diff --git a/rules/DeadCode/Rector/Property/RemoveUselessVarTagRector.php b/rules/DeadCode/Rector/Property/RemoveUselessVarTagRector.php
index c0aff29a41e..7a1d54f10eb 100644
--- a/rules/DeadCode/Rector/Property/RemoveUselessVarTagRector.php
+++ b/rules/DeadCode/Rector/Property/RemoveUselessVarTagRector.php
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 namespace Rector\DeadCode\Rector\Property;
 
+use PhpParser\Comment\Doc;
 use PhpParser\Node;
 use PhpParser\Node\Stmt\ClassConst;
 use PhpParser\Node\Stmt\Expression;
@@ -63,6 +64,11 @@ public function getNodeTypes(): array
      */
     public function refactor(Node $node): ?Node
     {
+        // a @var tag can only live in a docblock; skip nodes without one
+        if (!$node->getDocComment() instanceof Doc) {
+            return null;
+        }
+
         $phpDocInfo = $this->phpDocInfoFactory->createFromNodeOrEmpty($node);
 
         $hasChanged = $this->varTagRemover->removeVarTagIfUseless($phpDocInfo, $node);