diff --git a/ext/zlib/tests/zlib_filter_deflate2.phpt b/ext/zlib/tests/zlib_filter_deflate2.phpt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..764a7606f42
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ext/zlib/tests/zlib_filter_deflate2.phpt
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+--TEST--
+zlib.deflate (with level parameter set)
+--SKIPIF--
+<?php if (!extension_loaded("zlib")) print "skip"; ?>
+--FILE--
+<?php
+$text = 'I am the very model of a modern major general, I\'ve information vegetable, animal, and mineral.';
+
+$fp = fopen('php://stdout', 'w');
+stream_filter_append($fp, 'zlib.deflate', STREAM_FILTER_WRITE, array('level' => 9));
+fwrite($fp, $text);
+fclose($fp);
+
+?> 
+--EXPECT-- 
+�A� Dѫ�΍���
1�MB��Uv�_�(�EL���/��aP�=Pi�;�6�f�Ce4��U9;w�5��m/ 
diff --git a/ext/zlib/zlib_filter.c b/ext/zlib/zlib_filter.c
index 59fb96895e6..c6146380394 100644
--- a/ext/zlib/zlib_filter.c
+++ b/ext/zlib/zlib_filter.c
@@ -370,7 +370,7 @@ static php_stream_filter *php_zlib_filter_create(const char *filtername, zval *f
 
 
 		if (filterparams) {
-			zval **tmpzval;
+			zval **tmpzval, tmp;
 
 			/* filterparams can either be a scalar value to indicate compression level (shortcut method)
                Or can be a hash containing one or more of 'window', 'memory', and/or 'level' members. */
@@ -379,8 +379,6 @@ static php_stream_filter *php_zlib_filter_create(const char *filtername, zval *f
 				case IS_ARRAY:
 				case IS_OBJECT:
 					if (zend_hash_find(HASH_OF(filterparams), "memory", sizeof("memory"), (void**) &tmpzval) == SUCCESS) {
-						zval tmp;
-		
 						tmp = **tmpzval;
 						zval_copy_ctor(&tmp);
 						convert_to_long(&tmp);
@@ -394,8 +392,6 @@ static php_stream_filter *php_zlib_filter_create(const char *filtername, zval *f
 					}
 
 					if (zend_hash_find(HASH_OF(filterparams), "window", sizeof("window"), (void**) &tmpzval) == SUCCESS) {
-						zval tmp;
-		
 						tmp = **tmpzval;
 						zval_copy_ctor(&tmp);
 						convert_to_long(&tmp);
@@ -409,6 +405,8 @@ static php_stream_filter *php_zlib_filter_create(const char *filtername, zval *f
 					}
 
 					if (zend_hash_find(HASH_OF(filterparams), "level", sizeof("level"), (void**) &tmpzval) == SUCCESS) {
+						tmp = **tmpzval;
+
 						/* Psuedo pass through to catch level validating code */
 						goto factory_setlevel;
 					}
@@ -416,19 +414,16 @@ static php_stream_filter *php_zlib_filter_create(const char *filtername, zval *f
 				case IS_STRING:
 				case IS_DOUBLE:
 				case IS_LONG:
-					{
-						zval tmp;
-		
-						tmp = *filterparams;
-						zval_copy_ctor(&tmp);
-						convert_to_long(&tmp);
+					tmp = *filterparams;
 factory_setlevel:
-						/* Set compression level within reason (-1 == default, 0 == none, 1-9 == least to most compression */
-						if (Z_LVAL(tmp) < -1 || Z_LVAL(tmp) > 9) {
-							php_error_docref(NULL TSRMLS_CC, E_WARNING, "Invalid compression level specified. (%ld)", Z_LVAL(tmp));
-						} else {
-							level = Z_LVAL(tmp);
-						}
+					zval_copy_ctor(&tmp);
+					convert_to_long(&tmp);
+
+					/* Set compression level within reason (-1 == default, 0 == none, 1-9 == least to most compression */
+					if (Z_LVAL(tmp) < -1 || Z_LVAL(tmp) > 9) {
+						php_error_docref(NULL TSRMLS_CC, E_WARNING, "Invalid compression level specified. (%ld)", Z_LVAL(tmp));
+					} else {
+						level = Z_LVAL(tmp);
 					}
 					break;
 				default: