diff --git a/docs/deprecations.md b/docs/deprecations.md
index c2b178e2..39194ed7 100644
--- a/docs/deprecations.md
+++ b/docs/deprecations.md
@@ -45,6 +45,34 @@ There should be no reason to ever have an empty `SourceLineInfo`, so the
 method will be removed.
 
 
+### Composing lvalues of already composed matchers
+
+Because a significant bug in this use case has persisted for 2+ years
+without a bug report, and to simplify the implementation, code that
+composes lvalues of composed matchers will not compile. That is,
+this code will no longer work:
+
+```cpp
+            auto m1 = Contains("string");
+            auto m2 = Contains("random");
+            auto composed1 = m1 || m2;
+            auto m3 = Contains("different");
+            auto composed2 = composed1 || m3;
+            REQUIRE_THAT(foo(), !composed1);
+            REQUIRE_THAT(foo(), composed2);
+```
+
+Instead you will have to write this:
+
+```cpp
+            auto m1 = Contains("string");
+            auto m2 = Contains("random");
+            auto m3 = Contains("different");
+            REQUIRE_THAT(foo(), !(m1 || m2));
+            REQUIRE_THAT(foo(), m1 || m2 || m3);
+```
+
+
 ## Planned changes
 
 
diff --git a/include/internal/catch_matchers.h b/include/internal/catch_matchers.h
index 5b69c4a8..518a6e0d 100644
--- a/include/internal/catch_matchers.h
+++ b/include/internal/catch_matchers.h
@@ -91,9 +91,10 @@ namespace Matchers {
                 return description;
             }
 
-            MatchAllOf<ArgT>& operator && ( MatcherBase<ArgT> const& other ) {
-                m_matchers.push_back( &other );
-                return *this;
+            MatchAllOf<ArgT> operator && ( MatcherBase<ArgT> const& other ) {
+                auto copy(*this);
+                copy.m_matchers.push_back( &other );
+                return copy;
             }
 
             std::vector<MatcherBase<ArgT> const*> m_matchers;
@@ -124,9 +125,10 @@ namespace Matchers {
                 return description;
             }
 
-            MatchAnyOf<ArgT>& operator || ( MatcherBase<ArgT> const& other ) {
-                m_matchers.push_back( &other );
-                return *this;
+            MatchAnyOf<ArgT> operator || ( MatcherBase<ArgT> const& other ) {
+                auto copy(*this);
+                copy.m_matchers.push_back( &other );
+                return copy;
             }
 
             std::vector<MatcherBase<ArgT> const*> m_matchers;
diff --git a/projects/SelfTest/Baselines/compact.sw.approved.txt b/projects/SelfTest/Baselines/compact.sw.approved.txt
index 628c6bdf..c12ce081 100644
--- a/projects/SelfTest/Baselines/compact.sw.approved.txt
+++ b/projects/SelfTest/Baselines/compact.sw.approved.txt
@@ -312,6 +312,8 @@ Condition.tests.cpp:<line number>: passed: 4 == ul for: 4 == 4
 Condition.tests.cpp:<line number>: passed: 5 == c for: 5 == 5
 Condition.tests.cpp:<line number>: passed: 6 == uc for: 6 == 6
 Condition.tests.cpp:<line number>: passed: (std::numeric_limits<uint32_t>::max)() > ul for: 4294967295 (0x<hex digits>) > 4
+Matchers.tests.cpp:<line number>: passed: testStringForMatching2(), !composed1 for: "some completely different text that contains one common word" not ( contains: "string" or contains: "random" )
+Matchers.tests.cpp:<line number>: passed: testStringForMatching2(), composed2 for: "some completely different text that contains one common word" ( contains: "string" or contains: "random" or contains: "different" )
 Matchers.tests.cpp:<line number>: failed: testStringForMatching(), Contains("not there", Catch::CaseSensitive::No) for: "this string contains 'abc' as a substring" contains: "not there" (case insensitive)
 Matchers.tests.cpp:<line number>: failed: testStringForMatching(), Contains("STRING") for: "this string contains 'abc' as a substring" contains: "STRING"
 Generators.tests.cpp:<line number>: passed: elem % 2 == 1 for: 1 == 1
diff --git a/projects/SelfTest/Baselines/console.std.approved.txt b/projects/SelfTest/Baselines/console.std.approved.txt
index 74e576a9..f62b2e48 100644
--- a/projects/SelfTest/Baselines/console.std.approved.txt
+++ b/projects/SelfTest/Baselines/console.std.approved.txt
@@ -1380,6 +1380,6 @@ due to unexpected exception with message:
   Why would you throw a std::string?
 
 ===============================================================================
-test cases:  305 |  231 passed |  70 failed |  4 failed as expected
-assertions: 1664 | 1512 passed | 131 failed | 21 failed as expected
+test cases:  306 |  232 passed |  70 failed |  4 failed as expected
+assertions: 1666 | 1514 passed | 131 failed | 21 failed as expected
 
diff --git a/projects/SelfTest/Baselines/console.sw.approved.txt b/projects/SelfTest/Baselines/console.sw.approved.txt
index 25a92320..68357ef0 100644
--- a/projects/SelfTest/Baselines/console.sw.approved.txt
+++ b/projects/SelfTest/Baselines/console.sw.approved.txt
@@ -2390,6 +2390,24 @@ Condition.tests.cpp:<line number>: PASSED:
 with expansion:
   4294967295 (0x<hex digits>) > 4
 
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+Composed matchers are distinct
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+Matchers.tests.cpp:<line number>
+...............................................................................
+
+Matchers.tests.cpp:<line number>: PASSED:
+  REQUIRE_THAT( testStringForMatching2(), !composed1 )
+with expansion:
+  "some completely different text that contains one common word" not (
+  contains: "string" or contains: "random" )
+
+Matchers.tests.cpp:<line number>: PASSED:
+  REQUIRE_THAT( testStringForMatching2(), composed2 )
+with expansion:
+  "some completely different text that contains one common word" ( contains:
+  "string" or contains: "random" or contains: "different" )
+
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Contains string matcher
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -13302,6 +13320,6 @@ Misc.tests.cpp:<line number>
 Misc.tests.cpp:<line number>: PASSED:
 
 ===============================================================================
-test cases:  305 |  215 passed |  86 failed |  4 failed as expected
-assertions: 1681 | 1512 passed | 148 failed | 21 failed as expected
+test cases:  306 |  216 passed |  86 failed |  4 failed as expected
+assertions: 1683 | 1514 passed | 148 failed | 21 failed as expected
 
diff --git a/projects/SelfTest/Baselines/junit.sw.approved.txt b/projects/SelfTest/Baselines/junit.sw.approved.txt
index e0b7c1b8..59119a25 100644
--- a/projects/SelfTest/Baselines/junit.sw.approved.txt
+++ b/projects/SelfTest/Baselines/junit.sw.approved.txt
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
 <testsuitesloose text artifact
 >
-  <testsuite name="<exe-name>" errors="17" failures="132" tests="1682" hostname="tbd" time="{duration}" timestamp="{iso8601-timestamp}">
+  <testsuite name="<exe-name>" errors="17" failures="132" tests="1684" hostname="tbd" time="{duration}" timestamp="{iso8601-timestamp}">
     <properties>
       <property name="filters" value="~[!nonportable]~[!benchmark]~[approvals]"/>
       <property name="random-seed" value="1"/>
@@ -356,6 +356,7 @@ Exception.tests.cpp:<line number>
     <testcase classname="<exe-name>.global" name="Comparisons between ints where one side is computed" time="{duration}"/>
     <testcase classname="<exe-name>.global" name="Comparisons between unsigned ints and negative signed ints match c++ standard behaviour" time="{duration}"/>
     <testcase classname="<exe-name>.global" name="Comparisons with int literals don't warn when mixing signed/ unsigned" time="{duration}"/>
+    <testcase classname="<exe-name>.global" name="Composed matchers are distinct" time="{duration}"/>
     <testcase classname="<exe-name>.global" name="Contains string matcher" time="{duration}">
       <failure message="testStringForMatching(), Contains(&quot;not there&quot;, Catch::CaseSensitive::No)" type="CHECK_THAT">
 FAILED:
diff --git a/projects/SelfTest/Baselines/sonarqube.sw.approved.txt b/projects/SelfTest/Baselines/sonarqube.sw.approved.txt
index d6f6b090..1d7e92bf 100644
--- a/projects/SelfTest/Baselines/sonarqube.sw.approved.txt
+++ b/projects/SelfTest/Baselines/sonarqube.sw.approved.txt
@@ -892,6 +892,7 @@ Exception.tests.cpp:<line number>
   <file path="projects/<exe-name>/UsageTests/Matchers.tests.cpp">
     <testCase name="Arbitrary predicate matcher/Function pointer" duration="{duration}"/>
     <testCase name="Arbitrary predicate matcher/Lambdas + different type" duration="{duration}"/>
+    <testCase name="Composed matchers are distinct" duration="{duration}"/>
     <testCase name="Contains string matcher" duration="{duration}">
       <failure message="CHECK_THAT(testStringForMatching(), Contains(&quot;not there&quot;, Catch::CaseSensitive::No))">
 FAILED:
diff --git a/projects/SelfTest/Baselines/xml.sw.approved.txt b/projects/SelfTest/Baselines/xml.sw.approved.txt
index 6d06368e..1021e168 100644
--- a/projects/SelfTest/Baselines/xml.sw.approved.txt
+++ b/projects/SelfTest/Baselines/xml.sw.approved.txt
@@ -2832,6 +2832,25 @@ Nor would this
       </Expression>
       <OverallResult success="true"/>
     </TestCase>
+    <TestCase name="Composed matchers are distinct" tags="[composed][matchers]" filename="projects/<exe-name>/UsageTests/Matchers.tests.cpp" >
+      <Expression success="true" type="REQUIRE_THAT" filename="projects/<exe-name>/UsageTests/Matchers.tests.cpp" >
+        <Original>
+          testStringForMatching2(), !composed1
+        </Original>
+        <Expanded>
+          "some completely different text that contains one common word" not ( contains: "string" or contains: "random" )
+        </Expanded>
+      </Expression>
+      <Expression success="true" type="REQUIRE_THAT" filename="projects/<exe-name>/UsageTests/Matchers.tests.cpp" >
+        <Original>
+          testStringForMatching2(), composed2
+        </Original>
+        <Expanded>
+          "some completely different text that contains one common word" ( contains: "string" or contains: "random" or contains: "different" )
+        </Expanded>
+      </Expression>
+      <OverallResult success="true"/>
+    </TestCase>
     <TestCase name="Contains string matcher" tags="[!hide][.][failing][matchers]" filename="projects/<exe-name>/UsageTests/Matchers.tests.cpp" >
       <Expression success="false" type="CHECK_THAT" filename="projects/<exe-name>/UsageTests/Matchers.tests.cpp" >
         <Original>
@@ -15893,7 +15912,7 @@ loose text artifact
       </Section>
       <OverallResult success="true"/>
     </TestCase>
-    <OverallResults successes="1512" failures="149" expectedFailures="21"/>
+    <OverallResults successes="1514" failures="149" expectedFailures="21"/>
   </Group>
-  <OverallResults successes="1512" failures="148" expectedFailures="21"/>
+  <OverallResults successes="1514" failures="148" expectedFailures="21"/>
 </Catch>
diff --git a/projects/SelfTest/UsageTests/Matchers.tests.cpp b/projects/SelfTest/UsageTests/Matchers.tests.cpp
index 80e0420f..52f2912d 100644
--- a/projects/SelfTest/UsageTests/Matchers.tests.cpp
+++ b/projects/SelfTest/UsageTests/Matchers.tests.cpp
@@ -552,6 +552,16 @@ namespace { namespace MatchersTests {
             REQUIRE_THROWS_MATCHES(throwsSpecialException(2), SpecialException, !Message("DerivedException::what"));
             REQUIRE_THROWS_MATCHES(throwsSpecialException(2), SpecialException,  Message("SpecialException::what"));
         }
+        
+        TEST_CASE("Composed matchers are distinct", "[matchers][composed]") {
+            auto m1 = Contains("string");
+            auto m2 = Contains("random");
+            auto composed1 = m1 || m2;
+            auto m3 = Contains("different");
+            auto composed2 = composed1 || m3;
+            REQUIRE_THAT(testStringForMatching2(), !composed1);
+            REQUIRE_THAT(testStringForMatching2(), composed2);
+        }
 
 } } // namespace MatchersTests