diff --git a/src/plugins/qmldesigner/components/navigator/navigatortreemodel.h b/src/plugins/qmldesigner/components/navigator/navigatortreemodel.h
index 03b891dfb2f..76b4b835426 100644
--- a/src/plugins/qmldesigner/components/navigator/navigatortreemodel.h
+++ b/src/plugins/qmldesigner/components/navigator/navigatortreemodel.h
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ public:
 
     bool isReferenceNodesVisible() const override;
     bool canBeReference(const ModelNode &modelNode) const override;
+    bool isReference(const QModelIndex &index) const;
 
 signals:
     void toolTipPixmapUpdated(const QString &id, const QPixmap &pixmap);
@@ -118,7 +119,6 @@ private:
     QList<ModelNode> referenceList(const QList<BindingProperty> &bindingProperties, const QList<ModelNode> &unwanted = {}) const;
     QModelIndex createReferenceIndex(int row, int column, const ReferenceData &referenceData) const;
     void resetReferences();
-    bool isReference(const QModelIndex &index) const;
     ModelNode referenceExtractCurrent(const QModelIndex &index) const;
     ModelNode referenceExtractOwner(const QModelIndex &index) const;
 
diff --git a/src/plugins/qmldesigner/components/navigator/navigatortreeview.cpp b/src/plugins/qmldesigner/components/navigator/navigatortreeview.cpp
index 698ab88b800..53e597af44e 100644
--- a/src/plugins/qmldesigner/components/navigator/navigatortreeview.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/qmldesigner/components/navigator/navigatortreeview.cpp
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 
 #include <qmath.h>
 
+#include "modelnode.h"
 #include "navigatorview.h"
 #include "navigatortreemodel.h"
 #include "qproxystyle.h"
@@ -259,20 +260,43 @@ bool NavigatorTreeView::viewportEvent(QEvent *event)
 
 void NavigatorTreeView::mousePressEvent(QMouseEvent *event)
 {
-    const QModelIndex modelIndex = indexAt(event->pos());
-    if (static_cast<qint32>(modelIndex.internalId()) < 0) {
-        m_dragAllowed = false;
-        return; // Ignore mousePressEvent when item is reference node.
+    m_clickedIndex = indexAt(event->pos());
+    if (auto navModel = qobject_cast<NavigatorTreeModel *>(model())) {
+        if (navModel->isReference(m_clickedIndex)) {
+            m_dragAllowed = false;
+            event->accept();
+            return;
+        }
     }
 
     // Block drag from starting if press was on an item that is not draggable.
     // This is necessary as it is the selected items that are dragged and the pressed item may not
     // be a selected item, e.g. when pressing on locked item, leading to unexpected drags.
-    m_dragAllowed = model()->flags(modelIndex) & Qt::ItemIsDragEnabled;
+    m_dragAllowed = model()->flags(m_clickedIndex) & Qt::ItemIsDragEnabled;
 
     QTreeView::mousePressEvent(event);
 }
 
+void NavigatorTreeView::mouseReleaseEvent(QMouseEvent *event)
+{
+    const QModelIndex modelIndex = indexAt(event->pos());
+    if (m_clickedIndex == modelIndex) {
+        if (auto navModel = qobject_cast<NavigatorTreeModel *>(model())) {
+            if (navModel->isReference(modelIndex)) {
+                ModelNode referencedNode = navModel->modelNodeForIndex(modelIndex);
+                if (referencedNode && !referencedNode.locked()) {
+                    referencedNode.selectNode();
+                    event->accept();
+                    return;
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    m_clickedIndex = {};
+
+    QTreeView::mouseReleaseEvent(event);
+}
+
 void NavigatorTreeView::startDrag(Qt::DropActions supportedActions)
 {
     if (m_dragAllowed) {
diff --git a/src/plugins/qmldesigner/components/navigator/navigatortreeview.h b/src/plugins/qmldesigner/components/navigator/navigatortreeview.h
index dfd2ad8f13e..034ee552a88 100644
--- a/src/plugins/qmldesigner/components/navigator/navigatortreeview.h
+++ b/src/plugins/qmldesigner/components/navigator/navigatortreeview.h
@@ -20,11 +20,13 @@ public:
 
 protected:
     void mousePressEvent(QMouseEvent *event) override;
+    void mouseReleaseEvent(QMouseEvent *event) override;
     void startDrag(Qt::DropActions supportedActions) override;
 
 private:
     PreviewToolTip *m_previewToolTip = nullptr;
     qint32 m_previewToolTipNodeId = -1;
     bool m_dragAllowed = true;
+    QModelIndex m_clickedIndex;
 };
 }