diff --git a/src/dataflow.js b/src/dataflow.js
index f6a81606..ad6f156f 100644
--- a/src/dataflow.js
+++ b/src/dataflow.js
@@ -911,7 +911,7 @@ export function extractDataflow(tree, _filePath, _definitions, langId = 'javascr
       if (scope?.funcName) {
         const expr = node.namedChildren[0];
         const referencedNames = [];
-        if (expr) collectIdentifiers(expr, referencedNames);
+        if (expr) collectIdentifiers(expr, referencedNames, rules);
         returns.push({
           funcName: scope.funcName,
           expression: truncate(expr ? expr.text : ''),
@@ -977,14 +977,17 @@ export function extractDataflow(tree, _filePath, _definitions, langId = 'javascr
 
 /**
  * Collect all identifier names referenced within a node.
+ * Uses isIdent() to support language-specific identifier node types
+ * (e.g. PHP's `variable_name`).
  */
-function collectIdentifiers(node, out) {
-  if (node.type === 'identifier') {
+function collectIdentifiers(node, out, rules) {
+  if (!node) return;
+  if (isIdent(node.type, rules)) {
     out.push(node.text);
     return;
   }
   for (const child of node.namedChildren) {
-    collectIdentifiers(child, out);
+    collectIdentifiers(child, out, rules);
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/parsers/dataflow-php.test.js b/tests/parsers/dataflow-php.test.js
index bc35123a..8d1d4cb3 100644
--- a/tests/parsers/dataflow-php.test.js
+++ b/tests/parsers/dataflow-php.test.js
@@ -32,12 +32,25 @@ describe('extractDataflow — PHP', () => {
   });
 
   describe('returns', () => {
-    it('captures return expressions', () => {
+    it('captures return expressions with referencedNames', () => {
       const data = parseAndExtract('<?php\nfunction double($x) {\n    return $x * 2;\n}\n');
       expect(data.returns).toEqual(
-        expect.arrayContaining([expect.objectContaining({ funcName: 'double' })]),
+        expect.arrayContaining([
+          expect.objectContaining({
+            funcName: 'double',
+            referencedNames: expect.arrayContaining(['$x']),
+          }),
+        ]),
       );
     });
+
+    it('captures multiple referencedNames in return', () => {
+      const data = parseAndExtract('<?php\nfunction add($a, $b) {\n    return $a + $b;\n}\n');
+      const ret = data.returns.find((r) => r.funcName === 'add');
+      expect(ret).toBeDefined();
+      expect(ret.referencedNames).toContain('$a');
+      expect(ret.referencedNames).toContain('$b');
+    });
   });
 
   describe('assignments', () => {