diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index deba0e2d..67b89f37 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+    - fixed errormessage in _compile_smarty_ref() (messju)
     - updated docs for html_image "name" -> "file" (messju)
     - fixed bug with html_options-optgroups (Nichlas Löfdahl, messju)
     - cleaned up calls to readdir() (messju)
diff --git a/libs/Smarty_Compiler.class.php b/libs/Smarty_Compiler.class.php
index 9527aad4..88156954 100644
--- a/libs/Smarty_Compiler.class.php
+++ b/libs/Smarty_Compiler.class.php
@@ -1764,7 +1764,7 @@ class Smarty_Compiler extends Smarty {
                 break;
 
             default:
-                $this->_syntax_error('$smarty.' . $ref . ' is an unknown reference', E_USER_ERROR, __FILE__, __LINE__);
+                $this->_syntax_error('$smarty.' . $_ref . ' is an unknown reference', E_USER_ERROR, __FILE__, __LINE__);
                 break;
         }