diff --git a/lib/rules/jsx-handler-names.js b/lib/rules/jsx-handler-names.js
index 769a74f35c..2d2861ed7b 100644
--- a/lib/rules/jsx-handler-names.js
+++ b/lib/rules/jsx-handler-names.js
@@ -27,6 +27,10 @@ module.exports = function(context) {
       var propKey = typeof node.name === 'object' ? node.name.name : node.name;
       var propValue = context.getSource(node.value.expression).replace(/^this\./, '');
 
+      if (propKey === 'ref') {
+        return;
+      }
+
       var propIsEventHandler = PROP_EVENT_HANDLER_REGEX.test(propKey);
       var propFnIsNamedCorrectly = EVENT_HANDLER_REGEX.test(propValue);
 
diff --git a/tests/lib/rules/jsx-handler-names.js b/tests/lib/rules/jsx-handler-names.js
index 7a0eeeeaf6..5b1094d6ef 100644
--- a/tests/lib/rules/jsx-handler-names.js
+++ b/tests/lib/rules/jsx-handler-names.js
@@ -64,6 +64,11 @@ ruleTester.run('jsx-handler-names', rule, {
       '<TestComponent ref={this.handleRef} />'
     ].join('\n'),
     parserOptions: parserOptions
+  }, {
+    code: [
+      '<TestComponent ref={this.somethingRef} />'
+    ].join('\n'),
+    parserOptions: parserOptions
   }],
 
   invalid: [{