diff --git a/compilerplugins/clang/test/vclwidgets.cxx b/compilerplugins/clang/test/vclwidgets.cxx
index c18c775c054a..d7926c0c4e98 100644
--- a/compilerplugins/clang/test/vclwidgets.cxx
+++ b/compilerplugins/clang/test/vclwidgets.cxx
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@
  */
 
 #include <sal/config.h>
+
+#include <vcl/vclptr.hxx>
 #include <vcl/vclreferencebase.hxx>
 
 struct Widget : public VclReferenceBase
diff --git a/include/vcl/abstdlg.hxx b/include/vcl/abstdlg.hxx
index c173326706c8..5303165f2e9b 100644
--- a/include/vcl/abstdlg.hxx
+++ b/include/vcl/abstdlg.hxx
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 #include <rtl/ustring.hxx>
 #include <tools/link.hxx>
 #include <vcl/dllapi.h>
+#include <vcl/vclptr.hxx>
 #include <vcl/vclreferencebase.hxx>
 #include <vector>
 
diff --git a/include/vcl/vclreferencebase.hxx b/include/vcl/vclreferencebase.hxx
index dbd3bc9ae1ae..ce3e973dac8c 100644
--- a/include/vcl/vclreferencebase.hxx
+++ b/include/vcl/vclreferencebase.hxx
@@ -20,8 +20,8 @@
 #define INCLUDED_VCL_Reference_HXX
 
 #include <vcl/dllapi.h>
-#include <vcl/vclptr.hxx>
 #include <tools/debug.hxx>
+
 #include <cassert>
 
 class VclReferenceBase;
@@ -30,8 +30,7 @@ class VCL_DLLPUBLIC VclReferenceBase
 {
     mutable int mnRefCnt;
 
-    template<typename T> friend class ::rtl::Reference;
-    template<typename T> friend class ::VclPtr;
+    template<typename T> friend class VclPtr;
 
 public:
     inline void acquire() const