diff --git a/packages/metal-component/src/ComponentDataManager.js b/packages/metal-component/src/ComponentDataManager.js
index 4b43f361..2fa1f75e 100644
--- a/packages/metal-component/src/ComponentDataManager.js
+++ b/packages/metal-component/src/ComponentDataManager.js
@@ -175,7 +175,9 @@ class ComponentDataManager extends EventEmitter {
 
 ComponentDataManager.BLACKLIST = {
 	components: true,
+	context: true,
 	element: true,
+	refs: true,
 	wasRendered: true
 };
 
diff --git a/packages/metal-incremental-dom/src/IncrementalDomRenderer.js b/packages/metal-incremental-dom/src/IncrementalDomRenderer.js
index c52d5763..1d00d9da 100644
--- a/packages/metal-incremental-dom/src/IncrementalDomRenderer.js
+++ b/packages/metal-incremental-dom/src/IncrementalDomRenderer.js
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ class IncrementalDomRenderer extends ComponentRenderer {
 		super(comp);
 
 		comp.context = {};
+		comp.refs = {};
 		this.config_ = comp.getInitialConfig();
 		this.childComponents_ = [];
 		this.clearChanges_();
@@ -262,6 +263,7 @@ class IncrementalDomRenderer extends ComponentRenderer {
 		if (core.isDef(config.ref)) {
 			comp = this.match_(this.component_.components[config.ref], Ctor, config);
 			this.component_.addSubComponent(config.ref, comp);
+			this.component_.refs[config.ref] = comp;
 		} else if (core.isDef(config.key)) {
 			comp = this.match_(data.prevComps.keys[config.key], Ctor, config);
 			data.currComps.keys[config.key] = comp;
@@ -478,9 +480,15 @@ class IncrementalDomRenderer extends ComponentRenderer {
 			}
 		}
 
+
 		var node = originalFn.apply(null, args);
 		this.attachDecoratedListeners_(node, args);
 		this.updateElementIfNotReached_(node);
+
+		const config = IncrementalDomUtils.buildConfigFromCall(args);
+		if (core.isDefAndNotNull(config.ref)) {
+			this.component_.refs[config.ref] = node;
+		}
 		return node;
 	}
 
@@ -717,6 +725,7 @@ class IncrementalDomRenderer extends ComponentRenderer {
 		this.rootElementReached_ = false;
 		IncrementalDomUnusedComponents.schedule(this.childComponents_);
 		this.childComponents_ = [];
+		this.component_.refs = {};
 		this.intercept_();
 		this.renderIncDom();
 		IncrementalDomAop.stopInterception();
diff --git a/packages/metal-incremental-dom/test/IncrementalDomRenderer.js b/packages/metal-incremental-dom/test/IncrementalDomRenderer.js
index 3de353d9..c859787d 100644
--- a/packages/metal-incremental-dom/test/IncrementalDomRenderer.js
+++ b/packages/metal-incremental-dom/test/IncrementalDomRenderer.js
@@ -423,20 +423,37 @@ describe('IncrementalDomRenderer', function() {
 				done();
 			});
 		});
-	});
 
-	it('should not cause css classes to be added twice due to "elementClasses"', function() {
-		class TestComponent extends Component {
-			render() {
-				IncDom.elementVoid('div', null, null, 'class', 'test1   test2');
+		it('should not cause css classes to be added twice due to "elementClasses"', function() {
+			class TestComponent extends Component {
+				render() {
+					IncDom.elementVoid('div', null, null, 'class', 'test1   test2');
+				}
 			}
-		}
-		TestComponent.RENDERER = IncrementalDomRenderer;
+			TestComponent.RENDERER = IncrementalDomRenderer;
+
+			component = new TestComponent({
+				elementClasses: 'test2 test3'
+			});
+			assert.strictEqual('test1 test2 test3', component.element.getAttribute('class'));
+		});
 
-		component = new TestComponent({
-			elementClasses: 'test2 test3'
+		it('should store references to node elements via "ref"', function() {
+			class TestComponent extends Component {
+				render() {
+					IncDom.elementOpen('div', null, null, 'ref', 'root');
+					IncDom.elementVoid('span', null, null, 'ref', 'child1');
+					IncDom.elementVoid('span', null, null, 'ref', 'child2');
+					IncDom.elementClose('div');
+				}
+			}
+			TestComponent.RENDERER = IncrementalDomRenderer;
+
+			component = new TestComponent();
+			assert.strictEqual(component.element, component.refs.root);
+			assert.strictEqual(component.element.childNodes[0], component.refs.child1);
+			assert.strictEqual(component.element.childNodes[1], component.refs.child2);
 		});
-		assert.strictEqual('test1 test2 test3', component.element.getAttribute('class'));
 	});
 
 	describe('Existing Content', function() {
@@ -828,6 +845,7 @@ describe('IncrementalDomRenderer', function() {
 			var child = component.components.child;
 			assert.ok(child);
 			assert.ok(child instanceof ChildComponent);
+			assert.strictEqual(child, component.refs.child);
 		});
 
 		it('should render sub component at specified place', function() {