Modified _modify method to not hold | onto reference

[capak07]

• Fixes |= still holds on to a reference on the value to be modified #2706
• Updated _modify method so use set path before updating

[wader]

Trying to understand the issue. Is the problem that a reference is leaked causing a memory leak or that a reference is hold longer than needed? Is there any way to verify this works?

[emanuele6]

I don't get it