diff --git a/docs/changelog.md b/docs/changelog.md
index ed4b6d8330..7265674c07 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.md
+++ b/docs/changelog.md
@@ -22,6 +22,20 @@ what we publish.
   [PR #2609](https://github.com/modularml/mojo/pull/2609) by
   [@mzaks](https://github.com/mzaks)
 
+- Mojo functions can return an auto-dereferenced refeference to storage with a
+  new `ref` keyword in the result type specifier.  For example:
+
+  ```mojo
+  struct Pair:
+    var first: Int
+    var second: Int
+    fn get_first_ref(inout self) -> ref[__lifetime_of(self)] Int:
+      return self.first
+  fn show_mutation():
+    var somePair = ...
+    get_first_ref(somePair) = 1
+  ```
+
 - Mojo has introduced `@parameter for`, a new feature for compile-time
   programming. `@parameter for` defines a for loop where the sequence and the
   induction values in the sequence must be parameter values. For example:
diff --git a/docs/manual/types.ipynb b/docs/manual/types.ipynb
index 6ceffe596b..1a454a11b4 100644
--- a/docs/manual/types.ipynb
+++ b/docs/manual/types.ipynb
@@ -530,7 +530,7 @@
     "Many types have a boolean representation. Any type that implements the \n",
     "[`Boolable`](/mojo/stdlib/builtin/bool/Boolable) trait has a boolean \n",
     "representation. As a general principle, collections evaluate as True if they \n",
-    "contain any elements, False if the are empty; strings evaluate as True if they\n",
+    "contain any elements, False if they are empty; strings evaluate as True if they\n",
     "have a non-zero length."
    ]
   },
diff --git a/stdlib/COMPATIBLE_COMPILER_VERSION b/stdlib/COMPATIBLE_COMPILER_VERSION
index 3fa5fb09ab..353e233e87 100644
--- a/stdlib/COMPATIBLE_COMPILER_VERSION
+++ b/stdlib/COMPATIBLE_COMPILER_VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-2024.5.2514
+2024.5.2605
diff --git a/stdlib/src/builtin/builtin_list.mojo b/stdlib/src/builtin/builtin_list.mojo
index d25572f336..0135d962f8 100644
--- a/stdlib/src/builtin/builtin_list.mojo
+++ b/stdlib/src/builtin/builtin_list.mojo
@@ -194,7 +194,8 @@ struct _VariadicListMemIter[
         self.index += 1
         # TODO: Need to make this return a dereferenced reference, not a
         # reference that must be deref'd by the user.
-        return self.src[].__getitem__(self.index - 1)
+        # NOTE: Using UnsafePointer here to get lifetimes to match.
+        return UnsafePointer.address_of(self.src[][self.index - 1])[]
 
     fn __len__(self) -> Int:
         return len(self.src[]) - self.index
@@ -355,29 +356,10 @@ struct VariadicListMem[
         """
         return __mlir_op.`pop.variadic.size`(self.value)
 
-    # TODO: Fix for loops + _VariadicListIter to support a __nextref__ protocol
-    # allowing us to get rid of this and make foreach iteration clean.
     @always_inline
-    fn __getitem__(self, idx: Int) -> Self.reference_type:
-        """Gets a single element on the variadic list.
-
-        Args:
-            idx: The index of the element to access on the list.
-
-        Returns:
-            A low-level pointer to the element on the list corresponding to the
-            given index.
-        """
-        return Self.reference_type(
-            __mlir_op.`pop.variadic.get`(self.value, idx.value)
-        )
-
-    @always_inline
-    fn __refitem__(
+    fn __getitem__(
         self, idx: Int
-    ) -> Reference[
-        element_type,
-        Bool {value: elt_is_mutable},
+    ) -> ref [
         _lit_lifetime_union[
             Bool {value: elt_is_mutable},
             lifetime,
@@ -387,8 +369,8 @@ struct VariadicListMem[
             _lit_mut_cast[
                 False, __lifetime_of(self), Bool {value: elt_is_mutable}
             ].result,
-        ].result,
-    ]:
+        ].result
+    ] element_type:
         """Gets a single element on the variadic list.
 
         Args:
@@ -398,7 +380,7 @@ struct VariadicListMem[
             A low-level pointer to the element on the list corresponding to the
             given index.
         """
-        return __mlir_op.`pop.variadic.get`(self.value, idx.value)
+        return Reference(__mlir_op.`pop.variadic.get`(self.value, idx.value))[]
 
     fn __iter__(
         self,
@@ -590,13 +572,9 @@ struct VariadicPack[
         return Self.__len__()
 
     @always_inline
-    fn __refitem__[
+    fn __getitem__[
         index: Int
-    ](self) -> Reference[
-        element_types[index.value],
-        Bool {value: Self.elt_is_mutable},
-        Self.lifetime,
-    ]:
+    ](self) -> ref [Self.lifetime] element_types[index.value]:
         """Return a reference to an element of the pack.
 
         Parameters:
@@ -618,7 +596,7 @@ struct VariadicPack[
             Bool {value: Self.elt_is_mutable},
             Self.lifetime,
         ]
-        return rebind[result_ref._mlir_type](ref_elt)
+        return Reference(rebind[result_ref._mlir_type](ref_elt))[]
 
     @always_inline
     fn each[func: fn[T: element_trait] (T) capturing -> None](self):
diff --git a/stdlib/src/builtin/string.mojo b/stdlib/src/builtin/string.mojo
index 1614f4e17e..77a0003724 100644
--- a/stdlib/src/builtin/string.mojo
+++ b/stdlib/src/builtin/string.mojo
@@ -236,7 +236,7 @@ fn _atol(str_ref: StringRef, base: Int = 10) raises -> Int:
 
     alias ord_0 = ord("0")
     # FIXME:
-    #   Change this to `alias` after fixing support for __refitem__ of alias.
+    #   Change this to `alias` after fixing support for __getitem__ of alias.
     var ord_letter_min = (ord("a"), ord("A"))
     alias ord_underscore = ord("_")
 
diff --git a/stdlib/src/builtin/tuple.mojo b/stdlib/src/builtin/tuple.mojo
index 45c150a092..885220c040 100644
--- a/stdlib/src/builtin/tuple.mojo
+++ b/stdlib/src/builtin/tuple.mojo
@@ -150,11 +150,19 @@ struct Tuple[*element_types: Movable](Sized, Movable):
         return Self.__len__()
 
     @always_inline("nodebug")
-    fn __refitem__[
+    fn __getitem__[
         idx: Int
-    ](self: Reference[Self, _, _]) -> Reference[
-        element_types[idx.value], self.is_mutable, self.lifetime
+    ](self: Reference[Self, _, _]) -> ref [self.lifetime] element_types[
+        idx.value
     ]:
+        """Get a reference to an element in the tuple.
+
+        Parameters:
+            idx: The element to return.
+
+        Returns:
+            A referece to the specified element.
+        """
         # Return a reference to an element at the specified index, propagating
         # mutability of self.
         var storage_kgen_ptr = UnsafePointer.address_of(self[].storage).address
@@ -220,16 +228,8 @@ struct Tuple[*element_types: Movable](Sized, Movable):
 
             @parameter
             if _type_is_eq[T, element_types[i]]():
-                var tmp_ref = self.__refitem__[i]()
-                var tmp = rebind[
-                    Reference[
-                        T,
-                        tmp_ref.is_mutable,
-                        tmp_ref.lifetime,
-                        tmp_ref.address_space,
-                    ]
-                ](tmp_ref)
-                if tmp[].__eq__(value):
+                var elt_ptr = UnsafePointer.address_of(self[i]).bitcast[T]()
+                if elt_ptr[].__eq__(value):
                     return True
 
         return False
diff --git a/stdlib/src/collections/dict.mojo b/stdlib/src/collections/dict.mojo
index 9d348ecc04..e3977e1371 100644
--- a/stdlib/src/collections/dict.mojo
+++ b/stdlib/src/collections/dict.mojo
@@ -546,7 +546,7 @@ struct Dict[K: KeyElement, V: CollectionElement](
         """
         return self._find_ref(key)[]
 
-    # TODO(MSTDL-452): rename to __refitem__
+    # TODO(MSTDL-452): rename to __getitem__ returning a reference
     fn __get_ref(
         self: Reference[Self, _, _], key: K
     ) raises -> Reference[V, self.is_mutable, self.lifetime]:
diff --git a/stdlib/src/collections/inline_list.mojo b/stdlib/src/collections/inline_list.mojo
index e53b9f0f06..b1ccfcc860 100644
--- a/stdlib/src/collections/inline_list.mojo
+++ b/stdlib/src/collections/inline_list.mojo
@@ -58,10 +58,10 @@ struct _InlineListIter[
         @parameter
         if forward:
             self.index += 1
-            return self.src[].__refitem__(self.index - 1)
+            return self.src[][self.index - 1]
         else:
             self.index -= 1
-            return self.src[].__refitem__(self.index)
+            return self.src[][self.index]
 
     fn __len__(self) -> Int:
         @parameter
@@ -128,9 +128,9 @@ struct InlineList[ElementType: CollectionElement, capacity: Int = 16](Sized):
         self._size += 1
 
     @always_inline
-    fn __refitem__(
+    fn __getitem__(
         self: Reference[Self, _, _], owned idx: Int
-    ) -> Reference[Self.ElementType, self.is_mutable, self.lifetime]:
+    ) -> ref [self.lifetime] Self.ElementType:
         """Get a `Reference` to the element at the given index.
 
         Args:
diff --git a/stdlib/src/collections/list.mojo b/stdlib/src/collections/list.mojo
index 5d6c502f00..79d60fce10 100644
--- a/stdlib/src/collections/list.mojo
+++ b/stdlib/src/collections/list.mojo
@@ -910,7 +910,7 @@ struct List[T: CollectionElement, small_buffer_size: Int = 0](
 
         return (self.data + normalized_idx)[]
 
-    # TODO(30737): Replace __getitem__ with this as __refitem__, but lots of places use it
+    # TODO(30737): Replace __getitem__ with this, but lots of places use it
     fn __get_ref(
         self: Reference[Self, _, _], i: Int
     ) -> Reference[T, self.is_mutable, self.lifetime]:
diff --git a/stdlib/src/memory/arc.mojo b/stdlib/src/memory/arc.mojo
index 836bd4a0a6..ffa3354a71 100644
--- a/stdlib/src/memory/arc.mojo
+++ b/stdlib/src/memory/arc.mojo
@@ -101,9 +101,7 @@ struct Arc[T: Movable](CollectionElement):
 
     # FIXME: This isn't right - the element should be mutable regardless
     # of whether the 'self' type is mutable.
-    fn __refitem__(
-        self: Reference[Self, _, _]
-    ) -> Reference[T, self.is_mutable, self.lifetime]:
+    fn __getitem__(self: Reference[Self, _, _]) -> ref [self.lifetime] T:
         """Returns a Reference to the managed value.
 
         Returns:
@@ -117,4 +115,4 @@ struct Arc[T: Movable](CollectionElement):
         Returns:
             The UnsafePointer to the underlying memory.
         """
-        return UnsafePointer.address_of(self._inner[].payload)
+        return UnsafePointer.address_of(self._inner[].payload)[]
diff --git a/stdlib/src/utils/span.mojo b/stdlib/src/utils/span.mojo
index d1ab7f5a61..b3c2c3c0c9 100644
--- a/stdlib/src/utils/span.mojo
+++ b/stdlib/src/utils/span.mojo
@@ -169,10 +169,10 @@ struct Span[
             value: The value to set at the given index.
         """
         # note that self._refitem__ is already bounds checking
-        var ref = Reference[T, __mlir_attr.`1: i1`, __lifetime_of(self)](
+        var r = Reference[T, __mlir_attr.`1: i1`, __lifetime_of(self)](
             UnsafePointer(self._refitem__(idx))[]
         )
-        ref[] = value
+        r[] = value
 
     @always_inline
     fn __getitem__(self, slice: Slice) -> Self:
diff --git a/stdlib/src/utils/static_tuple.mojo b/stdlib/src/utils/static_tuple.mojo
index 408c3c2438..9ab41f97eb 100644
--- a/stdlib/src/utils/static_tuple.mojo
+++ b/stdlib/src/utils/static_tuple.mojo
@@ -331,9 +331,9 @@ struct InlineArray[ElementType: CollectionElement, size: Int](Sized):
 
         @parameter
         for i in range(size):
-            var ref = self._get_reference_unsafe(i)
+            var eltref = self._get_reference_unsafe(i)
             initialize_pointee_move(
-                UnsafePointer[Self.ElementType](ref), elems[i]
+                UnsafePointer[Self.ElementType](eltref), elems[i]
             )
 
     # ===------------------------------------------------------------------===#
@@ -341,11 +341,11 @@ struct InlineArray[ElementType: CollectionElement, size: Int](Sized):
     # ===------------------------------------------------------------------===#
 
     @always_inline("nodebug")
-    fn __refitem__[
+    fn __getitem__[
         IntableType: Intable,
-    ](self: Reference[Self, _, _], index: IntableType) -> Reference[
-        Self.ElementType, self.is_mutable, self.lifetime
-    ]:
+    ](self: Reference[Self, _, _], index: IntableType) -> ref [
+        self.lifetime
+    ] Self.ElementType:
         """Get a `Reference` to the element at the given index.
 
         Parameters:
@@ -362,15 +362,13 @@ struct InlineArray[ElementType: CollectionElement, size: Int](Sized):
         if normalized_idx < 0:
             normalized_idx += size
 
-        return self[]._get_reference_unsafe(normalized_idx)
+        return self[]._get_reference_unsafe(normalized_idx)[]
 
     @always_inline("nodebug")
-    fn __refitem__[
+    fn __getitem__[
         IntableType: Intable,
         index: IntableType,
-    ](self: Reference[Self, _, _]) -> Reference[
-        Self.ElementType, self.is_mutable, self.lifetime
-    ]:
+    ](self: Reference[Self, _, _]) -> ref [self.lifetime] Self.ElementType:
         """Get a `Reference` to the element at the given index.
 
         Parameters:
@@ -389,7 +387,7 @@ struct InlineArray[ElementType: CollectionElement, size: Int](Sized):
         if i < 0:
             normalized_idx += size
 
-        return self[]._get_reference_unsafe(normalized_idx)
+        return self[]._get_reference_unsafe(normalized_idx)[]
 
     # ===------------------------------------------------------------------=== #
     # Trait implementations
@@ -414,7 +412,7 @@ struct InlineArray[ElementType: CollectionElement, size: Int](Sized):
     ) -> Reference[Self.ElementType, self.is_mutable, self.lifetime]:
         """Get a reference to an element of self without checking index bounds.
 
-        Users should opt for `__refitem__` instead of this method.
+        Users should opt for `__getitem__` instead of this method.
         """
         var ptr = __mlir_op.`pop.array.gep`(
             UnsafePointer.address_of(self[]._array).address,
diff --git a/stdlib/src/utils/variant.mojo b/stdlib/src/utils/variant.mojo
index 3adcf36ed7..b1dcc7cd57 100644
--- a/stdlib/src/utils/variant.mojo
+++ b/stdlib/src/utils/variant.mojo
@@ -210,11 +210,9 @@ struct Variant[*Ts: CollectionElement](CollectionElement):
     # Operator dunders
     # ===-------------------------------------------------------------------===#
 
-    fn __refitem__[
+    fn __getitem__[
         T: CollectionElement
-    ](self: Reference[Self, _, _]) -> Reference[
-        T, self.is_mutable, self.lifetime
-    ]:
+    ](self: Reference[Self, _, _]) -> ref [self.lifetime] T:
         """Get the value out of the variant as a type-checked type.
 
         This explicitly check that your value is of that type!
@@ -233,7 +231,7 @@ struct Variant[*Ts: CollectionElement](CollectionElement):
         if not self[].isa[T]():
             abort("get: wrong variant type")
 
-        return self[].unsafe_get[T]()
+        return self[].unsafe_get[T]()[]
 
     # ===-------------------------------------------------------------------===#
     # Methods