diff --git a/CRM/Activity/Form/Task/AddToTag.php b/CRM/Activity/Form/Task/AddToTag.php
index 51af8f1b6371..d3fa1d0e1032 100644
--- a/CRM/Activity/Form/Task/AddToTag.php
+++ b/CRM/Activity/Form/Task/AddToTag.php
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ public function buildQuickForm() {
     $this->_tags = CRM_Core_BAO_Tag::getTags('civicrm_activity');
 
     foreach ($this->_tags as $tagID => $tagName) {
-      $this->_tagElement = &$this->addElement('checkbox', "tag[$tagID]", NULL, $tagName);
+      $this->addElement('checkbox', "tag[$tagID]", NULL, $tagName);
     }
 
     $parentNames = CRM_Core_BAO_Tag::getTagSet('civicrm_activity');
diff --git a/CRM/Activity/Form/Task/RemoveFromTag.php b/CRM/Activity/Form/Task/RemoveFromTag.php
index 757c1c9525e6..db26fa0a2007 100644
--- a/CRM/Activity/Form/Task/RemoveFromTag.php
+++ b/CRM/Activity/Form/Task/RemoveFromTag.php
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ public function buildQuickForm() {
     // add select for tag
     $this->_tags = CRM_Core_BAO_Tag::getTags('civicrm_activity');
     foreach ($this->_tags as $tagID => $tagName) {
-      $this->_tagElement = &$this->addElement('checkbox', "tag[$tagID]", NULL, $tagName);
+      $this->addElement('checkbox', "tag[$tagID]", NULL, $tagName);
     }
 
     $parentNames = CRM_Core_BAO_Tag::getTagSet('civicrm_activity');
diff --git a/CRM/Contact/Form/Search.php b/CRM/Contact/Form/Search.php
index 7a139d3b4a22..475366a5b9c6 100644
--- a/CRM/Contact/Form/Search.php
+++ b/CRM/Contact/Form/Search.php
@@ -78,7 +78,6 @@ class CRM_Contact_Form_Search extends CRM_Core_Form_Search {
    * @var array
    */
   public $_tag;
-  public $_tagElement;
 
   /**
    * The params used for search.
diff --git a/CRM/Contact/Form/Task/AddToTag.php b/CRM/Contact/Form/Task/AddToTag.php
index 2aa3ed6ff6a7..2001a39ac780 100644
--- a/CRM/Contact/Form/Task/AddToTag.php
+++ b/CRM/Contact/Form/Task/AddToTag.php
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ public function buildQuickForm() {
     $this->_tags = CRM_Core_BAO_Tag::getTags();
 
     foreach ($this->_tags as $tagID => $tagName) {
-      $this->_tagElement = &$this->addElement('checkbox', "tag[$tagID]", NULL, $tagName);
+      $this->addElement('checkbox', "tag[$tagID]", NULL, $tagName);
     }
 
     $parentNames = CRM_Core_BAO_Tag::getTagSet('civicrm_contact');
diff --git a/CRM/Contact/Form/Task/RemoveFromTag.php b/CRM/Contact/Form/Task/RemoveFromTag.php
index 957706f53afb..2c2c4d668326 100644
--- a/CRM/Contact/Form/Task/RemoveFromTag.php
+++ b/CRM/Contact/Form/Task/RemoveFromTag.php
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ public function buildQuickForm() {
     // add select for tag
     $this->_tags = CRM_Core_BAO_Tag::getTags();
     foreach ($this->_tags as $tagID => $tagName) {
-      $this->_tagElement = &$this->addElement('checkbox', "tag[$tagID]", NULL, $tagName);
+      $this->addElement('checkbox', "tag[$tagID]", NULL, $tagName);
     }
 
     $parentNames = CRM_Core_BAO_Tag::getTagSet('civicrm_contact');