diff --git a/transforms/__testfixtures__/remove-forward-ref/typescript/props-type-literal.output.js b/transforms/__testfixtures__/remove-forward-ref/typescript/props-type-literal.output.js
index 56fa6f5..1cf872b 100644
--- a/transforms/__testfixtures__/remove-forward-ref/typescript/props-type-literal.output.js
+++ b/transforms/__testfixtures__/remove-forward-ref/typescript/props-type-literal.output.js
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ const MyComponent = function Component(
         ref: myRef,
         ...myProps
     }: { a: 1 } & {
-        ref: React.RefObject<unknown>
+        ref?: React.RefObject<unknown>
     }
 ) {
     return null;
diff --git a/transforms/__testfixtures__/remove-forward-ref/typescript/type-arguments-custom-names.output.js b/transforms/__testfixtures__/remove-forward-ref/typescript/type-arguments-custom-names.output.js
index e868776..2bd796f 100644
--- a/transforms/__testfixtures__/remove-forward-ref/typescript/type-arguments-custom-names.output.js
+++ b/transforms/__testfixtures__/remove-forward-ref/typescript/type-arguments-custom-names.output.js
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ const MyComponent = function Component(
     ref: myRef,
     ...myProps
   }: Props & {
-    ref: React.RefObject<HTMLButtonElement>
+    ref?: React.RefObject<HTMLButtonElement>
   }
 ) {
   return null;
diff --git a/transforms/__testfixtures__/remove-forward-ref/typescript/type-arguments-type-literals.output.js b/transforms/__testfixtures__/remove-forward-ref/typescript/type-arguments-type-literals.output.js
index f569dfc..340f09d 100644
--- a/transforms/__testfixtures__/remove-forward-ref/typescript/type-arguments-type-literals.output.js
+++ b/transforms/__testfixtures__/remove-forward-ref/typescript/type-arguments-type-literals.output.js
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ const MyInput = (
     ref,
     ...props
   }: { a: string } & {
-    ref: React.RefObject<RefValueType>
+    ref?: React.RefObject<RefValueType>
   }
 ) => {
   return null;
diff --git a/transforms/__testfixtures__/remove-forward-ref/typescript/type-arguments.output.js b/transforms/__testfixtures__/remove-forward-ref/typescript/type-arguments.output.js
index 23e1c16..13fcf70 100644
--- a/transforms/__testfixtures__/remove-forward-ref/typescript/type-arguments.output.js
+++ b/transforms/__testfixtures__/remove-forward-ref/typescript/type-arguments.output.js
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ const MyInput = (
     ref,
     ...props
   }: Props & {
-    ref: React.RefObject<HTMLInputElement>
+    ref?: React.RefObject<HTMLInputElement>
   }
 ) => {
   return null;
diff --git a/transforms/remove-forward-ref.ts b/transforms/remove-forward-ref.ts
index da7ad9d..92db46d 100644
--- a/transforms/remove-forward-ref.ts
+++ b/transforms/remove-forward-ref.ts
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ const buildPropsAndRefIntersectionTypeAnnotation = (
       j.tsTypeLiteral([
         j.tsPropertySignature.from({
           key: j.identifier('ref'),
+          optional: true,
           typeAnnotation: j.tsTypeAnnotation(
             j.tsTypeReference.from({
               typeName: j.tsQualifiedName(