diff --git a/src/mount.ts b/src/mount.ts
index 31ddda39dc..d75b0ba54c 100644
--- a/src/mount.ts
+++ b/src/mount.ts
@@ -25,7 +25,8 @@ import {
   ComponentOptions,
   ConcreteComponent,
   Prop,
-  transformVNodeArgs
+  transformVNodeArgs,
+  ref
 } from 'vue'
 
 import { MountingOptions, Slot } from './types'
@@ -432,9 +433,15 @@ export function mount(
     component.components = { ...component.components, ...global.components }
   }
 
+  const componentRef = ref(null)
   // create the wrapper component
   const Parent = defineComponent({
     name: 'VTU_ROOT',
+    setup() {
+      return {
+        [MOUNT_COMPONENT_REF]: componentRef
+      }
+    },
     render() {
       return h(component as ComponentOptions, { ...props, ...refs }, slots)
     }
@@ -565,7 +572,7 @@ export function mount(
   const warnSave = console.warn
   console.warn = () => {}
 
-  const appRef = vm.$refs[MOUNT_COMPONENT_REF] as ComponentPublicInstance
+  const appRef = componentRef.value! as ComponentPublicInstance
   // we add `hasOwnProperty` so Jest can spy on the proxied vm without throwing
   // note that this is not necessary with Jest v27+ or Vitest, but is kept for compatibility with older Jest versions
   appRef.hasOwnProperty = (property) => {
diff --git a/tests/shallowMount.spec.ts b/tests/shallowMount.spec.ts
index a852cbca1b..5adc1e4abf 100644
--- a/tests/shallowMount.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/shallowMount.spec.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
-import { defineAsyncComponent, defineComponent } from 'vue'
+import { defineAsyncComponent, defineComponent, onMounted } from 'vue'
 import { mount, shallowMount, VueWrapper } from '../src'
 import ComponentWithChildren from './components/ComponentWithChildren.vue'
 import ScriptSetupWithChildren from './components/ScriptSetupWithChildren.vue'