diff --git a/infer/src/quandary/ClangTrace.ml b/infer/src/quandary/ClangTrace.ml
index 7469eb56d..bd5ae06ff 100644
--- a/infer/src/quandary/ClangTrace.ml
+++ b/infer/src/quandary/ClangTrace.ml
@@ -145,12 +145,14 @@ module SourceKind = struct
         PatternMatch.supertype_exists tenv is_thrift_service_ typename
       in
       (* taint all formals except for [this] *)
-      let taint_all_but_this ~make_source =
+      let taint_all_but_this_and_return ~make_source =
         List.map
           ~f:(fun (name, typ) ->
             let taint =
               match Mangled.to_string name with
-              | "this" ->
+              | "this" | "_return" ->
+                  (* thrift methods implement returning values using dummy _return parameters that
+                     the C++ code assigns to. these are sinks, not sources *)
                   None
               | _ ->
                   Some (make_source name typ.Typ.desc)
@@ -166,9 +168,10 @@ module SourceKind = struct
               (Typ.Procname.get_method pname)
           in
           if String.Set.mem endpoints qualified_pname then
-            taint_all_but_this ~make_source:(fun name desc -> UserControlledEndpoint (name, desc))
+            taint_all_but_this_and_return ~make_source:(fun name desc ->
+                UserControlledEndpoint (name, desc) )
           else if is_thrift_service cpp_pname then
-            taint_all_but_this ~make_source:(fun name desc -> Endpoint (name, desc))
+            taint_all_but_this_and_return ~make_source:(fun name desc -> Endpoint (name, desc))
           else Source.all_formals_untainted pdesc
       | _ ->
           Source.all_formals_untainted pdesc
diff --git a/infer/tests/codetoanalyze/cpp/quandary/endpoints.cpp b/infer/tests/codetoanalyze/cpp/quandary/endpoints.cpp
index bff180e78..c58b2bc72 100644
--- a/infer/tests/codetoanalyze/cpp/quandary/endpoints.cpp
+++ b/infer/tests/codetoanalyze/cpp/quandary/endpoints.cpp
@@ -137,6 +137,11 @@ class Service1 : facebook::fb303::cpp2::FacebookServiceSvIf {
     system((const char*)this);
   }
 
+  void service_return_param_ok(std::string& _return) {
+    // dummy return object should not be treated as tainted
+    system(_return.c_str());
+  }
+
  private:
   void private_not_endpoint_ok(std::string formal) { system(formal.c_str()); }
 };