diff --git a/modules/ve-cite/ve.ui.MWReferenceEditPanel.js b/modules/ve-cite/ve.ui.MWReferenceEditPanel.js
index 8f8e507c1..339d3c8a4 100644
--- a/modules/ve-cite/ve.ui.MWReferenceEditPanel.js
+++ b/modules/ve-cite/ve.ui.MWReferenceEditPanel.js
@@ -200,7 +200,8 @@ ve.ui.MWReferenceEditPanel.static.getImportRules = function () {
  */
 ve.ui.MWReferenceEditPanel.prototype.setInternalList = function ( internalList ) {
 	this.internalList = internalList;
-	this.referenceGroupInput.populateMenu( this.internalList );
+	const docRefs = ve.dm.MWDocumentReferences.static.refsForDoc( internalList.getDocument() );
+	this.referenceGroupInput.populateMenu( docRefs.getAllGroupNames() );
 };
 
 /**
diff --git a/modules/ve-cite/ve.ui.MWReferenceGroupInputWidget.js b/modules/ve-cite/ve.ui.MWReferenceGroupInputWidget.js
index 93227da94..c3b09a037 100644
--- a/modules/ve-cite/ve.ui.MWReferenceGroupInputWidget.js
+++ b/modules/ve-cite/ve.ui.MWReferenceGroupInputWidget.js
@@ -38,18 +38,18 @@ OO.inheritClass( ve.ui.MWReferenceGroupInputWidget, OO.ui.ComboBoxInputWidget );
 /**
  * Populate the reference group menu
  *
- * @param {ve.dm.InternalList} internalList Internal list with which to populate the menu
+ * @param {string[]} groups Group names
  */
-ve.ui.MWReferenceGroupInputWidget.prototype.populateMenu = function ( internalList ) {
+ve.ui.MWReferenceGroupInputWidget.prototype.populateMenu = function ( groups ) {
 	const items = [ new OO.ui.MenuOptionWidget( {
 		data: '',
 		label: this.emptyGroupName
 	} ) ];
-	for ( const groupName in internalList.getNodeGroups() ) {
+	groups.forEach( ( groupName ) => {
 		const match = groupName.match( /^mwReference\/(.+)/ );
 		if ( match ) {
 			items.push( new OO.ui.MenuOptionWidget( { data: match[ 1 ], label: match[ 1 ] } ) );
 		}
-	}
+	} );
 	this.menu.clearItems().addItems( items ).toggle( false );
 };
diff --git a/modules/ve-cite/ve.ui.MWReferencesListDialog.js b/modules/ve-cite/ve.ui.MWReferencesListDialog.js
index 4bed148b5..7ca65c7e7 100644
--- a/modules/ve-cite/ve.ui.MWReferencesListDialog.js
+++ b/modules/ve-cite/ve.ui.MWReferencesListDialog.js
@@ -168,7 +168,8 @@ ve.ui.MWReferencesListDialog.prototype.getSetupProcess = function ( data ) {
 			}
 
 			this.groupInput.setValue( this.selectedNode.getAttribute( 'refGroup' ) );
-			this.groupInput.populateMenu( this.getFragment().getDocument().getInternalList() );
+			const docRefs = ve.dm.MWDocumentReferences.static.refsForDoc( this.getFragment().getDocument() );
+			this.groupInput.populateMenu( docRefs.getAllGroupNames() );
 
 			this.responsiveCheckbox.setSelected( this.selectedNode.getAttribute( 'isResponsive' ) );
 
diff --git a/tests/qunit/ve-cite/ve.ui.MWReferenceGroupInputWidget.test.js b/tests/qunit/ve-cite/ve.ui.MWReferenceGroupInputWidget.test.js
index 4557657d0..47ad8713a 100644
--- a/tests/qunit/ve-cite/ve.ui.MWReferenceGroupInputWidget.test.js
+++ b/tests/qunit/ve-cite/ve.ui.MWReferenceGroupInputWidget.test.js
@@ -11,12 +11,10 @@ QUnit.test( 'Constructor', ( assert ) => {
 } );
 
 QUnit.test( 'populateMenu', ( assert ) => {
-	const doc = ve.dm.citeExample.createExampleDocument( 'references' );
-
 	const widget = new ve.ui.MWReferenceGroupInputWidget( {
 		emptyGroupName: 'empty'
 	} );
-	widget.populateMenu( doc.getInternalList() );
+	widget.populateMenu( [ 'mwReference/', 'mwReference/foo' ] );
 
 	assert.strictEqual( widget.getMenu().getItemCount(), 2 );