diff --git a/src/ifcopenshell-python/ifcopenshell/api/document/remove_reference.py b/src/ifcopenshell-python/ifcopenshell/api/document/remove_reference.py
index 5321b480f7..42264cdec3 100644
--- a/src/ifcopenshell-python/ifcopenshell/api/document/remove_reference.py
+++ b/src/ifcopenshell-python/ifcopenshell/api/document/remove_reference.py
@@ -38,11 +38,15 @@ def remove_reference(file: ifcopenshell.file, reference: ifcopenshell.entity_ins
         reference = ifcopenshell.api.run("document.add_reference", model, information=document)
         ifcopenshell.api.run("document.remove_reference", model, reference=reference)
     """
-    settings = {"reference": reference}
 
-    for rel in settings["reference"].DocumentRefForObjects or []:
+    if file.schema == "IFC2X3":
+        rels = [r for r in file.get_inverse(reference) if r.is_a("IfcRelAssociatesDocument")]
+    else:
+        rels = reference.DocumentRefForObjects
+
+    for rel in rels:
         history = rel.OwnerHistory
         file.remove(rel)
         if history:
             ifcopenshell.util.element.remove_deep2(file, history)
-    file.remove(settings["reference"])
+    file.remove(reference)
diff --git a/src/ifcopenshell-python/test/api/document/test_remove_reference.py b/src/ifcopenshell-python/test/api/document/test_remove_reference.py
index a1b3c260e2..8fc96200ab 100644
--- a/src/ifcopenshell-python/test/api/document/test_remove_reference.py
+++ b/src/ifcopenshell-python/test/api/document/test_remove_reference.py
@@ -41,3 +41,7 @@ class TestRemoveReference(test.bootstrap.IFC4):
         assert len(self.file.by_type("IfcDocumentReference")) == 0
         assert len(self.file.by_type("IfcDocumentInformation")) == 1
         assert len(self.file.by_type("IfcRelAssociatesDocument")) == 1
+
+
+class TestRemoveReferenceIFC2X3(test.bootstrap.IFC2X3, TestRemoveReference):
+    pass