diff --git a/cpp/ql/lib/semmle/code/cpp/models/implementations/Gets.qll b/cpp/ql/lib/semmle/code/cpp/models/implementations/Gets.qll
index b89eb2c1f14..0a8d99c48a7 100644
--- a/cpp/ql/lib/semmle/code/cpp/models/implementations/Gets.qll
+++ b/cpp/ql/lib/semmle/code/cpp/models/implementations/Gets.qll
@@ -97,10 +97,11 @@ private class GetsFunction extends DataFlowFunction, ArrayFunction, AliasFunctio
   }
 
   override predicate hasLocalFlowSource(FunctionOutput output, string description) {
-    output.isParameterDeref(0) and
-    description = "string read by " + this.getName()
-    or
-    output.isReturnValue() and
+    (
+      output.isParameterDeref(0) or
+      output.isReturnValue() or
+      output.isReturnValueDeref()
+    ) and
     description = "string read by " + this.getName()
   }