diff --git a/java/arcs/core/storage/ReferenceModeStore.kt b/java/arcs/core/storage/ReferenceModeStore.kt
index e51aa014658..009fff54cdf 100644
--- a/java/arcs/core/storage/ReferenceModeStore.kt
+++ b/java/arcs/core/storage/ReferenceModeStore.kt
@@ -452,6 +452,33 @@ class ReferenceModeStore private constructor(
   private suspend fun handleContainerMessage(proxyMessage: ContainerProxyMessage): Boolean {
     when (proxyMessage) {
       is ProxyMessage.Operations -> {
+
+        suspend fun handlePendingId(reference: RawReference, op: CrdtOperation) {
+          addToHoldQueueFromReferences(
+            listOf(reference),
+            onTimeout = {}
+          ) {
+            val updated =
+              getLocalData(reference.id) as? CrdtEntity.Data
+
+            // Bridge the op from the collection using the RawEntity from the
+            // backing store, and use the refModeOp for sending back to the
+            // proxy.
+            val upstreamOps = listOf(
+              op.toBridgingOp(updated?.toRawEntity(reference.id)).refModeOp
+            )
+
+            callbacks.allCallbacksExcept(proxyMessage.id).forEach { callback ->
+              callback(
+                ProxyMessage.Operations(
+                  operations = upstreamOps,
+                  id = proxyMessage.id
+                )
+              )
+            }
+          }
+        }
+
         val containerOps = proxyMessage.operations
         opLoop@ for (op in containerOps) {
           val reference = when (op) {
@@ -460,34 +487,22 @@ class ReferenceModeStore private constructor(
             else -> null
           }
           val getEntity = if (reference != null) {
-            val entityCrdt = getLocalData(reference.id) as? CrdtEntity.Data
-            if (entityCrdt == null) {
-              addToHoldQueueFromReferences(
-                listOf(reference),
-                onTimeout = {}
-              ) {
-                val updated =
-                  getLocalData(reference.id) as? CrdtEntity.Data
-
-                // Bridge the op from the collection using the RawEntity from the
-                // backing store, and use the refModeOp for sending back to the
-                // proxy.
-                val upstreamOps = listOf(
-                  op.toBridgingOp(updated?.toRawEntity(reference.id)).refModeOp
-                )
-
-                callbacks.allCallbacksExcept(proxyMessage.id).forEach { callback ->
-                  callback(
-                    ProxyMessage.Operations(
-                      operations = upstreamOps,
-                      id = proxyMessage.id
-                    )
-                  )
-                }
+            if (BuildFlags.REFERENCE_MODE_STORE_FIXES) {
+              val entityCrdt = getLocalData(reference.id)
+              val referenceVersionMap = checkNotNull(reference.version) { "reference is null" }
+              if (entityCrdt.versionMap doesNotDominate referenceVersionMap) {
+                handlePendingId(reference, op)
+                continue@opLoop
+              }
+              suspend { entityCrdt.toRawEntity(reference.id) }
+            } else {
+              val entityCrdt = getLocalData(reference.id) as? CrdtEntity.Data
+              if (entityCrdt == null) {
+                handlePendingId(reference, op)
+                continue@opLoop
               }
-              continue@opLoop
+              suspend { entityCrdt.toRawEntity(reference.id) }
             }
-            suspend { entityCrdt.toRawEntity(reference.id) }
           } else {
             suspend { null }
           }
diff --git a/java/arcs/core/storage/testutil/ReferenceModeStoreTestBase.kt b/java/arcs/core/storage/testutil/ReferenceModeStoreTestBase.kt
index 6afd5b2a01d..ab8f47783ae 100644
--- a/java/arcs/core/storage/testutil/ReferenceModeStoreTestBase.kt
+++ b/java/arcs/core/storage/testutil/ReferenceModeStoreTestBase.kt
@@ -929,6 +929,116 @@ abstract class ReferenceModeStoreTestBase(private val parameters: ParameterizedB
     assertThat(message).isInstanceOf(ProxyMessage.SyncRequest::class.java)
   }
 
+  @Test
+  fun operationsFromContainer_withMissingBackingData_waitsForBackingData() = runBlockingTest {
+    assume().that(BuildFlags.REFERENCE_MODE_STORE_FIXES).isTrue()
+    val activeStore = collectionReferenceModeStore(scope = this)
+    val actor = "me"
+    val bobEntity = createPersonEntity("an-id", "bob", 42, listOf(1L, 1L, 2L), "inline")
+
+    // Data stored in backing store.
+    val bobCrdt = CrdtEntity.newAtVersionForTest(
+      VersionMap(activeStore.crdtKey to 1),
+      bobEntity
+    )
+
+    // Data stored in container store.
+    val bobReference = bobEntity.toReference(
+      activeStore.backingStore.storageKey,
+      VersionMap(
+        activeStore.crdtKey to 1
+      )
+    )
+
+    // Set up proxy.
+    val deferredOps = CompletableDeferred<List<RefModeStoreOp>>()
+    activeStore.on {
+      if (it is ProxyMessage.Operations) {
+        deferredOps.complete(it.operations)
+        return@on
+      }
+    }
+
+    // Send data to container store.
+    val opsForContainer = CrdtSet.Operation.Add(actor, VersionMap(actor to 1), bobReference)
+    activeStore.containerStore.onProxyMessage(
+      ProxyMessage.Operations(listOf(opsForContainer), activeStore.containerStoreId + 1)
+    )
+
+    activeStore.idle()
+
+    // Send data to backing store
+    val bobBackingStore = activeStore.backingStore.getStore(
+      "an-id",
+      activeStore.backingStoreId
+    ).store
+    bobBackingStore.onReceive(bobCrdt.data, activeStore.backingStoreId + 1)
+
+    val ops = deferredOps.await()
+    assertThat(ops).containsExactly(
+      CrdtSet.Operation.Add(actor, VersionMap(actor to 1), bobEntity)
+    )
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  fun operationsfromContainerStore_withOldBackingData_waitsForBackingData() = runBlockingTest {
+    assume().that(BuildFlags.REFERENCE_MODE_STORE_FIXES).isTrue()
+    val activeStore = collectionReferenceModeStore(scope = this)
+    val actor = "me"
+    val bobEntity = createPersonEntity("an-id", "bob", 42, listOf(1L, 1L, 2L), "inline")
+
+    // Data stored in backing store. bobCrdt is old backing data.
+    val bobCrdt = CrdtEntity.newAtVersionForTest(
+      VersionMap(activeStore.crdtKey to 1),
+      bobEntity
+    )
+
+    // Data stored in container store. bobReference is up to date
+    val bobReference = bobEntity.toReference(
+      activeStore.backingStore.storageKey,
+      VersionMap(
+        activeStore.crdtKey to 2
+      )
+    )
+
+    // Set up proxy.
+    val deferredOps = CompletableDeferred<List<RefModeStoreOp>>()
+    activeStore.on {
+      if (it is ProxyMessage.Operations) {
+        deferredOps.complete(it.operations)
+        return@on
+      }
+    }
+
+    // Send data to backing store.
+    val bobBackingStore = activeStore.backingStore.getStore(
+      "an-id",
+      activeStore.backingStoreId
+    ).store
+    bobBackingStore.onReceive(bobCrdt.data, activeStore.backingStoreId + 1)
+
+    // Send data to container store.
+    val opsForContainer = CrdtSet.Operation.Add(actor, VersionMap(actor to 1), bobReference)
+    activeStore.containerStore.onProxyMessage(
+      ProxyMessage.Operations(listOf(opsForContainer), activeStore.containerStoreId + 1)
+    )
+
+    activeStore.idle()
+
+//    // Update backing store to update bobCrdt
+    val updatedBobEntity = createPersonEntity("an-id", "bob", 43, listOf(1L, 1L, 2L), "inline")
+    val updatedBobCrdt = CrdtEntity.newAtVersionForTest(
+      VersionMap(activeStore.crdtKey to 2),
+      updatedBobEntity
+    )
+    bobBackingStore.onReceive(updatedBobCrdt.data, activeStore.backingStoreId + 1)
+
+    val ops = deferredOps.await()
+    assertThat(ops).containsExactly(
+      CrdtSet.Operation.Add(actor, VersionMap(actor to 1), updatedBobEntity)
+    )
+  }
+
   @Test
   fun entityVersion_isIncremented() = runBlockingTest {
     val activeStore = collectionReferenceModeStore(scope = this)