diff --git a/modules/ve-cite/ve.ui.MWReferenceResultWidget.js b/modules/ve-cite/ve.ui.MWReferenceResultWidget.js
index 230c44b84..6326ceff0 100644
--- a/modules/ve-cite/ve.ui.MWReferenceResultWidget.js
+++ b/modules/ve-cite/ve.ui.MWReferenceResultWidget.js
@@ -20,10 +20,7 @@ ve.ui.MWReferenceResultWidget = function VeUiMWReferenceResultWidget() {
 
 	// Initialization
 	this.$element
-		.addClass( 've-ui-mwReferenceResultWidget' )
-		.append(
-			$( '<div>' ).addClass( 've-ui-mwReferenceResultWidget-shield' )
-		);
+		.addClass( 've-ui-mwReferenceResultWidget' );
 };
 
 /* Inheritance */
diff --git a/modules/ve-cite/ve.ui.MWReferenceResultWidget.less b/modules/ve-cite/ve.ui.MWReferenceResultWidget.less
index 8d4bdd8a1..73d0b2e17 100644
--- a/modules/ve-cite/ve.ui.MWReferenceResultWidget.less
+++ b/modules/ve-cite/ve.ui.MWReferenceResultWidget.less
@@ -16,13 +16,7 @@
 
 	&.oo-ui-labelElement .oo-ui-labelElement-label {
 		white-space: normal;
-	}
-
-	&-shield {
-		position: absolute;
-		top: 0;
-		left: 0;
-		bottom: 0;
-		right: 0;
+		// Disable click events in the preview
+		pointer-events: none;
 	}
 }
diff --git a/tests/qunit/ve-cite/ve.ui.MWReferenceResultWidget.test.js b/tests/qunit/ve-cite/ve.ui.MWReferenceResultWidget.test.js
index 7c8bf0fd7..b6b11f526 100644
--- a/tests/qunit/ve-cite/ve.ui.MWReferenceResultWidget.test.js
+++ b/tests/qunit/ve-cite/ve.ui.MWReferenceResultWidget.test.js
@@ -5,5 +5,5 @@ QUnit.module( 've.ui.MWReferenceResultWidget (Cite)', ve.test.utils.newMwEnviron
 QUnit.test( 'Initialization', ( assert ) => {
 	const widget = new ve.ui.MWReferenceResultWidget();
 	assert.true( widget instanceof OO.ui.OptionWidget );
-	assert.strictEqual( widget.$element.children( '.ve-ui-mwReferenceResultWidget-shield' ).length, 1 );
+	assert.strictEqual( widget.$element.children( '.ve-ui-mwReferenceResultWidget-shield' ).length, 0 );
 } );