diff --git a/packages/framer-motion/src/motion/utils/__tests__/use-motion-ref.test.tsx b/packages/framer-motion/src/motion/utils/__tests__/use-motion-ref.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1c361f59db
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/framer-motion/src/motion/utils/__tests__/use-motion-ref.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,149 @@
+import * as React from "react"
+import { useRef } from "react"
+import { motion } from "../../.."
+import { render } from "../../../jest.setup"
+
+describe("useMotionRef", () => {
+    it("should call external ref callback with element on mount", () => {
+        const refCallback = jest.fn()
+
+        const Component = () => {
+            return <motion.div ref={refCallback} />
+        }
+
+        render(<Component />)
+
+        expect(refCallback).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+        expect(refCallback).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.any(HTMLElement))
+    })
+
+    it("should call external ref callback with null on unmount (React 18 behavior)", () => {
+        const refCallback = jest.fn()
+
+        const Component = () => {
+            return <motion.div ref={refCallback} />
+        }
+
+        const { unmount } = render(<Component />)
+
+        // Clear previous calls
+        refCallback.mockClear()
+
+        unmount()
+
+        expect(refCallback).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+        expect(refCallback).toHaveBeenCalledWith(null)
+    })
+
+    it("should support React 19 cleanup function pattern (forward compatibility)", () => {
+        // This test verifies that when a ref callback returns a cleanup function,
+        // our code properly stores it and calls it on unmount instead of calling ref(null).
+        // This works in both React 18 and React 19 without warnings.
+        const cleanup = jest.fn()
+        const refCallback = jest.fn(() => cleanup)
+
+        const Component = () => {
+            return <motion.div ref={refCallback} />
+        }
+
+        const { unmount } = render(<Component />)
+
+        // Verify mount called correctly
+        expect(refCallback).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+        expect(refCallback).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.any(HTMLElement))
+
+        // Clear previous calls to focus on unmount behavior
+        refCallback.mockClear()
+        cleanup.mockClear()
+
+        unmount()
+
+        // With our new approach: cleanup function should be called
+        // and ref should NOT be called with null
+        expect(cleanup).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+        expect(refCallback).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith(null)
+    })
+
+    it("should handle RefObject refs correctly", () => {
+        const Component = () => {
+            const ref = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null)
+            return <motion.div ref={ref} />
+        }
+
+        const { unmount } = render(<Component />)
+
+        // Should not throw on mount or unmount
+        expect(() => unmount()).not.toThrow()
+    })
+
+    it("should handle mixed ref types in motion components", () => {
+        const refCallback = jest.fn()
+
+        const Component = ({ useCallback }: { useCallback: boolean }) => {
+            const refObject = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null)
+            return <motion.div ref={useCallback ? refCallback : refObject} />
+        }
+
+        const { rerender } = render(<Component useCallback={true} />)
+
+        expect(refCallback).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.any(HTMLElement))
+
+        // Should handle transition between ref types without errors
+        expect(() => rerender(<Component useCallback={false} />)).not.toThrow()
+    })
+
+    it("should handle visual element cleanup correctly with React 19 pattern", () => {
+        const cleanup = jest.fn()
+        const refCallback = jest.fn(() => cleanup)
+
+        const Component = () => {
+            return (
+                <motion.div
+                    ref={refCallback}
+                    // Add motion props to ensure visual element is created
+                    animate={{ x: 100 }}
+                />
+            )
+        }
+
+        const { unmount } = render(<Component />)
+
+        // Clear previous calls
+        refCallback.mockClear()
+        cleanup.mockClear()
+
+        unmount()
+
+        // Both external ref cleanup and visual element unmount should happen
+        expect(cleanup).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+        expect(refCallback).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith(null)
+    })
+
+    it("should work with forwardRef components and React 19 cleanup pattern", () => {
+        const cleanup = jest.fn()
+        const refCallback = jest.fn(() => cleanup)
+
+        const ForwardedComponent = React.forwardRef<HTMLDivElement>(
+            (props, ref) => {
+                return <motion.div ref={ref} {...props} />
+            }
+        )
+
+        const Component = () => {
+            return <ForwardedComponent ref={refCallback} />
+        }
+
+        const { unmount } = render(<Component />)
+
+        expect(refCallback).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.any(HTMLElement))
+
+        // Clear previous calls
+        refCallback.mockClear()
+        cleanup.mockClear()
+
+        unmount()
+
+        expect(cleanup).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+        expect(refCallback).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith(null)
+    })
+})
diff --git a/packages/framer-motion/src/motion/utils/use-motion-ref.ts b/packages/framer-motion/src/motion/utils/use-motion-ref.ts
index 58db52036a..e756b04b8c 100644
--- a/packages/framer-motion/src/motion/utils/use-motion-ref.ts
+++ b/packages/framer-motion/src/motion/utils/use-motion-ref.ts
@@ -1,11 +1,24 @@
 "use client"
 
 import * as React from "react"
-import { useCallback } from "react"
+import { useCallback, useRef } from "react"
 import type { VisualElement } from "../../render/VisualElement"
 import { isRefObject } from "../../utils/is-ref-object"
 import { VisualState } from "./use-visual-state"
 
+/**
+ * Set a given ref to a given value
+ * This utility takes care of different types of refs: callback refs and RefObject(s)
+ * Returns a cleanup function if the ref callback returns one (React 19 feature)
+ */
+function setRef<T>(ref: React.Ref<T>, value: T): void | (() => void) {
+    if (typeof ref === "function") {
+        return ref(value)
+    } else if (isRefObject(ref)) {
+        ;(ref as any).current = value
+    }
+}
+
 /**
  * Creates a ref function that, when called, hydrates the provided
  * external ref and VisualElement.
@@ -15,6 +28,9 @@ export function useMotionRef<Instance, RenderState>(
     visualElement?: VisualElement<Instance> | null,
     externalRef?: React.Ref<Instance>
 ): React.Ref<Instance> {
+    // Store the cleanup function from external ref if it returns one
+    const externalRefCleanupRef = useRef<(() => void) | null>(null)
+
     return useCallback(
         (instance: Instance) => {
             if (instance) {
@@ -30,17 +46,27 @@ export function useMotionRef<Instance, RenderState>(
             }
 
             if (externalRef) {
-                if (typeof externalRef === "function") {
-                    externalRef(instance)
-                } else if (isRefObject(externalRef)) {
-                    ;(externalRef as any).current = instance
+                if (instance) {
+                    // Mount: call the external ref and store any cleanup function
+                    const cleanup = setRef(externalRef, instance)
+                    if (typeof cleanup === "function") {
+                        externalRefCleanupRef.current = cleanup
+                    }
+                } else {
+                    // Unmount: call stored cleanup function if available, otherwise call ref with null
+                    if (externalRefCleanupRef.current) {
+                        externalRefCleanupRef.current()
+                        externalRefCleanupRef.current = null
+                    } else {
+                        // Fallback to React <19 behavior for refs that don't return cleanup
+                        setRef(externalRef, instance)
+                    }
                 }
             }
         },
         /**
-         * Include externalRef in dependencies to ensure the callback updates
-         * when the ref changes, allowing proper ref forwarding.
+         * Include all dependencies to ensure the callback updates correctly
          */
-        [visualElement]
+        [visualElement, visualState, externalRef]
     )
 }