diff --git a/mirar/pipelines/winter/blocks.py b/mirar/pipelines/winter/blocks.py
index 70454ba0a..1039e298c 100644
--- a/mirar/pipelines/winter/blocks.py
+++ b/mirar/pipelines/winter/blocks.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
     winter_astrometric_catalog_generator,
     winter_astrostat_catalog_purifier,
     winter_photometric_catalog_generator,
+    winter_refbuild_reference_generator,
     winter_reference_generator,
     winter_reference_image_resampler,
     winter_reference_psfex,
@@ -106,7 +107,7 @@
 ]
 
 refbuild = [
-    GetReferenceImage(ref_image_generator=winter_reference_generator),
+    GetReferenceImage(ref_image_generator=winter_refbuild_reference_generator),
     ImageSaver(output_dir_name="stacked_ref"),
 ]
 
diff --git a/mirar/pipelines/winter/generator.py b/mirar/pipelines/winter/generator.py
index 004044f9e..bb5579e73 100644
--- a/mirar/pipelines/winter/generator.py
+++ b/mirar/pipelines/winter/generator.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 Module with generators for WINTER pipeline
 """
 import logging
+import os
 
 import numpy as np
 from astropy.table import Table
@@ -26,6 +27,7 @@
 )
 from mirar.processors.photcal import PhotCalibrator
 from mirar.processors.split import SUB_ID_KEY
+from mirar.references.local import RefFromPath
 from mirar.references.ukirt import UKIRTRef
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -234,3 +236,51 @@ def winter_reference_generator(image: Image):
         skip_online_query=False,
         stack_id_generator=winter_reference_stackid_generator,
     )
+
+
+def winter_refbuild_reference_generator(image: Image):
+    """
+    Generates a reference image for the winter data
+    Args:
+        db_table: Database table to search for existing image
+        image: Image
+
+    Returns:
+
+    """
+    components_image_dir = get_output_dir(
+        dir_root="components", sub_dir="winter/references"
+    )
+    stack_image_dir = get_output_dir(
+        dir_root="stacked_ref", sub_dir="winter/references"
+    )
+    if not components_image_dir.exists():
+        components_image_dir.mkdir(parents=True)
+
+    filtername = image["FILTER"]
+    # TODO if in_ukirt and in_vista, different processing
+    fieldid = int(image["FIELDID"])
+    subdetid = int(image[SUB_ID_KEY])
+    logger.debug(f"Fieldid: {fieldid}, subdetid: {subdetid}")
+
+    stack_image_path = stack_image_dir / f"field{fieldid}_subdet{subdetid}_ref.fits"
+
+    if os.path.exists(stack_image_path):
+        logger.debug(f"Found reference image in database: {stack_image_path}")
+        return RefFromPath(path=stack_image_path, filter_name=filtername)
+
+    return UKIRTRef(
+        filter_name=filtername,
+        swarp_resampler=winter_reference_image_resampler,
+        sextractor_generator=ref_sextractor,
+        phot_calibrator_generator=winter_reference_phot_calibrator,
+        num_query_points=9,
+        query_table=RefQueries,
+        components_table=RefComponents,
+        write_to_db=False,
+        write_db_table=RefStacks,
+        component_image_dir=components_image_dir.as_posix(),
+        night_sub_dir="winter/references",
+        skip_online_query=False,
+        stack_id_generator=winter_reference_stackid_generator,
+    )
diff --git a/mirar/pipelines/winter/ingest_references.py b/mirar/pipelines/winter/ingest_references.py
index 7d88a6e2c..b51a3b8e5 100644
--- a/mirar/pipelines/winter/ingest_references.py
+++ b/mirar/pipelines/winter/ingest_references.py
@@ -49,6 +49,8 @@ def export_image_to_db(path: str, db_table=RefComponents, pg_user=PostgresUser()
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
     parser.add_argument("-sub_dir", type=str, default="components")
     parser.add_argument("-base_output_dir", type=str, default=base_output_dir)
+
+    parser.add_argument("-base_ref_dir", type=str, default=base_output_dir)
     parser.add_argument("-level", type=str, default="INFO")
     args = parser.parse_args()