diff --git a/packages/virtualized-lists/Lists/VirtualizedList.js b/packages/virtualized-lists/Lists/VirtualizedList.js
index 031267465af8..18b536b12e38 100644
--- a/packages/virtualized-lists/Lists/VirtualizedList.js
+++ b/packages/virtualized-lists/Lists/VirtualizedList.js
@@ -1017,9 +1017,7 @@ class VirtualizedList extends StateSafePureComponent<
           onUpdateSeparators={this._onUpdateSeparators}
           onCellFocusCapture={this._onCellFocusCapture}
           onUnmount={this._onCellUnmount}
-          ref={ref => {
-            this._cellRefs[key] = ref;
-          }}
+          ref={this._captureCellRef}
           renderItem={renderItem}
           {...(shouldListenForLayout && {
             onCellLayout: this._onCellLayout,
@@ -1610,6 +1608,14 @@ class VirtualizedList extends StateSafePureComponent<
     }
   };
 
+  // Stable, so React doesn't detach and reattach every cell's ref on each
+  // render. Unmounted cells are removed in `_onCellUnmount`.
+  _captureCellRef = (cellRenderer: null | CellRenderer<any>): void => {
+    if (cellRenderer != null) {
+      this._cellRefs[cellRenderer.props.cellKey] = cellRenderer;
+    }
+  };
+
   _onCellUnmount = (cellKey: string) => {
     delete this._cellRefs[cellKey];
     this._listMetrics.notifyCellUnmounted(cellKey);
diff --git a/packages/virtualized-lists/Lists/__tests__/VirtualizedList-test.js b/packages/virtualized-lists/Lists/__tests__/VirtualizedList-test.js
index 5bc0254c7127..bb0ea124c632 100644
--- a/packages/virtualized-lists/Lists/__tests__/VirtualizedList-test.js
+++ b/packages/virtualized-lists/Lists/__tests__/VirtualizedList-test.js
@@ -294,6 +294,59 @@ describe('VirtualizedList', () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it('does not reattach cell refs when the list re-renders', async () => {
+    const listRef = createRef();
+    const items = generateItems(5);
+    let component;
+    await act(() => {
+      component = create(
+        <VirtualizedList ref={listRef} {...baseItemProps(items)} />,
+      );
+    });
+
+    const cellRefs = listRef.current._cellRefs;
+    const cellRefWrites = [];
+    listRef.current._cellRefs = new Proxy(cellRefs, {
+      set(target, cellKey, cellRenderer) {
+        cellRefWrites.push(cellKey);
+        target[cellKey] = cellRenderer;
+        return true;
+      },
+    });
+
+    await act(() => {
+      component.update(
+        <VirtualizedList
+          ref={listRef}
+          {...baseItemProps(items)}
+          extraData={1}
+        />,
+      );
+    });
+
+    expect(cellRefWrites).toEqual([]);
+    expect(Object.keys(cellRefs)).toEqual(['0', '1', '2', '3', '4']);
+  });
+
+  it('removes cell refs when cells unmount', async () => {
+    const listRef = createRef();
+    let component;
+    await act(() => {
+      component = create(
+        <VirtualizedList ref={listRef} {...baseItemProps(generateItems(5))} />,
+      );
+    });
+
+    await act(() => {
+      component.update(
+        <VirtualizedList ref={listRef} {...baseItemProps(generateItems(2))} />,
+      );
+    });
+
+    expect(Object.keys(listRef.current._cellRefs)).toEqual(['0', '1']);
+    expect(listRef.current._cellRefs[0].props.cellKey).toBe(0);
+  });
+
   it('handles nested lists', async () => {
     let component;
     await act(() => {