diff --git a/src/cache/inmemory/__tests__/entityStore.ts b/src/cache/inmemory/__tests__/entityStore.ts
index 75130b44a06..0cc51a1f411 100644
--- a/src/cache/inmemory/__tests__/entityStore.ts
+++ b/src/cache/inmemory/__tests__/entityStore.ts
@@ -1555,11 +1555,11 @@ describe('EntityStore', () => {
 
     expect(() => cache.readQuery({
       query: queryWithAliases,
-    })).toThrow(/Dangling reference to missing ABCs:.* object/);
+    })).toThrow(/Can't find field 'a' on ABCs:.* object/);
 
     expect(() => cache.readQuery({
       query: queryWithoutAliases,
-    })).toThrow(/Dangling reference to missing ABCs:.* object/);
+    })).toThrow(/Can't find field 'a' on ABCs:.* object/);
   });
 
   it("gracefully handles eviction amid optimistic updates", () => {
@@ -1639,8 +1639,8 @@ describe('EntityStore', () => {
 
     const missing = [
       new MissingFieldError(
-        "Dangling reference to missing Author:2 object",
-        ["book", "author"],
+        "Can't find field 'name' on Author:2 object",
+        ["book", "author", "name"],
         expect.anything(),
         expect.anything(),
       ),
diff --git a/src/cache/inmemory/__tests__/policies.ts b/src/cache/inmemory/__tests__/policies.ts
index c2a7b7b8c2f..156b5a5ea8a 100644
--- a/src/cache/inmemory/__tests__/policies.ts
+++ b/src/cache/inmemory/__tests__/policies.ts
@@ -2397,7 +2397,7 @@ describe("type policies", function () {
       });
 
       expect(read).toThrow(
-        /Dangling reference to missing Book:{"isbn":"156858217X"} object/
+        /Can't find field 'title' on Book:{"isbn":"156858217X"} object/
       );
 
       const stealThisData = {
@@ -2529,11 +2529,11 @@ describe("type policies", function () {
       });
 
       expect(() => read("0393354326")).toThrow(
-        /Dangling reference to missing Book:{"isbn":"0393354326"} object/
+        /Can't find field 'title' on Book:{"isbn":"0393354326"} object/
       );
 
       expect(() => read("156858217X")).toThrow(
-        /Dangling reference to missing Book:{"isbn":"156858217X"} object/
+        /Can't find field 'title' on Book:{"isbn":"156858217X"} object/
       );
     });
 
diff --git a/src/cache/inmemory/readFromStore.ts b/src/cache/inmemory/readFromStore.ts
index 5951ee9a580..b02e507f2c8 100644
--- a/src/cache/inmemory/readFromStore.ts
+++ b/src/cache/inmemory/readFromStore.ts
@@ -213,20 +213,6 @@ export class StoreReader {
     objectOrReference,
     context,
   }: ExecSelectionSetOptions): ExecResult {
-    if (isReference(objectOrReference) &&
-        !context.policies.rootTypenamesById[objectOrReference.__ref] &&
-        !context.store.has(objectOrReference.__ref)) {
-      return {
-        result: {},
-        missing: [missingFromInvariant(
-          new InvariantError(
-            `Dangling reference to missing ${objectOrReference.__ref} object`
-          ),
-          context,
-        )],
-      };
-    }
-
     const { fragmentMap, variables, policies, store } = context;
     const objectsToMerge: { [key: string]: any }[] = [];
     const finalResult: ExecResult = { result: null };