diff --git a/packages/compiler-core/__tests__/transforms/__snapshots__/cacheStatic.spec.ts.snap b/packages/compiler-core/__tests__/transforms/__snapshots__/cacheStatic.spec.ts.snap
index 375a0c8674a..6f40f568166 100644
--- a/packages/compiler-core/__tests__/transforms/__snapshots__/cacheStatic.spec.ts.snap
+++ b/packages/compiler-core/__tests__/transforms/__snapshots__/cacheStatic.spec.ts.snap
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ return function render(_ctx, _cache) {
     return (_openBlock(), _createElementBlock("div", null, [
       _withDirectives((_openBlock(), _createElementBlock("svg", null, _cache[0] || (_cache[0] = [
         _createElementVNode("path", { d: "M2,3H5.5L12" }, null, -1 /* HOISTED */)
-      ]))), [
+      ]), 512 /* NEED_PATCH */)), [
         [_directive_foo]
       ])
     ]))
diff --git a/packages/compiler-core/__tests__/transforms/__snapshots__/transformText.spec.ts.snap b/packages/compiler-core/__tests__/transforms/__snapshots__/transformText.spec.ts.snap
index 7fb49ea7887..55a7d714325 100644
--- a/packages/compiler-core/__tests__/transforms/__snapshots__/transformText.spec.ts.snap
+++ b/packages/compiler-core/__tests__/transforms/__snapshots__/transformText.spec.ts.snap
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ return function render(_ctx, _cache) {
 
     return _withDirectives((_openBlock(), _createElementBlock("p", null, [
       _createTextVNode(_toDisplayString(foo), 1 /* TEXT */)
-    ])), [
+    ], 512 /* NEED_PATCH */)), [
       [_directive_foo]
     ])
   }
diff --git a/packages/compiler-core/__tests__/transforms/transformElement.spec.ts b/packages/compiler-core/__tests__/transforms/transformElement.spec.ts
index bf3510a052d..12f4a74552a 100644
--- a/packages/compiler-core/__tests__/transforms/transformElement.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler-core/__tests__/transforms/transformElement.spec.ts
@@ -1028,6 +1028,46 @@ describe('compiler: element transform', () => {
       expect(node.patchFlag).toBe(PatchFlags.NEED_PATCH)
     })
 
+    test('NEED_PATCH (vFor + static ref)', () => {
+      const { node } = parseWithBind(
+        `<div v-for="item in arr" :key="item" ref="foo" />`,
+      )
+      expect(node.patchFlag).toBe(PatchFlags.NEED_PATCH)
+    })
+
+    test('NEED_PATCH (vFor + custom directives)', () => {
+      const { node } = parseWithBind(
+        `<div v-for="item in arr" :key="item" v-dir />`,
+      )
+      expect(node.patchFlag).toBe(PatchFlags.NEED_PATCH)
+    })
+
+    test('NEED_PATCH (vFor + vnode hooks)', () => {
+      const root = baseCompile(
+        `<div v-for="item in arr" :key="item" @vue:updated="foo" />`,
+        {
+          prefixIdentifiers: true,
+          cacheHandlers: true,
+        },
+      ).ast
+      const node = (root as any).children[0].children[0].codegenNode
+      expect(node.patchFlag).toBe(PatchFlags.NEED_PATCH)
+    })
+
+    test('NEED_PATCH (vFor + setRef function)', () => {
+      const root = baseCompile(
+        `<div v-for="item in arr" :key="item" :ref="setRefFn" />`,
+        {
+          prefixIdentifiers: true,
+          bindingMetadata: {
+            setRefFn: BindingTypes.SETUP_CONST,
+          },
+        },
+      ).ast
+      const node = (root as any).children[0].children[0].codegenNode
+      expect(node.patchFlag).toBe(PatchFlags.NEED_PATCH)
+    })
+
     test('script setup inline mode template ref (binding exists)', () => {
       const { node } = parseWithElementTransform(`<input ref="input"/>`, {
         inline: true,
diff --git a/packages/compiler-core/src/transforms/transformElement.ts b/packages/compiler-core/src/transforms/transformElement.ts
index 76ca1d44353..53059efd84f 100644
--- a/packages/compiler-core/src/transforms/transformElement.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler-core/src/transforms/transformElement.ts
@@ -456,9 +456,12 @@ export function buildProps(
         value.type === NodeTypes.JS_CACHE_EXPRESSION ||
         ((value.type === NodeTypes.SIMPLE_EXPRESSION ||
           value.type === NodeTypes.COMPOUND_EXPRESSION) &&
-          getConstantType(value, context) > 0)
+          getConstantType(value, context) > 0 &&
+          name !== 'ref')
       ) {
-        // skip if the prop is a cached handler or has constant value
+        // skip if:
+        // 1. the prop is a cached handler
+        // 2. has constant value (excluding :ref="setRefFn", setRefFn is a setup-const)
         return
       }
 
@@ -738,7 +741,6 @@ export function buildProps(
     }
   }
   if (
-    !shouldUseBlock &&
     (patchFlag === 0 || patchFlag === PatchFlags.NEED_HYDRATION) &&
     (hasRef || hasVnodeHook || runtimeDirectives.length > 0)
   ) {