diff --git a/src/kits/app/Message.cpp b/src/kits/app/Message.cpp
index 0224bbaaa3..7a4fc952c2 100644
--- a/src/kits/app/Message.cpp
+++ b/src/kits/app/Message.cpp
@@ -825,12 +825,7 @@ status_t BMessage::AddData(const char* name, type_code type, const void* data,
 			break;
 		case B_REF_TYPE:
 		{
-			entry_ref ref;
-			uchar* dp = (uchar*)data;
-			ref.device = *(dev_t*)dp; dp += sizeof (dev_t);
-			ref.directory = *(ino_t*)dp; dp += sizeof (ino_t);
-			ref.set_name((const char*)dp);
-			err = AddRef(name, &ref);
+			err = AddRef(name, (entry_ref*)data);
 			break;
 		}
 		case B_MESSAGE_TYPE:
diff --git a/src/tests/kits/app/bmessage/MessageRefItemTest.h b/src/tests/kits/app/bmessage/MessageRefItemTest.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1eb10c951c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/tests/kits/app/bmessage/MessageRefItemTest.h
@@ -0,0 +1,103 @@
+//------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+//	MessageRefItemTest.h
+//
+//------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+#ifndef MESSAGEREFITEMTEST_H
+#define MESSAGEREFITEMTEST_H
+
+// Standard Includes -----------------------------------------------------------
+
+// System Includes -------------------------------------------------------------
+#include <Entry.h>
+
+// Project Includes ------------------------------------------------------------
+
+// Local Includes --------------------------------------------------------------
+
+// Local Defines ---------------------------------------------------------------
+
+// Globals ---------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+struct TRefFuncPolicy
+{
+	static status_t Add(BMessage& msg, const char* name, entry_ref& val)
+	{
+		return msg.AddRef(name, &val);
+	}
+	static status_t Find(BMessage& msg, const char* name, int32 index,
+						 entry_ref* val)
+	{
+		return msg.FindRef(name, index, val);
+	}
+	static entry_ref QuickFind(BMessage& msg, const char* name, int32 index)
+	{
+		//	TODO: make cooler
+		//	There must be some 1337 template voodoo way of making the inclusion
+		//	of this function conditional.  In the meantime, we offer this
+		//	cheesy hack
+		entry_ref ref;
+		msg.FindRef(name, index, &ref);
+		return ref;
+	}
+	static bool Has(BMessage& msg, const char* name, int32 index)
+	{
+		return msg.HasRef(name, index);
+	}
+	static status_t Replace(BMessage& msg, const char* name, int32 index,
+							entry_ref val)
+	{
+		return msg.ReplaceRef(name, index, &val);
+	}
+};
+//------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+struct TRefInitPolicy : public ArrayTypeBase<entry_ref>
+{
+	inline static entry_ref Zero()	{ return entry_ref(); }
+	static entry_ref Test1()
+	{
+		entry_ref ref;
+		get_ref_for_path("/boot/beos/apps/camera", &ref);
+		return ref;
+	}
+	static entry_ref Test2()
+	{
+		entry_ref ref;
+		get_ref_for_path("/boot/develop/headers/be/Be.h", &ref);
+		return ref;
+	}
+	inline static ArrayType Array()
+	{
+		ArrayType array;
+		array.push_back(Zero());
+		array.push_back(Test1());
+		array.push_back(Test2());
+		return array;
+	}
+};
+//------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+struct TRefAssertPolicy
+{
+	inline static entry_ref Zero()		{ return TRefInitPolicy::Zero(); }
+	inline static entry_ref Invalid()	{ return TRefInitPolicy::Zero();}
+};
+//------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+typedef TMessageItemTest
+<
+	entry_ref,
+	B_REF_TYPE,
+	TRefFuncPolicy,
+	TRefInitPolicy,
+	TRefAssertPolicy
+>
+TMessageRefItemTest;
+
+#endif	// MESSAGEREFITEMTEST_H
+
+/*
+ * $Log $
+ *
+ * $Id  $
+ *
+ */
+
diff --git a/src/tests/kits/app/bmessage/MessageTest.cpp b/src/tests/kits/app/bmessage/MessageTest.cpp
index dc71292852..b800f6f12e 100644
--- a/src/tests/kits/app/bmessage/MessageTest.cpp
+++ b/src/tests/kits/app/bmessage/MessageTest.cpp
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 #include "MessageEasyFindTest.h"
 #include "MessageFloatItemTest.h"
 #include "MessageDoubleItemTest.h"
-//#include "MessageRefItemTest.h"
+#include "MessageRefItemTest.h"
 
 Test* MessageTestSuite()
 {
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ Test* MessageTestSuite()
 	tests->addTest(TMessageEasyFindTest::Suite());
 	tests->addTest(TMessageFloatItemTest::Suite());
 	tests->addTest(TMessageDoubleItemTest::Suite());
-//	tests->addTest(TMessageRefItemTest::Suite());
+	tests->addTest(TMessageRefItemTest::Suite());
 
 	return tests;
 }