diff --git a/packages/store/addon/-private/system/references/belongs-to.js b/packages/store/addon/-private/system/references/belongs-to.js
index dd616c3b93f..1387b5a346a 100644
--- a/packages/store/addon/-private/system/references/belongs-to.js
+++ b/packages/store/addon/-private/system/references/belongs-to.js
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ export default class BelongsToReference extends Reference {
     this.type = belongsToRelationship.relationshipMeta.type;
     if (RECORD_ARRAY_MANAGER_IDENTIFIERS) {
       this.parent = internalModelFactoryFor(store).peek(parentIMOrIdentifier).recordReference;
-      this.parentInternalModel = internalModelFactoryFor(store).peek(parentIMOrIdentifier);
+      this.parentIdentifier = parentIMOrIdentifier;
     } else {
       this.parent = parentIMOrIdentifier.recordReference;
       this.parentInternalModel = parentIMOrIdentifier;
@@ -213,10 +213,9 @@ export default class BelongsToReference extends Reference {
    @return {Model} the record in this relationship
    */
   value() {
-    let store = this.parentInternalModel.store;
     let resource = this._resource();
     if (resource && resource.data) {
-      let inverseInternalModel = store._internalModelForResource(resource.data);
+      let inverseInternalModel = this.store._internalModelForResource(resource.data);
       if (inverseInternalModel && inverseInternalModel.isLoaded()) {
         return inverseInternalModel.getRecord();
       }
@@ -286,7 +285,12 @@ export default class BelongsToReference extends Reference {
    @return {Promise} a promise that resolves with the record in this belongs-to relationship.
    */
   load(options) {
-    return this.parentInternalModel.getBelongsTo(this.key, options);
+    if (RECORD_ARRAY_MANAGER_IDENTIFIERS) {
+      let parentInternalModel = internalModelFactoryFor(this.store).peek(this.parentIdentifier);
+      return parentInternalModel.getBelongsTo(this.key, options);
+    } else {
+      return this.parentInternalModel.getBelongsTo(this.key, options);
+    }
   }
 
   /**
@@ -338,7 +342,13 @@ export default class BelongsToReference extends Reference {
    @return {Promise} a promise that resolves with the record in this belongs-to relationship after the reload has completed.
    */
   reload(options) {
-    return this.parentInternalModel.reloadBelongsTo(this.key, options).then(internalModel => {
+    let parentInternalModel;
+    if (RECORD_ARRAY_MANAGER_IDENTIFIERS) {
+      parentInternalModel = internalModelFactoryFor(this.store).peek(this.parentIdentifier);
+    } else {
+      parentInternalModel = this.parentInternalModel;
+    }
+    return parentInternalModel.reloadBelongsTo(this.key, options).then(internalModel => {
       return this.value();
     });
   }
diff --git a/packages/store/addon/-private/system/references/has-many.js b/packages/store/addon/-private/system/references/has-many.js
index a995bc497e4..a834512b541 100644
--- a/packages/store/addon/-private/system/references/has-many.js
+++ b/packages/store/addon/-private/system/references/has-many.js
@@ -26,12 +26,11 @@ export default class HasManyReference extends Reference {
     this.key = key;
     this.hasManyRelationship = hasManyRelationship;
     this.type = hasManyRelationship.relationshipMeta.type;
+
     if (RECORD_ARRAY_MANAGER_IDENTIFIERS) {
       this.parent = internalModelFactoryFor(store).peek(parentIMOrIdentifier).recordReference;
-      this.parentInternalModel = internalModelFactoryFor(store).peek(parentIMOrIdentifier);
     } else {
       this.parent = parentIMOrIdentifier.recordReference;
-      this.parentInternalModel = parentIMOrIdentifier;
     }
 
     // TODO inverse
@@ -215,8 +214,7 @@ export default class HasManyReference extends Reference {
 
     //TODO Igor cleanup
     return members.every(recordData => {
-      let store = this.parentInternalModel.store;
-      let internalModel = store._internalModelForResource(recordData.getResourceIdentifier());
+      let internalModel = this.store._internalModelForResource(recordData.getResourceIdentifier());
       return internalModel.isLoaded() === true;
     });
   }