diff --git a/drivers/base/swnode.c b/drivers/base/swnode.c
index 604d7327bba7..0b081dee1e95 100644
--- a/drivers/base/swnode.c
+++ b/drivers/base/swnode.c
@@ -479,9 +479,8 @@ software_node_get_reference_args(const struct fwnode_handle *fwnode,
 				 struct fwnode_reference_args *args)
 {
 	struct swnode *swnode = to_swnode(fwnode);
-	const struct software_node_reference *ref;
 	const struct software_node_ref_args *ref_array;
-	const struct software_node_ref_args *ref_args;
+	const struct software_node_ref_args *ref;
 	const struct property_entry *prop;
 	struct fwnode_handle *refnode;
 	u32 nargs_prop_val;
@@ -492,37 +491,26 @@ software_node_get_reference_args(const struct fwnode_handle *fwnode,
 		return -ENOENT;
 
 	prop = property_entry_get(swnode->node->properties, propname);
-	if (prop) {
-		if (prop->type != DEV_PROP_REF)
-			return -EINVAL;
+	if (!prop)
+		return -ENOENT;
 
-		/*
-		 * We expect that references are never stored inline, even
-		 * single ones, as they are too big.
-		 */
-		if (prop->is_inline)
-			return -EINVAL;
+	if (prop->type != DEV_PROP_REF)
+		return -EINVAL;
 
-		if (index * sizeof(*ref_args) >= prop->length)
-			return -ENOENT;
+	/*
+	 * We expect that references are never stored inline, even
+	 * single ones, as they are too big.
+	 */
+	if (prop->is_inline)
+		return -EINVAL;
 
-		ref_array = prop->pointer;
-		ref_args = &ref_array[index];
-	} else {
-		if (!swnode->node->references)
-			return -ENOENT;
+	if (index * sizeof(*ref) >= prop->length)
+		return -ENOENT;
 
-		for (ref = swnode->node->references; ref->name; ref++)
-			if (!strcmp(ref->name, propname))
-				break;
+	ref_array = prop->pointer;
+	ref = &ref_array[index];
 
-		if (!ref->name || index > (ref->nrefs - 1))
-			return -ENOENT;
-
-		ref_args = &ref->refs[index];
-	}
-
-	refnode = software_node_fwnode(ref_args->node);
+	refnode = software_node_fwnode(ref->node);
 	if (!refnode)
 		return -ENOENT;
 
@@ -543,7 +531,7 @@ software_node_get_reference_args(const struct fwnode_handle *fwnode,
 	args->nargs = nargs;
 
 	for (i = 0; i < nargs; i++)
-		args->args[i] = ref_args->args[i];
+		args->args[i] = ref->args[i];
 
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/include/linux/property.h b/include/linux/property.h
index 3df7089f0dbd..d86de017c689 100644
--- a/include/linux/property.h
+++ b/include/linux/property.h
@@ -416,30 +416,16 @@ int fwnode_graph_parse_endpoint(const struct fwnode_handle *fwnode,
 /* -------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 /* Software fwnode support - when HW description is incomplete or missing */
 
-/**
- * struct software_node_reference - Named software node reference property
- * @name: Name of the property
- * @nrefs: Number of elements in @refs array
- * @refs: Array of references with optional arguments
- */
-struct software_node_reference {
-	const char *name;
-	unsigned int nrefs;
-	const struct software_node_ref_args *refs;
-};
-
 /**
  * struct software_node - Software node description
  * @name: Name of the software node
  * @parent: Parent of the software node
  * @properties: Array of device properties
- * @references: Array of software node reference properties
  */
 struct software_node {
 	const char *name;
 	const struct software_node *parent;
 	const struct property_entry *properties;
-	const struct software_node_reference *references;
 };
 
 bool is_software_node(const struct fwnode_handle *fwnode);