diff --git a/app/services/ci/components/fetch_service.rb b/app/services/ci/components/fetch_service.rb
index fe734ab59d52db2862d1ff14eea54a3e41b45b9a..c8a35bf13f0f09e4b16f090dcdd9ef55cf37c1e0 100644
--- a/app/services/ci/components/fetch_service.rb
+++ b/app/services/ci/components/fetch_service.rb
@@ -32,7 +32,8 @@ def execute
             project: component_path.project,
             sha: component_path.sha,
             name: component_path.component_name,
-            version: component_path.matched_version
+            version: component_path.matched_version,
+            reference: component_path.reference
           })
         elsif component_path.invalid_usage_for_latest?
           ServiceResponse.error(
diff --git a/app/validators/json_schemas/catalog_resource_component_spec.json b/app/validators/json_schemas/catalog_resource_component_spec.json
index b48a93a4521194cf0468441ee69ea232363a47df..c6794ff76fa8c7d613457b608df74f9818b2e7bb 100644
--- a/app/validators/json_schemas/catalog_resource_component_spec.json
+++ b/app/validators/json_schemas/catalog_resource_component_spec.json
@@ -36,7 +36,8 @@
         "enum": [
           "name",
           "sha",
-          "version"
+          "version",
+          "reference"
         ]
       },
       "uniqueItems": true
diff --git a/lib/gitlab/ci/components/instance_path.rb b/lib/gitlab/ci/components/instance_path.rb
index 56e84d292c7663a366710b76906def6575fcf1a9..3eb063c918dd89be0ac3abdfcb48526891b8084f 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/ci/components/instance_path.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/ci/components/instance_path.rb
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ class InstancePath
         include Gitlab::Utils::StrongMemoize
         include ::Gitlab::LoopHelpers
 
-        attr_reader :component_name
+        attr_reader :component_name, :reference
 
         SHORTHAND_SEMVER_PATTERN = /^\d+(\.\d+)?$/
         LATEST = '~latest'
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ def self.fqdn_prefix
         end
 
         def initialize(address:)
-          @full_path, @version = address.to_s.split('@', 2)
+          @full_path, @reference = address.to_s.split('@', 2)
         end
 
         def fetch_content!(current_user:)
@@ -52,19 +52,17 @@ def matched_version
         strong_memoize_attr :matched_version
 
         def invalid_usage_for_latest?
-          version == LATEST && project && project.catalog_resource.nil?
+          reference == LATEST && project && project.catalog_resource.nil?
         end
 
         def invalid_usage_for_partial_semver?
-          version.match?(SHORTHAND_SEMVER_PATTERN) && project && project.catalog_resource.nil?
+          reference.match?(SHORTHAND_SEMVER_PATTERN) && project && project.catalog_resource.nil?
         end
 
         private
 
-        attr_reader :version
-
         def find_version_sha
-          return find_latest_sha if version == LATEST
+          return find_latest_sha if reference == LATEST
 
           sha_by_shorthand_semver || sha_by_released_tag || sha_by_ref
         end
@@ -72,12 +70,12 @@ def find_version_sha
         def find_catalog_version
           return unless project.catalog_resource
 
-          if version == LATEST
+          if reference == LATEST
             catalog_resource_version_latest
-          elsif version.match?(SHORTHAND_SEMVER_PATTERN)
+          elsif reference.match?(SHORTHAND_SEMVER_PATTERN)
             catalog_resource_version_by_short_semver
           else
-            project.catalog_resource.versions.by_name(version).first
+            project.catalog_resource.versions.by_name(reference).first
           end
         end
 
@@ -88,7 +86,7 @@ def find_latest_sha
         end
 
         def sha_by_shorthand_semver
-          return unless version.match?(SHORTHAND_SEMVER_PATTERN)
+          return unless reference.match?(SHORTHAND_SEMVER_PATTERN)
           return unless project.catalog_resource
 
           catalog_resource_version_by_short_semver&.sha
@@ -100,17 +98,17 @@ def catalog_resource_version_latest
         strong_memoize_attr :catalog_resource_version_latest
 
         def catalog_resource_version_by_short_semver
-          major, minor = version.split(".")
+          major, minor = reference.split(".")
           project.catalog_resource.versions.latest(major, minor)
         end
         strong_memoize_attr :catalog_resource_version_by_short_semver
 
         def sha_by_released_tag
-          project.releases.find_by_tag(version)&.sha
+          project.releases.find_by_tag(reference)&.sha
         end
 
         def sha_by_ref
-          project.commit(version)&.id
+          project.commit(reference)&.id
         end
 
         def find_project_by_component_path(path)
diff --git a/lib/gitlab/ci/config/external/file/component.rb b/lib/gitlab/ci/config/external/file/component.rb
index 77b835fdd27399cb0a5539419b241e1fef19615a..6cd69660a3068117fcd1c1b7decd32daf4dd698e 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/ci/config/external/file/component.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/ci/config/external/file/component.rb
@@ -118,7 +118,8 @@ def component_attrs
                 project: component_payload.fetch(:project),
                 sha: component_payload.fetch(:sha),
                 name: component_payload.fetch(:name),
-                version: component_payload.fetch(:version)
+                version: component_payload.fetch(:version),
+                reference: component_payload.fetch(:reference)
               }
             end
 
diff --git a/lib/gitlab/ci/config/header/component.rb b/lib/gitlab/ci/config/header/component.rb
index debbc5af75001281765e640ef9702ebe3aee3813..d611e595ac039da5d0a7106e7b7930656c244fc1 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/ci/config/header/component.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/ci/config/header/component.rb
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ module Header
         class Component < ::Gitlab::Config::Entry::Node
           include ::Gitlab::Config::Entry::Validatable
 
-          ALLOWED_VALUES = %i[name sha version].freeze
+          ALLOWED_VALUES = %i[name sha version reference].freeze
           ALLOWED_VALUES_TO_S = ALLOWED_VALUES.map(&:to_s).freeze
 
           validations do
diff --git a/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/components/instance_path_spec.rb b/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/components/instance_path_spec.rb
index 0f5515e2fc7c63282a6709a6e6236ae80adac452..dd8973faa19ff315e9e0f259786b99bf78a4e84b 100644
--- a/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/components/instance_path_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/components/instance_path_spec.rb
@@ -13,6 +13,38 @@
     allow(Gitlab.config.gitlab).to receive(:server_fqdn).and_return(server_fqdn)
   end
 
+  shared_context 'with catalog resource project with components' do
+    let_it_be(:project) do
+      create(
+        :project, :custom_repo,
+        files: {
+          'templates/secret-detection.yml' => 'image: alpine_1',
+          'templates/dast/template.yml' => 'image: alpine_2',
+          'templates/dast/another-template.yml' => 'image: alpine_3',
+          'templates/dast/another-folder/template.yml' => 'image: alpine_4'
+        }
+      )
+    end
+
+    let_it_be(:catalog_resource) { create(:ci_catalog_resource, :published, project: project) }
+    let_it_be(:commit) { project.repository.commit }
+    let_it_be(:project_path) { project.full_path }
+
+    before_all do
+      project.add_maintainer(user)
+
+      create(
+        :release, :with_catalog_resource_version,
+        project: project, tag: '0.1.0', author: user, sha: commit.id
+      )
+
+      create(
+        :release, :with_catalog_resource_version,
+        project: project, tag: '0.1.2', author: user, sha: commit.id
+      )
+    end
+  end
+
   describe '#fetch_content!' do
     let(:version) { 'master' }
     let(:project_path) { project.full_path }
@@ -298,37 +330,49 @@
   end
 
   describe '#matched_version' do
-    let_it_be(:project) do
-      create(
-        :project, :custom_repo,
-        files: {
-          'templates/secret-detection.yml' => 'image: alpine_1',
-          'templates/dast/template.yml' => 'image: alpine_2',
-          'templates/dast/another-template.yml' => 'image: alpine_3',
-          'templates/dast/another-folder/template.yml' => 'image: alpine_4'
-        }
-      )
+    include_context 'with catalog resource project with components'
+
+    subject(:matched_version) { path.matched_version }
+
+    context 'when using a full semantic version' do
+      let(:address) { "acme.com/#{project_path}/secret-detection@0.1.0" }
+
+      it { is_expected.to eq '0.1.0' }
     end
 
-    let_it_be(:catalog_resource) { create(:ci_catalog_resource, :published, project: project) }
-    let_it_be(:commit) { project.repository.commit }
-    let_it_be(:project_path) { project.full_path }
+    context 'when using a partial semantic version' do
+      let(:address) { "acme.com/#{project_path}/secret-detection@0.1" }
 
-    before_all do
-      project.add_maintainer(user)
+      it { is_expected.to eq '0.1.2' }
+    end
 
-      create(
-        :release, :with_catalog_resource_version,
-        project: project, tag: '0.1.0', author: user, sha: commit.id
-      )
+    context 'when using ~latest' do
+      let(:address) { "acme.com/#{project_path}/secret-detection@~latest" }
 
-      create(
-        :release, :with_catalog_resource_version,
-        project: project, tag: '0.1.2', author: user, sha: commit.id
-      )
+      it { is_expected.to eq '0.1.2' }
     end
 
-    subject(:matched_version) { path.matched_version }
+    context 'when using a SHA' do
+      let(:address) { "acme.com/#{project_path}/secret-detection@#{commit.id}" }
+
+      it { is_expected.to be_nil }
+    end
+
+    context 'when project is not a catalog resource' do
+      let(:address) { "acme.com/#{project_path}/secret-detection@0.1.0" }
+
+      before do
+        catalog_resource.destroy!
+      end
+
+      it { is_expected.to be_nil }
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe '#reference' do
+    include_context 'with catalog resource project with components'
+
+    subject(:reference) { path.reference }
 
     context 'when using a full semantic version' do
       let(:address) { "acme.com/#{project_path}/secret-detection@0.1.0" }
@@ -339,19 +383,19 @@
     context 'when using a partial semantic version' do
       let(:address) { "acme.com/#{project_path}/secret-detection@0.1" }
 
-      it { is_expected.to eq '0.1.2' }
+      it { is_expected.to eq '0.1' }
     end
 
     context 'when using ~latest' do
       let(:address) { "acme.com/#{project_path}/secret-detection@~latest" }
 
-      it { is_expected.to eq '0.1.2' }
+      it { is_expected.to eq '~latest' }
     end
 
     context 'when using a SHA' do
       let(:address) { "acme.com/#{project_path}/secret-detection@#{commit.id}" }
 
-      it { is_expected.to be_nil }
+      it { is_expected.to eq commit.id }
     end
 
     context 'when project is not a catalog resource' do
@@ -361,7 +405,7 @@
         catalog_resource.destroy!
       end
 
-      it { is_expected.to be_nil }
+      it { is_expected.to eq '0.1.0' }
     end
   end
 
diff --git a/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/external/context_spec.rb b/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/external/context_spec.rb
index c197901282ddc4817375e024b69fbf1d927e8836..0d50ae176630612dcc84cd469d78eaf7ef7ed44b 100644
--- a/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/external/context_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/external/context_spec.rb
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@
     end
 
     context 'with component_data' do
-      let(:component_data) { { name: 'my-component', sha: 'abc123', version: '1.0.0' } }
+      let(:component_data) { { name: 'my-component', sha: 'abc123', version: '1.0.0', reference: '1.0.0' } }
       let(:attributes) do
         {
           project: project,
diff --git a/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/external/file/component_spec.rb b/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/external/file/component_spec.rb
index 3ba1ec0289ef2e9f1def71e406b811f91a70f009..0467308654f13b3dbe3b84d6f89ea760aba50046 100644
--- a/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/external/file/component_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/external/file/component_spec.rb
@@ -36,7 +36,8 @@
       project: project,
       sha: 'my_component_sha',
       name: 'my_component',
-      version: nil
+      version: nil,
+      reference: nil
     })
   end
 
@@ -172,7 +173,8 @@
           project: project,
           sha: 'my_component_sha',
           name: 'my_component',
-          version: nil
+          version: nil,
+          reference: nil
         }
       )
     end
@@ -190,7 +192,8 @@
         component_data: {
           name: 'my_component',
           sha: 'my_component_sha',
-          version: nil
+          version: nil,
+          reference: nil
         }
       )
     end
diff --git a/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/header/component_spec.rb b/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/header/component_spec.rb
index 2e890a2d9a5ec5d2bae24c73c382bc9ab6ba3e69..5000de8ef1c420c2f562c9c1236f4a7ab174c117 100644
--- a/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/header/component_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/header/component_spec.rb
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 
   describe 'validations' do
     context 'when config is an array of valid strings' do
-      let(:config) { %w[name sha version] }
+      let(:config) { %w[name sha version reference] }
 
       it 'passes validations' do
         expect(component).to be_valid
@@ -65,9 +65,9 @@
     subject(:value) { component.value }
 
     context 'when config is valid' do
-      let(:config) { %w[name sha version] }
+      let(:config) { %w[name sha version reference] }
 
-      it { is_expected.to match_array([:name, :sha, :version]) }
+      it { is_expected.to match_array([:name, :sha, :version, :reference]) }
     end
 
     context 'when config has duplicate values' do
diff --git a/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/header/root_spec.rb b/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/header/root_spec.rb
index 7b7d7d2b87f0112bd334f89714549b35bbf9ffe5..17e66f735eee2ea5fc10b75c4c20c3639e66dc81 100644
--- a/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/header/root_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/header/root_spec.rb
@@ -136,13 +136,13 @@
       let(:header_hash) do
         {
           spec: {
-            component: %w[name sha version]
+            component: %w[name sha version reference]
           }
         }
       end
 
       it 'returns the component value as symbols' do
-        expect(config.spec_component_value).to match_array([:name, :sha, :version])
+        expect(config.spec_component_value).to match_array([:name, :sha, :version, :reference])
       end
     end
 
diff --git a/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/header/spec_spec.rb b/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/header/spec_spec.rb
index f318c39880d3750c98aa205fc4f8b85a131a5d7d..5925c67af0b6930f68091b230f8ca7763d46a617 100644
--- a/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/header/spec_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/header/spec_spec.rb
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
   context 'when spec contains component configuration' do
     let(:spec_hash) do
       {
-        component: %w[name sha version]
+        component: %w[name sha version reference]
       }
     end
 
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@
     end
 
     it 'returns the component value' do
-      expect(config.component_value).to match_array([:name, :sha, :version])
+      expect(config.component_value).to match_array([:name, :sha, :version, :reference])
     end
   end
 
diff --git a/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/interpolation/interpolator_spec.rb b/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/interpolation/interpolator_spec.rb
index bba6c41aaccf15413b536f1e364462ae0d1fc23b..942948a68ed8f516cdc5e865625443ba601fec4d 100644
--- a/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/interpolation/interpolator_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/interpolation/interpolator_spec.rb
@@ -176,17 +176,18 @@
     let(:yaml_context) do
       ::Gitlab::Ci::Config::Yaml::Context.new(
         variables: [],
-        component: { name: 'my-component', sha: 'abc123', version: '1.0.0' }
+        component: { name: 'my-component', sha: 'abc123', version: '1.0.0', reference: '1.0' }
       )
     end
 
     context 'when component values are specified in spec' do
       let(:header) do
-        { spec: { component: %w[name sha version] } }
+        { spec: { component: %w[name sha version reference] } }
       end
 
       let(:content) do
-        { test: 'Component $[[ component.name ]] at $[[ component.sha ]] version $[[ component.version ]]' }
+        { test: 'Component $[[ component.name ]] at $[[ component.sha ]] version $[[ component.version ]] ' \
+                  'reference $[[ component.reference ]]' }
       end
 
       let(:arguments) { {} }
@@ -196,7 +197,7 @@
 
         expect(subject).to be_interpolated
         expect(subject).to be_valid
-        expect(subject.to_hash).to eq({ test: 'Component my-component at abc123 version 1.0.0' })
+        expect(subject.to_hash).to eq({ test: 'Component my-component at abc123 version 1.0.0 reference 1.0' })
       end
     end
 
diff --git a/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/yaml/context_spec.rb b/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/yaml/context_spec.rb
index 372a5a224bafde7a4b86c4ac5d8d63c733f18a92..37b8a04948887fe7ba952fa7aaae754be2e38936 100644
--- a/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/yaml/context_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/yaml/context_spec.rb
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
 
     context 'with component data provided' do
       let(:component_data) do
-        { name: 'my-component', sha: 'abc123', version: '1.0.0' }
+        { name: 'my-component', sha: 'abc123', version: '1.0.0', reference: '1.0' }
       end
 
       subject(:context) { described_class.new(component: component_data) }
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@
 
   describe '#component' do
     let(:component_data) do
-      { name: 'test-component', sha: 'def456', version: '2.0.0' }
+      { name: 'test-component', sha: 'def456', version: '2.0.0', reference: '2.0' }
     end
 
     subject(:context) { described_class.new(component: component_data) }
diff --git a/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config_spec.rb b/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config_spec.rb
index 11d1d13e0773cf9362e7261449fdaf2c0d3b5e5b..1c8bd7c2077530c7e296173769fdb4b1d9be317b 100644
--- a/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config_spec.rb
@@ -211,8 +211,8 @@
     it 'returns only components included with `include:component`' do
       expect(config.metadata[:includes].size).to eq(3)
       expect(included_components).to contain_exactly(
-        { project: project1, sha: project1.commit.sha, name: 'dast', version: nil },
-        { project: project2, sha: project2.commit.sha, name: 'template', version: nil }
+        { project: project1, sha: project1.commit.sha, name: 'dast', version: nil, reference: '1.0.0' },
+        { project: project2, sha: project2.commit.sha, name: 'template', version: nil, reference: '1.0.0' }
       )
     end
 
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@
       it 'returns only unique components' do
         expect(config.metadata[:includes].size).to eq(2)
         expect(included_components).to contain_exactly(
-          { project: project1, sha: project1.commit.sha, name: 'dast', version: nil }
+          { project: project1, sha: project1.commit.sha, name: 'dast', version: nil, reference: '1.0.0' }
         )
       end
     end
diff --git a/spec/services/ci/components/fetch_service_spec.rb b/spec/services/ci/components/fetch_service_spec.rb
index d62f37163fb651772d408688459d617730d80ce1..f6d855d33005a7616f69337048f9fab420dd4bf8 100644
--- a/spec/services/ci/components/fetch_service_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/services/ci/components/fetch_service_spec.rb
@@ -108,6 +108,11 @@
         let(:version) { project.default_branch }
 
         it_behaves_like 'component address'
+
+        it 'returns the reference' do
+          expect(result).to be_success
+          expect(result.payload[:reference]).to eq(version)
+        end
       end
 
       context 'when version is a tag name' do
@@ -119,12 +124,22 @@
           expect(result).to be_success
           expect(result.payload[:version]).to eq(version)
         end
+
+        it 'returns the reference' do
+          expect(result).to be_success
+          expect(result.payload[:reference]).to eq(version)
+        end
       end
 
       context 'when version is a commit sha' do
         let(:version) { project.repository.tags.first.id }
 
         it_behaves_like 'component address'
+
+        it 'returns the reference' do
+          expect(result).to be_success
+          expect(result.payload[:reference]).to eq(version)
+        end
       end
 
       context 'when version is not provided' do
@@ -138,7 +153,7 @@
 
       context 'when version is ~latest' do
         let(:version) { '~latest' }
-        let_it_be(:project) { create(:project) }
+        let_it_be(:project) { create(:project, :empty_repo) }
 
         context 'and the project is not a catalog resource' do
           it 'returns an error' do
@@ -164,7 +179,7 @@
 
       context 'when version is a partial semantic version' do
         let(:version) { '1.0' }
-        let_it_be(:project) { create(:project) }
+        let_it_be(:project) { create(:project, :empty_repo) }
 
         context 'and the project is not a catalog resource' do
           it 'returns an error' do
diff --git a/spec/services/ci/create_pipeline_service/component_interpolation_spec.rb b/spec/services/ci/create_pipeline_service/component_interpolation_spec.rb
index 93d3200cb1ff46f2af74948831d1ba70debfeff8..e38f3cd7eaea6b6ca93b899aa684247bac09727c 100644
--- a/spec/services/ci/create_pipeline_service/component_interpolation_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/services/ci/create_pipeline_service/component_interpolation_spec.rb
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
     let_it_be(:component_yaml) do
       <<~YAML
       spec:
-        component: [name, sha, version]
+        component: [name, sha, version, reference]
         inputs:
           compiler:
             default: gcc
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
       test:
         script:
           - echo "Building with $[[ inputs.compiler ]] and optimization level $[[ inputs.optimization_level ]]"
-          - echo "Component $[[ component.name ]] / $[[ component.sha ]] / $[[ component.version ]]"
+          - echo "Component $[[ component.name ]] / $[[ component.sha ]] / $[[ component.version ]] / $[[ component.reference ]]"
       YAML
     end
 
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@
           test_job = pipeline.builds.find { |build| build.name == 'test' }
           expect(test_job.options[:script]).to eq([
             'echo "Building with gcc and optimization level 2"',
-            "echo \"Component #{component_name} / #{component_sha} / #{component_version}\""
+            "echo \"Component #{component_name} / #{component_sha} / #{component_version} / #{component_version}\""
           ])
         end
       end
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@
           test_job = pipeline.builds.find { |build| build.name == 'test' }
           expect(test_job.options[:script]).to eq([
             'echo "Building with gcc and optimization level 2"',
-            "echo \"Component #{component_name} / #{component_sha} / #{component_version}\""
+            "echo \"Component #{component_name} / #{component_sha} / #{component_version} / 0.1\""
           ])
         end
       end
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@
           test_job = pipeline.builds.find { |build| build.name == 'test' }
           expect(test_job.options[:script]).to eq([
             'echo "Building with gcc and optimization level 2"',
-            "echo \"Component #{component_name} / #{component_sha} / #{component_version}\""
+            "echo \"Component #{component_name} / #{component_sha} / #{component_version} / ~latest\""
           ])
         end
       end
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@
           test_job = pipeline.builds.find { |build| build.name == 'test' }
           expect(test_job.options[:script]).to eq([
             'echo "Building with gcc and optimization level 2"',
-            "echo \"Component #{component_name} / #{component_sha} / \""
+            "echo \"Component #{component_name} / #{component_sha} /  / #{component_sha}\""
           ])
         end