diff --git a/src/main/java/org/perlonjava/operators/ReferenceOperators.java b/src/main/java/org/perlonjava/operators/ReferenceOperators.java
index 7b54f1a7..01ea0f42 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/perlonjava/operators/ReferenceOperators.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/perlonjava/operators/ReferenceOperators.java
@@ -62,6 +62,13 @@ public static RuntimeScalar ref(RuntimeScalar runtimeScalar) {
                 RuntimeGlob glob = (RuntimeGlob) runtimeScalar.value;
                 String globName = glob.globName;
                 
+                // Special case: stash entries (RuntimeStashEntry) should always return empty string
+                // because they represent stash entries, not regular globs
+                if (runtimeScalar.value instanceof RuntimeStashEntry) {
+                    str = "";
+                    break;
+                }
+                
                 // Special case: stash globs (ending with ::) should always return empty string
                 // because they represent the entire package stash, not a single slot
                 if (globName.endsWith("::")) {
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/perlonjava/runtime/HashSpecialVariable.java b/src/main/java/org/perlonjava/runtime/HashSpecialVariable.java
index a82d1b20..2f4e782f 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/perlonjava/runtime/HashSpecialVariable.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/perlonjava/runtime/HashSpecialVariable.java
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ public HashSpecialVariable(HashSpecialVariable.Id mode, String namespace) {
      * @return A RuntimeHash object representing the stash.
      */
     public static RuntimeHash getStash(String namespace) {
-        return new RuntimeStash(namespace);
+        return GlobalVariable.getGlobalHash(namespace);
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/perlonjava/runtime/RuntimeStash.java b/src/main/java/org/perlonjava/runtime/RuntimeStash.java
index 634a8ff6..1c4ccd44 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/perlonjava/runtime/RuntimeStash.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/perlonjava/runtime/RuntimeStash.java
@@ -90,7 +90,28 @@ public void put(String key, RuntimeScalar value) {
      */
     public RuntimeScalar get(String key) {
         if (!elements.containsKey(key)) {
-            return new RuntimeStashEntry(namespace + key, false);
+            // Check if any slots exist for this glob name
+            String fullKey = namespace + key;
+            
+            // Check if the variable exists by trying to get it and checking if it's defined
+            RuntimeScalar var = GlobalVariable.getGlobalVariable(fullKey);
+            boolean hasScalarSlot = var.getDefinedBoolean();
+            
+            boolean hasArraySlot = GlobalVariable.existsGlobalArray(fullKey);
+            boolean hasHashSlot = GlobalVariable.existsGlobalHash(fullKey);
+            
+            RuntimeScalar codeRef = GlobalVariable.getGlobalCodeRef(fullKey);
+            boolean hasCodeSlot = codeRef.type == RuntimeScalarType.CODE && codeRef.getDefinedBoolean();
+            
+            RuntimeScalar ioRef = GlobalVariable.getGlobalIO(fullKey);
+            boolean hasIOSlot = ioRef.type == RuntimeScalarType.GLOB && ioRef.value instanceof RuntimeIO;
+            
+            RuntimeScalar formatRef = GlobalVariable.getGlobalFormatRef(fullKey);
+            boolean hasFormatSlot = formatRef.type == RuntimeScalarType.FORMAT && formatRef.getDefinedBoolean();
+            
+            boolean hasSlots = hasScalarSlot || hasArraySlot || hasHashSlot || hasCodeSlot || hasIOSlot || hasFormatSlot;
+            
+            return new RuntimeStashEntry(namespace + key, hasSlots);
         }
         return new RuntimeStashEntry(namespace + key, true);
     }
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/perlonjava/runtime/RuntimeStashEntry.java b/src/main/java/org/perlonjava/runtime/RuntimeStashEntry.java
index cf6984bb..fa87887e 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/perlonjava/runtime/RuntimeStashEntry.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/perlonjava/runtime/RuntimeStashEntry.java
@@ -279,4 +279,18 @@ public RuntimeStashEntry undefine() {
         return this;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Returns a string representation of the stash entry.
+     * For defined stash entries, returns the glob representation.
+     * For undefined stash entries, returns undef.
+     *
+     * @return A string representation of the stash entry.
+     */
+    @Override
+    public String toString() {
+        // For stash entries, always return the glob representation
+        // This matches Perl's behavior where stash entries stringify to "*PackageName::symbol"
+        return "*" + this.globName;
+    }
+
 }
diff --git a/src/test/resources/unit/getopt_long_regression.t b/src/test/resources/unit/getopt_long_regression.t
index a5e7cc8e..0b5b9b32 100644
--- a/src/test/resources/unit/getopt_long_regression.t
+++ b/src/test/resources/unit/getopt_long_regression.t
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 use 5.32.0;
 use strict;
 use warnings;
-use Test::More tests => 6;
+use Test::More tests => 8;
 
 # Test Getopt::Long functionality that was broken by the regression
 BEGIN {
@@ -23,20 +23,31 @@ can_ok('main', 'GetOptions');
 
 # Test 2: Simple option parsing without arguments
 my $simple_flag = 0;
-my @ARGV = ('--simple');
+# Save original @ARGV
+my @original_argv = @ARGV;
+# Set @ARGV to simulate command line arguments
+@ARGV = ('--simple');
 ok(GetOptions('simple' => \$simple_flag), 'Simple flag parsing works');
 is($simple_flag, 1, 'Simple flag was set correctly');
+# Restore original @ARGV
+@ARGV = @original_argv;
 
 # Test 3: Option with value
 my $with_value = '';
+# Save original @ARGV
+my @original_argv3 = @ARGV;
 @ARGV = ('--value=test123');
 ok(GetOptions('value=s' => \$with_value), 'Option with value parsing works');
 is($with_value, 'test123', 'Value option was set correctly');
+# Restore original @ARGV
+@ARGV = @original_argv3;
 
 # Test 4: Multiple options
 my $width = 10;
 my $height = 5;
 my $generations = 1;
+# Save original @ARGV
+my @original_argv4 = @ARGV;
 @ARGV = ('--width=10', '--height=5', '--generations=1');
 ok(GetOptions(
     'width=i'      => \$width,
@@ -46,3 +57,5 @@ ok(GetOptions(
 
 is_deeply([$width, $height, $generations], [10, 5, 1], 
     'Multiple options were set correctly');
+# Restore original @ARGV
+@ARGV = @original_argv4;