diff --git a/executor_test.go b/executor_test.go
index 087a317084..2c3bd7bf57 100644
--- a/executor_test.go
+++ b/executor_test.go
@@ -796,6 +796,8 @@ func TestForCmds(t *testing.T) {
 		{name: "loop-generates-glob"},
 		{name: "loop-vars"},
 		{name: "loop-vars-sh"},
+		{name: "loop-vars-ref"},
+		{name: "loop-vars-ref-as"},
 		{name: "loop-task"},
 		{name: "loop-task-as"},
 		{name: "loop-different-tasks"},
diff --git a/internal/templater/templater.go b/internal/templater/templater.go
index 896cba23c1..053e2aeb16 100644
--- a/internal/templater/templater.go
+++ b/internal/templater/templater.go
@@ -32,6 +32,12 @@ func (r *Cache) Err() error {
 }
 
 func ResolveRef(ref string, cache *Cache) any {
+	return ResolveRefWithExtra(ref, cache, nil)
+}
+
+// ResolveRefWithExtra resolves a ref string using the cache plus any
+// additional data (e.g. loop variables) provided in extra.
+func ResolveRefWithExtra(ref string, cache *Cache, extra map[string]any) any {
 	// If there is already an error, do nothing
 	if cache.err != nil {
 		return nil
@@ -42,15 +48,21 @@ func ResolveRef(ref string, cache *Cache) any {
 		cache.cacheMap = cache.Vars.ToCacheMap()
 	}
 
+	data := cache.cacheMap
+	if len(extra) > 0 {
+		data = maps.Clone(cache.cacheMap)
+		maps.Copy(data, extra)
+	}
+
 	if ref == "." {
-		return cache.cacheMap
+		return data
 	}
 	t, err := template.New("resolver").Funcs(templateFuncs).Parse(fmt.Sprintf("{{%s}}", ref))
 	if err != nil {
 		cache.err = err
 		return nil
 	}
-	val, err := t.Resolve(cache.cacheMap)
+	val, err := t.Resolve(data)
 	if err != nil {
 		cache.err = err
 		return nil
@@ -121,7 +133,7 @@ func ReplaceVar(v ast.Var, cache *Cache) ast.Var {
 
 func ReplaceVarWithExtra(v ast.Var, cache *Cache, extra map[string]any) ast.Var {
 	if v.Ref != "" {
-		return ast.Var{Value: ResolveRef(v.Ref, cache)}
+		return ast.Var{Value: ResolveRefWithExtra(v.Ref, cache, extra)}
 	}
 	return ast.Var{
 		Value: ReplaceWithExtra(v.Value, cache, extra),
diff --git a/internal/templater/templater_test.go b/internal/templater/templater_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c86f32950a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/templater/templater_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+package templater
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+
+	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/taskfile/ast"
+)
+
+func TestReplaceVarWithExtra_ResolvesRefFromExtra(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	cache := Cache{Vars: ast.NewVars()}
+	extra := map[string]any{"ITEM": "a"}
+
+	got := ReplaceVarWithExtra(ast.Var{Ref: ".ITEM"}, &cache, extra)
+
+	require.Equal(t, "a", got.Value)
+}
diff --git a/testdata/for/cmds/Taskfile.yml b/testdata/for/cmds/Taskfile.yml
index e9a95234be..cce22ea3d1 100644
--- a/testdata/for/cmds/Taskfile.yml
+++ b/testdata/for/cmds/Taskfile.yml
@@ -94,6 +94,35 @@ tasks:
           var: FOO
         cmd: cat "{{.ITEM}}"
 
+  # Loop variable passed by ref should work (currently broken)
+  loop-vars-ref:
+    vars:
+      FOO: "a b"
+    cmds:
+      - for:
+          var: FOO
+        task: process
+        vars:
+          THING:
+            ref: .ITEM
+
+  # Loop variable with alias passed by ref
+  loop-vars-ref-as:
+    vars:
+      FOO: "x y"
+    cmds:
+      - for:
+          var: FOO
+          as: VAL
+        task: process
+        vars:
+          THING:
+            ref: .VAL
+
+  process:
+    internal: true
+    cmd: echo "{{.THING}}"
+
   # Loop over another task
   loop-task:
     vars:
diff --git a/testdata/for/cmds/testdata/TestForCmds-loop-vars-ref-as.golden b/testdata/for/cmds/testdata/TestForCmds-loop-vars-ref-as.golden
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b77b4eb1d9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testdata/for/cmds/testdata/TestForCmds-loop-vars-ref-as.golden
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+x
+y
diff --git a/testdata/for/cmds/testdata/TestForCmds-loop-vars-ref.golden b/testdata/for/cmds/testdata/TestForCmds-loop-vars-ref.golden
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..422c2b7ab3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testdata/for/cmds/testdata/TestForCmds-loop-vars-ref.golden
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+a
+b