diff --git a/src/licensedcode/detection.py b/src/licensedcode/detection.py
index 23da63c5b71..68fb855f964 100644
--- a/src/licensedcode/detection.py
+++ b/src/licensedcode/detection.py
@@ -333,6 +333,25 @@ def identifier_with_expression(self):
         id_safe_expression = python_safe_name(s=str(self.license_expression))
         return "{}-{}".format(id_safe_expression, self._identifier)
 
+    @property
+    def is_unknown(self):
+        """
+        Return True if there are unknown license keys in the license expression
+        for this detection, return False otherwise.
+        """
+        unknown_license_keys = [
+            "unknown-license-reference",
+            "unknown-spdx",
+            "unknown",
+            "free-unknown"
+        ]
+
+        for license_key in unknown_license_keys:
+            if license_key in self.license_expression:
+                return True
+
+        return False
+
     def get_start_end_line(self):
         """
         Return start and end line for a license detection issue, from the
@@ -1355,6 +1374,58 @@ def has_references_to_local_files(license_matches):
     )
 
 
+def use_referenced_license_expression(referenced_license_expression, license_detection, licensing=Licensing()):
+    """
+    """
+    if license_detection.is_unknown:
+        return True
+    
+    if referenced_license_expression == license_detection.license_expression:
+        return True
+
+    dependent_license_keys = {
+        "lgpl": "gpl",
+    }
+
+    license_keys_with_or_later = [
+        "gpl", "lgpl", "agpl"
+    ]
+
+    license_keys = set(
+        licensing.license_keys(expression=license_detection.license_expression)
+    )
+    referenced_license_keys = set(
+        licensing.license_keys(expression=referenced_license_expression)
+    )
+    same_expression = referenced_license_expression == license_detection.license_expression
+    same_license_keys = license_keys == referenced_license_keys
+
+    if same_license_keys and not same_expression:
+        return False
+
+    for primary_key, dependent_key in dependent_license_keys.items():
+        dependent_key_only_in_referenced = dependent_key in referenced_license_keys and dependent_key not in license_keys 
+        if primary_key in license_keys and dependent_key_only_in_referenced:
+            return False
+    
+    all_license_keys_special = [
+        key in license_keys_with_or_later
+        for key in license_keys
+    ]
+    all_referenced_license_keys_special = [
+        key in license_keys_with_or_later
+        for key in referenced_license_keys
+    ]
+
+    if all_license_keys_special and all_referenced_license_keys_special and not same_license_keys:
+        True
+
+    if len(referenced_license_keys) > 5:
+        return False
+
+    return True
+
+
 def get_detected_license_expression(
     analysis,
     license_matches=None,
diff --git a/src/licensedcode/plugin_license.py b/src/licensedcode/plugin_license.py
index a2e3b0638d1..87fcc051be8 100644
--- a/src/licensedcode/plugin_license.py
+++ b/src/licensedcode/plugin_license.py
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 from licensedcode.detection import LicenseDetectionFromResult
 from licensedcode.detection import sort_unique_detections
 from licensedcode.detection import UniqueDetection
+from licensedcode.detection import use_referenced_license_expression
 from packagedcode.utils import combine_expressions
 from scancode.api import SCANCODE_LICENSEDB_URL
 
@@ -301,6 +302,12 @@ def add_referenced_filenames_license_matches_for_detections(resource, codebase):
             analysis=DetectionCategory.UNKNOWN_FILE_REFERENCE_LOCAL.value,
             post_scan=True,
         )
+        if not use_referenced_license_expression(
+            referenced_license_expression=license_expression,
+            license_detection=license_detection,
+        ):
+            continue
+
         license_expression_spdx = build_spdx_license_expression(
             license_expression=str(license_expression),
             licensing=get_cache().licensing,
diff --git a/src/packagedcode/licensing.py b/src/packagedcode/licensing.py
index 2c576a73a9a..925ca268759 100644
--- a/src/packagedcode/licensing.py
+++ b/src/packagedcode/licensing.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 from licensedcode.detection import detect_licenses
 from licensedcode.detection import LicenseDetectionFromResult
 from licensedcode.detection import populate_matches_with_path
+from licensedcode.detection import use_referenced_license_expression
 from licensedcode.spans import Span
 from licensedcode import query
 
@@ -133,6 +134,11 @@ def add_referenced_license_matches_for_package(resource, codebase):
                 analysis=DetectionCategory.PACKAGE_UNKNOWN_FILE_REFERENCE_LOCAL.value,
                 post_scan=True,
             )
+            if not use_referenced_license_expression(
+                referenced_license_expression=license_expression,
+                license_detection=license_detection_object,
+            ):
+                continue
             license_expression_spdx = build_spdx_license_expression(
                 license_expression=str(license_expression),
                 licensing=get_cache().licensing,
@@ -258,6 +264,11 @@ def add_referenced_license_detection_from_package(resource, codebase):
             analysis=analysis,
             post_scan=True,
         )
+        if not use_referenced_license_expression(
+            referenced_license_expression=license_expression,
+            license_detection=license_detection_object,
+        ):
+            continue
         license_expression_spdx = build_spdx_license_expression(
             license_expression=str(license_expression),
             licensing=get_cache().licensing,