diff --git a/colorbleed/maya/plugin.py b/colorbleed/maya/plugin.py
index 21a074e874..5a06c5d9f2 100644
--- a/colorbleed/maya/plugin.py
+++ b/colorbleed/maya/plugin.py
@@ -95,6 +95,10 @@ class ReferenceLoader(api.Loader):
             if ref.rsplit(":", 1)[-1].startswith("sharedReferenceNode"):
                 continue
 
+            # Ignore _UNKNOWN_REF_NODE_ (PLN-160)
+            if ref.endswith("_UNKNOWN_REF_NODE_"):
+                continue
+
             references.add(ref)
 
         assert references, "No reference node found in container"