diff --git a/Yoast/Sniffs/Yoast/JsonEncodeAlternativeSniff.php b/Yoast/Sniffs/Yoast/JsonEncodeAlternativeSniff.php
index 52227499..05aa48fe 100644
--- a/Yoast/Sniffs/Yoast/JsonEncodeAlternativeSniff.php
+++ b/Yoast/Sniffs/Yoast/JsonEncodeAlternativeSniff.php
@@ -86,6 +86,19 @@ public function process_matched_token( $stackPtr, $group_name, $matched_content
 		 * this sniff).
 		 */
 		if ( empty( $params ) ) {
+			/*
+			 * Make sure this is not a PHP 8.1+ first class callable. If it is, throw the error, but don't autofix.
+			 */
+			$ignore                        = Tokens::$emptyTokens;
+			$ignore[ \T_OPEN_PARENTHESIS ] = \T_OPEN_PARENTHESIS;
+
+			$first_in_call = $this->phpcsFile->findNext( $ignore, ( $stackPtr + 1 ), null, true );
+			if ( $first_in_call !== false && $this->tokens[ $first_in_call ]['code'] === \T_ELLIPSIS ) {
+				$error_code .= 'InFirstClassCallable';
+				$this->phpcsFile->addError( $error, $stackPtr, $error_code, $data );
+				return;
+			}
+
 			$fix = $this->phpcsFile->addFixableError( $error, $stackPtr, $error_code, $data );
 			if ( $fix === true ) {
 				$this->fix_it( $stackPtr );
diff --git a/Yoast/Tests/Yoast/JsonEncodeAlternativeUnitTest.inc b/Yoast/Tests/Yoast/JsonEncodeAlternativeUnitTest.inc
index 18da3a67..4b6a254e 100644
--- a/Yoast/Tests/Yoast/JsonEncodeAlternativeUnitTest.inc
+++ b/Yoast/Tests/Yoast/JsonEncodeAlternativeUnitTest.inc
@@ -43,6 +43,10 @@ $json = wp_json_encode( data: $thing ); // Error.
 $json = json_encode( flags: 0, depth: 256, value: $thing ); // Error, non-fixable.
 $json = wp_json_encode( depth: 256, options: 0, data: $thing ); // Error, non-fixable.
 
+// Safeguard handling of the functions when used as PHP 8.1+ first class callables.
+call_user_func(json_encode(...), $something); // Error, non-fixable.
+\call_user_func(\wp_json_encode(...), $something); // Error, non-fixable.
+
 // Live coding/parse error test.
 // This must be the last test in the file.
 $json = wp_json_encode(
diff --git a/Yoast/Tests/Yoast/JsonEncodeAlternativeUnitTest.inc.fixed b/Yoast/Tests/Yoast/JsonEncodeAlternativeUnitTest.inc.fixed
index 50cfa6f2..ac0724ba 100644
--- a/Yoast/Tests/Yoast/JsonEncodeAlternativeUnitTest.inc.fixed
+++ b/Yoast/Tests/Yoast/JsonEncodeAlternativeUnitTest.inc.fixed
@@ -43,6 +43,10 @@ $json = \WPSEO_Utils::format_json_encode( data: $thing ); // Error.
 $json = json_encode( flags: 0, depth: 256, value: $thing ); // Error, non-fixable.
 $json = wp_json_encode( depth: 256, options: 0, data: $thing ); // Error, non-fixable.
 
+// Safeguard handling of the functions when used as PHP 8.1+ first class callables.
+call_user_func(json_encode(...), $something); // Error, non-fixable.
+\call_user_func(\wp_json_encode(...), $something); // Error, non-fixable.
+
 // Live coding/parse error test.
 // This must be the last test in the file.
 $json = \WPSEO_Utils::format_json_encode(
diff --git a/Yoast/Tests/Yoast/JsonEncodeAlternativeUnitTest.php b/Yoast/Tests/Yoast/JsonEncodeAlternativeUnitTest.php
index af18e3de..e42a8735 100644
--- a/Yoast/Tests/Yoast/JsonEncodeAlternativeUnitTest.php
+++ b/Yoast/Tests/Yoast/JsonEncodeAlternativeUnitTest.php
@@ -40,7 +40,9 @@ public function getErrorList(): array {
 			41 => 1,
 			43 => 1,
 			44 => 1,
+			47 => 1,
 			48 => 1,
+			52 => 1,
 		];
 	}