diff --git a/packages/framer-motion/src/components/AnimatePresence/PopChild.tsx b/packages/framer-motion/src/components/AnimatePresence/PopChild.tsx
index f34e757ffb..9dabc11c81 100644
--- a/packages/framer-motion/src/components/AnimatePresence/PopChild.tsx
+++ b/packages/framer-motion/src/components/AnimatePresence/PopChild.tsx
@@ -72,11 +72,9 @@ export function PopChild({ children, isPresent, anchorX, root }: Props) {
         right: 0,
     })
     const { nonce } = useContext(MotionConfigContext)
-    const composedRef = useComposedRefs(
-        ref,
-        (children as { ref?: React.Ref<HTMLElement> })?.ref
-    )
-
+    const childRef = (children as any)?.ref ?? (children as any)?.props?.ref;
+    const composedRef = useComposedRefs(ref, childRef);
+    
     /**
      * We create and inject a style block so we can apply this explicit
      * sizing in a non-destructive manner by just deleting the style block.