diff --git a/maddi-cst-print-kotlin/src/main/java/io/codelaser/maddi/cst/print/kotlin/KotlinExpressionPrinter.java b/maddi-cst-print-kotlin/src/main/java/io/codelaser/maddi/cst/print/kotlin/KotlinExpressionPrinter.java
index 9e87794b5..a5e42e939 100644
--- a/maddi-cst-print-kotlin/src/main/java/io/codelaser/maddi/cst/print/kotlin/KotlinExpressionPrinter.java
+++ b/maddi-cst-print-kotlin/src/main/java/io/codelaser/maddi/cst/print/kotlin/KotlinExpressionPrinter.java
@@ -1462,6 +1462,15 @@ private static boolean spread(List<Expression> args, io.codelaser.maddi.cst.api.
      * an array.
      */
     static OutputBuilder assigned(Expression e, ParameterizedType target, Qualification q) {
+        if (KotlinContext.translatingJava() && unwrap(e) instanceof MethodReference && target != null
+            && target.typeInfo() != null && target.typeInfo().isFunctionalInterface() && target.arrays() == 0
+            && target.parameters().stream().allMatch(p -> p.wildcard() == null)) {
+            // return Util::parse into a Function<String, Int>: Kotlin types a bare reference as its own KFunction1,
+            // which is no Function; an argument converts by itself, a returned or assigned value needs the SAM constructor
+            return new OutputBuilderImpl().add(new TextImpl(KotlinTypeName.of(target.withNullable(
+                            io.codelaser.maddi.cst.api.type.NullableState.NONNULL), q)))
+                    .add(SymbolEnum.LEFT_PARENTHESIS).add(print(e, q)).add(SymbolEnum.RIGHT_PARENTHESIS);
+        }
         if (KotlinContext.translatingJava() && unwrap(e) instanceof MethodCall mc && target != null
             && !target.parameters().isEmpty() && mc.typeArguments().stream().anyMatch(KotlinTypeName::definitelyNonNull)
             && sameUpToStates(mc.parameterizedType(), target) && nullableArgument(mc.methodInfo())) {
diff --git a/maddi-cst-print-kotlin/src/test/java/io/codelaser/maddi/cst/print/kotlin/TestJavaToKotlinCalls.java b/maddi-cst-print-kotlin/src/test/java/io/codelaser/maddi/cst/print/kotlin/TestJavaToKotlinCalls.java
index 312122deb..6beaf9708 100644
--- a/maddi-cst-print-kotlin/src/test/java/io/codelaser/maddi/cst/print/kotlin/TestJavaToKotlinCalls.java
+++ b/maddi-cst-print-kotlin/src/test/java/io/codelaser/maddi/cst/print/kotlin/TestJavaToKotlinCalls.java
@@ -460,6 +460,30 @@ class Search {
         compiles(kotlin);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * A static method reference returned, or assigned, as a java.util.function.Function: Kotlin types a bare
+     * {@code Util::parse} as a KFunction1, which is no Function. Passed as an argument, Kotlin converts it itself.
+     */
+    @Test
+    public void staticReferenceReturnedAsFunction() {
+        String kotlin = kotlin("""
+                package a;
+                import java.util.function.*;
+                class Util {
+                    static int parse(String s) { return s.length(); }
+                    static Function<String, Integer> parser() { return Util::parse; }
+                    static Function<String, Integer> local() { Function<String, Integer> f = Util::parse; return f; }
+                    static int apply(Function<String, Integer> f) { return f.apply("x"); }
+                    static int use() { return apply(Util::parse); }
+                }
+                """);
+        contains(kotlin, "fun parser(): Function<String, Int> = Function<String, Int>(Util ::parse)");
+        contains(kotlin, "= Function<String, Int>(Util ::parse)\nreturn f");
+        // the argument as it was: Kotlin converts it to the parameter's interface
+        contains(kotlin, "apply(Util ::parse)");
+        compiles(kotlin);
+    }
+
     /**
      * guava's Graphs.inducedSubgraph: {@code MutableGraph<N> subgraph = c ? b.build() : b.build()}, a builder whose
      * {@code <N1 extends N> build()} only the target types. The local keeps its declared type.