This bug exists phpcbf with version 3.2.2 as well as version 2.7. phpcbf will remove a method variable name assignment when there is no space between the name and the variable properties. The following code: class Foo { // note the lack of space between static and $BAR public static$BAR = array(1,2,3); } will be reformatted as: class Foo { public static = array(1,2,3); } If phpcbf is run against the reformat, the statement "public static = array(1,2,3);" will be considered as valid php.