string(%d) "i:0;:a:2:{i:0;O:10:"RemoveSelf":0:{}i:1;a:3:{i:0;i:1;i:1;i:2;i:2;i:3;}}:s:4:"tail";"
+int(1)
+string(%d) "i:0;:O:10:"RemoveNext":0:{}"
+int(2)
+string(%d) "i:0;:a:2:{i:0;O:9:"RemoveAll":0:{}i:1;a:2:{i:0;i:1;i:1;i:2;}}"
+int(0)
diff --git a/ext/standard/tests/serialize/serialize_array_ref_reentrancy.phpt b/ext/standard/tests/serialize/serialize_array_ref_reentrancy.phpt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..490fa4f6c3b0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ext/standard/tests/serialize/serialize_array_ref_reentrancy.phpt
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+--TEST--
+serialize(): a by-reference __serialize() that grows the array being walked must not free it
+--FILE--
+<?php
+class G {
+    public $ref;
+    public function __serialize(): array {
+        for ($i = 0; $i < 128; $i++) {
+            $this->ref[] = 'x' . $i;
+        }
+        return ['d' => 1];
+    }
+}
+$g = new G();
+$inner = [$g, 'tail'];
+$g->ref = &$inner;
+$top = [&$inner];
+var_dump(serialize($top));
+?>
+--EXPECT--
+string(59) "a:1:{i:0;a:2:{i:0;O:1:"G":1:{s:1:"d";i:1;}i:1;s:4:"tail";}}"
diff --git a/ext/standard/var.c b/ext/standard/var.c
index 99f28366ffdb..d98b40bdd48c 100644
--- a/ext/standard/var.c
+++ b/ext/standard/var.c
@@ -1319,13 +1319,17 @@ static void php_var_serialize_intern(smart_str *buf, zval *struc, php_serialize_
 				zend_release_properties(myht);
 				return;
 			}
-		case IS_ARRAY:
+		case IS_ARRAY: {
 			smart_str_appendl(buf, "a:", 2);
 			myht = Z_ARRVAL_P(struc);
+			bool rcn = !is_root && (in_rcn_array || GC_REFCOUNT(myht) > 1);
+			GC_TRY_ADDREF(myht);
 			php_var_serialize_nested_data(
 				buf, struc, myht, zend_array_count(myht), /* incomplete_class */ 0, var_hash,
-					!is_root && (in_rcn_array || GC_REFCOUNT(myht) > 1));
+					rcn);
+			GC_TRY_DTOR_NO_REF(myht);
 			return;
+		}
 		case IS_REFERENCE:
 			struc = Z_REFVAL_P(struc);
 			goto again;