diff --git a/compiler/forget/packages/babel-plugin-react-forget/src/HIR/ValidateNoRefAccesInRender.ts b/compiler/forget/packages/babel-plugin-react-forget/src/HIR/ValidateNoRefAccesInRender.ts
index 180febfded..2f9cd040e2 100644
--- a/compiler/forget/packages/babel-plugin-react-forget/src/HIR/ValidateNoRefAccesInRender.ts
+++ b/compiler/forget/packages/babel-plugin-react-forget/src/HIR/ValidateNoRefAccesInRender.ts
@@ -49,10 +49,18 @@ export function validateNoRefAccessInRender(fn: HIRFunction): void {
           // for these instructions so they ensure we have a complete analysis.
           break;
         }
+        case "JsxExpression": {
+          // It's okay to pass refs to JSX, but not ref *values*
+          for (const operand of eachInstructionValueOperand(instr.value)) {
+            validateNonRefValue(error, operand);
+          }
+          break;
+        }
         case "FunctionExpression": {
-          // For now we assume *all* function expressions are safe, eventually we can
-          // be more precise and disallow ref access in functions that may be called
-          // during render
+          // functions are allowed to capture refs, so long as the function is not called
+          // during render. see AnalyzeFunctions for how we ensure that functions which
+          // capture refs get assigned a mutable range so we know here whether the function
+          // is called or not
           const mutableRange = instr.lvalue.identifier.mutableRange;
           if (mutableRange.end > mutableRange.start + 1) {
             for (const operand of eachInstructionValueOperand(instr.value)) {
diff --git a/compiler/forget/packages/babel-plugin-react-forget/src/__tests__/fixtures/compiler/allow-passing-refs-as-props.expect.md b/compiler/forget/packages/babel-plugin-react-forget/src/__tests__/fixtures/compiler/allow-passing-refs-as-props.expect.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..022d17f16f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/compiler/forget/packages/babel-plugin-react-forget/src/__tests__/fixtures/compiler/allow-passing-refs-as-props.expect.md
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+
+## Input
+
+```javascript
+function Component(props) {
+  const ref = useRef(null);
+  return <Foo ref={ref} />;
+}
+
+```
+
+## Code
+
+```javascript
+import { unstable_useMemoCache as useMemoCache } from "react";
+function Component(props) {
+  const $ = useMemoCache(2);
+  const ref = useRef(null);
+  const c_0 = $[0] !== ref;
+  let t0;
+  if (c_0) {
+    t0 = <Foo ref={ref} />;
+    $[0] = ref;
+    $[1] = t0;
+  } else {
+    t0 = $[1];
+  }
+  return t0;
+}
+
+```
+      
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/compiler/forget/packages/babel-plugin-react-forget/src/__tests__/fixtures/compiler/allow-passing-refs-as-props.js b/compiler/forget/packages/babel-plugin-react-forget/src/__tests__/fixtures/compiler/allow-passing-refs-as-props.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a820b0d60e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/compiler/forget/packages/babel-plugin-react-forget/src/__tests__/fixtures/compiler/allow-passing-refs-as-props.js
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+function Component(props) {
+  const ref = useRef(null);
+  return <Foo ref={ref} />;
+}
diff --git a/compiler/forget/packages/babel-plugin-react-forget/src/__tests__/fixtures/compiler/error.invalid-ref-value-as-props.expect.md b/compiler/forget/packages/babel-plugin-react-forget/src/__tests__/fixtures/compiler/error.invalid-ref-value-as-props.expect.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..40ea3775b3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/compiler/forget/packages/babel-plugin-react-forget/src/__tests__/fixtures/compiler/error.invalid-ref-value-as-props.expect.md
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+
+## Input
+
+```javascript
+function Component(props) {
+  const ref = useRef(null);
+  return <Foo ref={ref.current} />;
+}
+
+```
+
+
+## Error
+
+```
+[ReactForget] InvalidInput: Ref values (the `current` property) may not be accessed during render. Cannot access ref value at freeze $20:TObject<BuiltInRefValue> (3:3)
+```
+          
+      
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/compiler/forget/packages/babel-plugin-react-forget/src/__tests__/fixtures/compiler/error.invalid-ref-value-as-props.js b/compiler/forget/packages/babel-plugin-react-forget/src/__tests__/fixtures/compiler/error.invalid-ref-value-as-props.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3cf0b2aaf8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/compiler/forget/packages/babel-plugin-react-forget/src/__tests__/fixtures/compiler/error.invalid-ref-value-as-props.js
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+function Component(props) {
+  const ref = useRef(null);
+  return <Foo ref={ref.current} />;
+}