diff --git a/strings/base_reference_produce.h b/strings/base_reference_produce.h
index 1965efc7a..8228cbc4c 100644
--- a/strings/base_reference_produce.h
+++ b/strings/base_reference_produce.h
@@ -397,7 +397,35 @@ namespace winrt::impl
         static auto make(array_view<Windows::Foundation::Rect const> const& value) { return Windows::Foundation::PropertyValue::CreateRectArray(value); }
         using itf = Windows::Foundation::IReferenceArray<Windows::Foundation::Rect>;
     };
+}
+
+WINRT_EXPORT namespace winrt::Windows::Foundation
+{
+    template <typename T>
+    bool operator==(IReference<T> const& left, IReference<T> const& right)
+    {
+        if (get_abi(left) == get_abi(right))
+        {
+            return true;
+        }
+
+        if (!left || !right)
+        {
+            return false;
+        }
 
+        return left.Value() == right.Value();
+    }
+
+    template <typename T>
+    bool operator!=(IReference<T> const& left, IReference<T> const& right)
+    {
+        return !(left == right);
+    }
+}
+
+namespace winrt::impl
+{
     template <typename T, typename From>
     T unbox_value_type(From&& value)
     {
diff --git a/strings/base_reference_produce_1.h b/strings/base_reference_produce_1.h
index 7c5143821..0eb9b4b70 100644
--- a/strings/base_reference_produce_1.h
+++ b/strings/base_reference_produce_1.h
@@ -2,24 +2,8 @@
 WINRT_EXPORT namespace winrt::Windows::Foundation
 {
     template <typename T>
-    bool operator==(IReference<T> const& left, IReference<T> const& right)
-    {
-        if (get_abi(left) == get_abi(right))
-        {
-            return true;
-        }
-
-        if (!left || !right)
-        {
-            return false;
-        }
-
-        return left.Value() == right.Value();
-    }
+    bool operator==(IReference<T> const& left, IReference<T> const& right);
 
     template <typename T>
-    bool operator!=(IReference<T> const& left, IReference<T> const& right)
-    {
-        return !(left == right);
-    }
+    bool operator!=(IReference<T> const& left, IReference<T> const& right);
 }
diff --git a/test/test_component_no_pch/test_component_no_pch.idl b/test/test_component_no_pch/test_component_no_pch.idl
index 11e5cbebc..b576313c8 100644
--- a/test/test_component_no_pch/test_component_no_pch.idl
+++ b/test/test_component_no_pch/test_component_no_pch.idl
@@ -33,4 +33,11 @@ namespace test_component_no_pch
             Int32 Second;
         };
     }
+
+    // This structure verifies that the structure can at least be declared
+    // (but perhaps not meaningfully consumed) without having first included Windows.Foundation.h.
+    struct StructWithReference
+    {
+        Windows.Foundation.IReference<Int32> OptionalValue;
+    };
 }