diff --git a/CHANGELOG-5.x.md b/CHANGELOG-5.x.md
index b743c65c27..c11e6fe325 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG-5.x.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG-5.x.md
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+#### 5.3.1
+
+* Issue 6857: Update Actor::__call() to have return type 'mixed' by @troy-rudolph in #6858
+* Fix auto-injection of the tester property by @W0rma in #6856
+
 #### 5.3.0
 
 * Update readme.md by @rossaddison in #6834
diff --git a/src/Codeception/Actor.php b/src/Codeception/Actor.php
index 01ab32e67f..8c6299b928 100644
--- a/src/Codeception/Actor.php
+++ b/src/Codeception/Actor.php
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ public function wantToTest(string $text): void
     {
     }
 
-    public function __call(string $method, array $arguments): never
+    public function __call(string $method, array $arguments): mixed
     {
         throw new RuntimeException(sprintf('Call to undefined method %s::%s', static::class, $method));
     }
diff --git a/src/Codeception/Codecept.php b/src/Codeception/Codecept.php
index 5cd7e5d2b8..77df61b93c 100644
--- a/src/Codeception/Codecept.php
+++ b/src/Codeception/Codecept.php
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ class Codecept
     /**
      * @var string
      */
-    public const VERSION = '5.3.0';
+    public const VERSION = '5.3.1';
 
     protected ResultAggregator $resultAggregator;
 
diff --git a/src/Codeception/Test/Unit.php b/src/Codeception/Test/Unit.php
index 05f9d7817e..619c023326 100644
--- a/src/Codeception/Test/Unit.php
+++ b/src/Codeception/Test/Unit.php
@@ -78,12 +78,11 @@ protected function _setUp()
         $di = $metadata->getService('di');
 
         // Auto-inject $tester property
-        if ($actor = $metadata->getCurrent('actor')) {
-            $suffix   = (string) Configuration::config()['actor_suffix'];
-            $property = lcfirst($suffix);
-            if (property_exists($this, $property)) {
-                $this->{$property} = $di->instantiate($actor);
-            }
+        if (
+            ($actor = $this->getMetadata()->getCurrent('actor')) &&
+            ($property = lcfirst((string) Configuration::config()['actor_suffix']))
+        ) {
+            $this->{$property} = $di->instantiate($actor);
         }
 
         $this->scenario = $di->get(Scenario::class);