diff --git a/modules/ve-cite/ve.ce.MWReferencesListNode.js b/modules/ve-cite/ve.ce.MWReferencesListNode.js
index 15311acc9..aa67c5dc0 100644
--- a/modules/ve-cite/ve.ce.MWReferencesListNode.js
+++ b/modules/ve-cite/ve.ce.MWReferencesListNode.js
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ ve.ce.MWReferencesListNode.prototype.renderListItem = function ( nodes, internal
 		);
 
 	const $li = $( '<li>' )
-		.css( '--footnote-number', `"${ this.docRefs.getIndexNumber( refGroup, key ) }."` )
+		.css( '--footnote-number', `"${ this.docRefs.getIndexLabel( refGroup, key ) }."` )
 		.append( this.renderBacklinks( keyedNodes, refGroup ), ' ' );
 
 	// Generate reference HTML from first item in key
diff --git a/modules/ve-cite/ve.dm.MWDocumentReferences.js b/modules/ve-cite/ve.dm.MWDocumentReferences.js
index 05d700ea8..b5cd4de83 100644
--- a/modules/ve-cite/ve.dm.MWDocumentReferences.js
+++ b/modules/ve-cite/ve.dm.MWDocumentReferences.js
@@ -114,14 +114,14 @@ ve.dm.MWDocumentReferences.static.contentLangDigits = function ( num ) {
 };
 
 /**
- * @deprecated Should be refactored to store index numbers as a simple property
- *  in each ref node after document transaction.
+ * @deprecated Should be refactored to store formatted index numbers as a simple
+ *  property on each CE ref node after document transaction.
  * @param {string} groupName Ref group without prefix
  * @param {string} listKey Ref key with prefix
  * @return {string} Rendered index number string which can be used as a footnote
  *  marker or reflist item number.
  */
-ve.dm.MWDocumentReferences.prototype.getIndexNumber = function ( groupName, listKey ) {
+ve.dm.MWDocumentReferences.prototype.getIndexLabel = function ( groupName, listKey ) {
 	return ( this.cachedByGroup[ 'mwReference/' + groupName ] || {} )[ listKey ];
 };
 
diff --git a/modules/ve-cite/ve.dm.MWReferenceNode.js b/modules/ve-cite/ve.dm.MWReferenceNode.js
index 530d1c734..7bc9fcc38 100644
--- a/modules/ve-cite/ve.dm.MWReferenceNode.js
+++ b/modules/ve-cite/ve.dm.MWReferenceNode.js
@@ -339,7 +339,7 @@ ve.dm.MWReferenceNode.static.getIndexLabel = function ( dataElement, internalLis
 ve.dm.MWReferenceNode.static.findIndexNumber = function ( dataElement, internalList ) {
 	return ve.getProp( dataElement, 'internal', 'overrideIndex' ) ||
 		ve.dm.MWDocumentReferences.static.refsForDoc( internalList.getDocument() )
-			.getIndexNumber( dataElement.attributes.refGroup, dataElement.attributes.listKey );
+			.getIndexLabel( dataElement.attributes.refGroup, dataElement.attributes.listKey );
 };
 
 /**
diff --git a/modules/ve-cite/ve.ui.MWReferenceSearchWidget.js b/modules/ve-cite/ve.ui.MWReferenceSearchWidget.js
index 9f78c9451..4b4fbc363 100644
--- a/modules/ve-cite/ve.ui.MWReferenceSearchWidget.js
+++ b/modules/ve-cite/ve.ui.MWReferenceSearchWidget.js
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ ve.ui.MWReferenceSearchWidget.prototype.buildSearchIndex = function () {
 			const listKey = node.getAttribute( 'listKey' );
 			// remove `mwReference/` prefix
 			const group = groupName.slice( 12 );
-			const footnoteNumber = docRefs.getIndexNumber( group, listKey );
+			const footnoteNumber = docRefs.getIndexLabel( group, listKey );
 			const citation = ( group ? group + ' ' : '' ) + footnoteNumber;
 
 			// Use [\s\S]* instead of .* to catch esoteric whitespace (T263698)
diff --git a/tests/qunit/ve-cite/ve.dm.MWDocumentReferences.test.js b/tests/qunit/ve-cite/ve.dm.MWDocumentReferences.test.js
index 20bc58782..ea4f5fd2d 100644
--- a/tests/qunit/ve-cite/ve.dm.MWDocumentReferences.test.js
+++ b/tests/qunit/ve-cite/ve.dm.MWDocumentReferences.test.js
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@ QUnit.test( 'first simple test', ( assert ) => {
 
 	assert.strictEqual( firstListKey, 'auto/0' );
 	assert.strictEqual( fooGroupListKey, 'auto/2' );
-	assert.strictEqual( docRefs.getIndexNumber( '', firstListKey ), '1' );
-	assert.strictEqual( docRefs.getIndexNumber( 'foo', fooGroupListKey ), '1' );
+	assert.strictEqual( docRefs.getIndexLabel( '', firstListKey ), '1' );
+	assert.strictEqual( docRefs.getIndexLabel( 'foo', fooGroupListKey ), '1' );
 } );
 
 QUnit.test( 'extends test', ( assert ) => {
@@ -35,10 +35,10 @@ QUnit.test( 'extends test', ( assert ) => {
 	const firstListKey = groupedRefs[ '' ][ 0 ].getAttribute( 'listKey' );
 	assert.strictEqual( firstListKey, 'auto/1' );
 	// FIXME: Documents incorrect behavior, should be '2'.
-	assert.strictEqual( docRefs.getIndexNumber( '', firstListKey ), '1' );
+	assert.strictEqual( docRefs.getIndexLabel( '', firstListKey ), '1' );
 
 	const subrefListKey = groupedRefs[ 'literal/ldr' ][ 0 ].getAttribute( 'listKey' );
 	assert.strictEqual( subrefListKey, 'auto/0' );
 	// FIXME: Documents incorrect behavior, should be '1.1'.
-	assert.strictEqual( docRefs.getIndexNumber( '', subrefListKey ), '2.1' );
+	assert.strictEqual( docRefs.getIndexLabel( '', subrefListKey ), '2.1' );
 } );
diff --git a/tests/qunit/ve-cite/ve.ui.MWReferenceSearchWidget.test.js b/tests/qunit/ve-cite/ve.ui.MWReferenceSearchWidget.test.js
index ad0877192..30eaadfdc 100644
--- a/tests/qunit/ve-cite/ve.ui.MWReferenceSearchWidget.test.js
+++ b/tests/qunit/ve-cite/ve.ui.MWReferenceSearchWidget.test.js
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ function getInternalListMock( groups, mockWithNode ) {
 	const refDocMock = {
 		getAllGroupNames: () => ( Object.keys( groups ) ),
 		getGroupRefsByParents: () => ( { '': [ node ] } ),
-		getIndexNumber: () => ( 1 ),
+		getIndexLabel: () => ( '1' ),
 		getItemNode: () => ( node )
 	};
 	const docMock = {