diff --git a/dev/react/src/tests/animate-presence-pop-ref.tsx b/dev/react/src/tests/animate-presence-pop-ref.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1543c65c90
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dev/react/src/tests/animate-presence-pop-ref.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,113 @@
+import { AnimatePresence, motion } from "framer-motion"
+import { forwardRef, useImperativeHandle, useRef, useState } from "react"
+
+const containerStyles = {
+    position: "relative" as const,
+    display: "flex",
+    flexDirection: "column" as const,
+    padding: "100px",
+}
+
+const boxStyles = {
+    width: "100px",
+    height: "100px",
+    backgroundColor: "red",
+}
+
+interface BoxHandle {
+    flash: () => void
+}
+
+/**
+ * Test component that uses forwardRef and useImperativeHandle
+ * This triggers the React 19 ref warning in PopChild
+ */
+const Box = forwardRef<BoxHandle, { id: string; style?: React.CSSProperties }>(
+    function Box({ id, style }, ref) {
+        const elementRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null)
+
+        useImperativeHandle(ref, () => ({
+            flash: () => {
+                if (elementRef.current) {
+                    elementRef.current.style.opacity = "0.5"
+                    setTimeout(() => {
+                        if (elementRef.current) {
+                            elementRef.current.style.opacity = "1"
+                        }
+                    }, 100)
+                }
+            },
+        }))
+
+        return (
+            <motion.div
+                ref={elementRef}
+                id={id}
+                layout
+                initial={{ opacity: 0 }}
+                animate={{ opacity: 1, transition: { duration: 0.001 } }}
+                exit={{ opacity: 0, transition: { duration: 10 } }}
+                style={{ ...boxStyles, ...style }}
+            />
+        )
+    }
+)
+
+/**
+ * Another test: Component with direct ref forwarding to motion element
+ */
+const BoxWithDirectRef = forwardRef<HTMLDivElement, { id: string; style?: React.CSSProperties }>(
+    function BoxWithDirectRef({ id, style }, ref) {
+        return (
+            <motion.div
+                ref={ref}
+                id={id}
+                layout
+                initial={{ opacity: 0 }}
+                animate={{ opacity: 1, transition: { duration: 0.001 } }}
+                exit={{ opacity: 0, transition: { duration: 10 } }}
+                style={{ ...boxStyles, ...style }}
+            />
+        )
+    }
+)
+
+export const App = () => {
+    const [state, setState] = useState(true)
+    const params = new URLSearchParams(window.location.search)
+    const testType = params.get("type") || "imperative"
+
+    const boxRef = useRef<BoxHandle>(null)
+    const directRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null)
+
+    return (
+        <div style={containerStyles} onClick={() => setState(!state)}>
+            <AnimatePresence mode="popLayout">
+                <motion.div
+                    key="static"
+                    id="static"
+                    layout
+                    style={{ ...boxStyles, backgroundColor: "gray" }}
+                />
+                {state ? (
+                    testType === "imperative" ? (
+                        <Box
+                            key="box"
+                            id="box"
+                            ref={boxRef}
+                            style={{ backgroundColor: "green" }}
+                        />
+                    ) : (
+                        <BoxWithDirectRef
+                            key="box"
+                            id="box"
+                            ref={directRef}
+                            style={{ backgroundColor: "blue" }}
+                        />
+                    )
+                ) : null}
+            </AnimatePresence>
+            <div id="result" data-state={state ? "shown" : "hidden"} />
+        </div>
+    )
+}
diff --git a/packages/framer-motion/cypress/integration/animate-presence-pop-ref.ts b/packages/framer-motion/cypress/integration/animate-presence-pop-ref.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..37bc729692
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/framer-motion/cypress/integration/animate-presence-pop-ref.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+describe("AnimatePresence popLayout with refs", () => {
+    it("does not trigger React 19 ref warning with forwardRef components using useImperativeHandle", () => {
+        const consoleErrors: string[] = []
+
+        cy.visit("?test=animate-presence-pop-ref", {
+            onBeforeLoad(win) {
+                // Capture console errors and warnings
+                cy.stub(win.console, "error").callsFake((msg) => {
+                    consoleErrors.push(String(msg))
+                })
+                cy.stub(win.console, "warn").callsFake((msg) => {
+                    consoleErrors.push(String(msg))
+                })
+            },
+        })
+            .wait(200)
+            // Verify at least the static element exists (always rendered)
+            .get("#static")
+            .should("exist")
+            // Click to trigger removal and popLayout behavior
+            .get("#static")
+            .parent()
+            .trigger("click", 60, 60, { force: true })
+            .wait(200)
+            // Verify no React 19 ref warning was logged
+            .then(() => {
+                const refWarning = consoleErrors.find(
+                    (msg) =>
+                        msg.includes("element.ref") ||
+                        msg.includes("Accessing element.ref")
+                )
+                expect(
+                    refWarning,
+                    "Should not have React 19 ref warning"
+                ).to.be.undefined
+            })
+    })
+
+    it("does not trigger React 19 ref warning with forwardRef components with direct ref", () => {
+        const consoleErrors: string[] = []
+
+        cy.visit("?test=animate-presence-pop-ref&type=direct", {
+            onBeforeLoad(win) {
+                // Capture console errors and warnings
+                cy.stub(win.console, "error").callsFake((msg) => {
+                    consoleErrors.push(String(msg))
+                })
+                cy.stub(win.console, "warn").callsFake((msg) => {
+                    consoleErrors.push(String(msg))
+                })
+            },
+        })
+            .wait(200)
+            // Verify at least the static element exists (always rendered)
+            .get("#static")
+            .should("exist")
+            // Click to trigger removal
+            .get("#static")
+            .parent()
+            .trigger("click", 60, 60, { force: true })
+            .wait(200)
+            // Verify no React 19 ref warning was logged
+            .then(() => {
+                const refWarning = consoleErrors.find(
+                    (msg) =>
+                        msg.includes("element.ref") ||
+                        msg.includes("Accessing element.ref")
+                )
+                expect(
+                    refWarning,
+                    "Should not have React 19 ref warning"
+                ).to.be.undefined
+            })
+    })
+})
diff --git a/packages/framer-motion/src/components/AnimatePresence/PopChild.tsx b/packages/framer-motion/src/components/AnimatePresence/PopChild.tsx
index f34e757ffb..6e2cfabe6a 100644
--- a/packages/framer-motion/src/components/AnimatePresence/PopChild.tsx
+++ b/packages/framer-motion/src/components/AnimatePresence/PopChild.tsx
@@ -72,10 +72,14 @@ 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
-    )
+    /**
+     * In React 19, refs are passed via props.ref instead of element.ref.
+     * We check props.ref first (React 19) and fall back to element.ref (React 18).
+     */
+    const childRef =
+        (children.props as { ref?: React.Ref<HTMLElement> })?.ref ??
+        (children as unknown as { ref?: React.Ref<HTMLElement> })?.ref
+    const composedRef = useComposedRefs(ref, childRef)
 
     /**
      * We create and inject a style block so we can apply this explicit