diff --git a/src/include/units/bits/unit_text.h b/src/include/units/bits/unit_text.h
index 0a45215e..0e0e26d9 100644
--- a/src/include/units/bits/unit_text.h
+++ b/src/include/units/bits/unit_text.h
@@ -145,12 +145,14 @@ constexpr auto unit_text()
     return U::symbol;
   }
   else {
-    // print as a prefix or ratio of a reference unit
-    auto prefix_txt = prefix_or_ratio_text<typename U::ratio, typename U::reference::prefix_type>();
+    // print as a prefix or ratio of a coherent unit
+    using coherent_unit = dimension_unit<Dim>;
+    using ratio = ratio_divide<typename U::ratio, typename coherent_unit::ratio>;
+    auto prefix_txt = prefix_or_ratio_text<ratio, typename U::reference::prefix_type>();
 
-    if constexpr(has_symbol<typename U::reference>) {
-      // use predefined reference unit symbol
-      return prefix_txt + U::reference::symbol;
+    if constexpr(has_symbol<coherent_unit>) {
+      // use predefined coherent unit symbol
+      return prefix_txt + coherent_unit::symbol;
     }
     else {
       // use derived dimension ingredients to create a unit symbol
diff --git a/test/unit_test/runtime/fmt_units_test.cpp b/test/unit_test/runtime/fmt_units_test.cpp
index 75c6415f..a1aebc6e 100644
--- a/test/unit_test/runtime/fmt_units_test.cpp
+++ b/test/unit_test/runtime/fmt_units_test.cpp
@@ -188,4 +188,9 @@ TEST_CASE("fmt::format on synthesized unit symbols", "[text][fmt]")
     CHECK(fmt::format("{}", 1q_mi * 1q_mi * 1q_mi) == "1 [15900351812136/3814697265625 × 10⁹] m³");
     CHECK(fmt::format("{}", 1q_au * 1q_au) == "1 [2237952291797391849 × 10⁴] m²");
   }
+
+  SECTION("unknown scaled unit with reference different than the dimension's coherent unit")
+  {
+    CHECK(fmt::format("{}", mass<units::scaled_unit<units::ratio<2, 3>, gram>>(1)) == "1 [2/3 × 10⁻³] kg");
+  }
 }