diff --git a/packages/frontend-plugin-api/src/components/coreComponentRefs.ts b/packages/frontend-plugin-api/src/components/coreComponentRefs.ts
index 64412b8710..0a4aa10cf6 100644
--- a/packages/frontend-plugin-api/src/components/coreComponentRefs.ts
+++ b/packages/frontend-plugin-api/src/components/coreComponentRefs.ts
@@ -23,16 +23,19 @@ import { createComponentRef } from './createComponentRef';
 
 const coreProgressComponentRef = createComponentRef<CoreProgressProps>({
   id: 'core.components.progress',
+  mode: 'sync',
 });
 
 const coreNotFoundErrorPageComponentRef =
   createComponentRef<CoreNotFoundErrorPageProps>({
     id: 'core.components.notFoundErrorPage',
+    mode: 'sync',
   });
 
 const coreErrorBoundaryFallbackComponentRef =
   createComponentRef<CoreErrorBoundaryFallbackProps>({
     id: 'core.components.errorBoundaryFallback',
+    mode: 'sync',
   });
 
 /** @public */
diff --git a/packages/frontend-plugin-api/src/components/createComponentRef.test.tsx b/packages/frontend-plugin-api/src/components/createComponentRef.test.tsx
index 32912ca3d5..751daa0c3f 100644
--- a/packages/frontend-plugin-api/src/components/createComponentRef.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/frontend-plugin-api/src/components/createComponentRef.test.tsx
@@ -29,26 +29,29 @@ describe('createComponentRef', () => {
     createComponentRef<{ foo: string }, { bar: string }>({
       id: 'foo',
       mode: 'sync',
-      defaultComponent: ({ bar }) => <Test key={bar} />,
+      defaultComponent: ({ foo }) => <Test key={foo} />,
     });
 
     createComponentRef<{ foo: string }, { bar: string }>({
       id: 'foo',
       mode: 'async',
-      defaultComponent: async () => <Test />,
+      defaultComponent:
+        async () =>
+        ({ foo }) =>
+          <Test key={foo} />,
     });
 
-    // @ts-expect-error - this should be an error as mode is sync
     createComponentRef<{ foo: string }, { bar: string }>({
       id: 'foo',
       mode: 'sync',
-      defaultComponent: async ({ bar }) => <Test key={bar} />,
+      // @ts-expect-error - this should be an error as mode is sync
+      defaultComponent: async ({ foo }) => <Test key={foo} />,
     });
 
-    // @ts-expect-error - this should be an error as mode is async
     createComponentRef<{ foo: string }, { bar: string }>({
       id: 'foo',
       mode: 'async',
+      // @ts-expect-error - this should be an error as mode is async
       defaultComponent: ({ bar }) => <Test key={bar} />,
     });
 
@@ -74,6 +77,12 @@ describe('createComponentRef', () => {
       transformProps: props => ({ foo: 1 }),
     });
 
+    createComponentRef<{ foo: string }, { bar: string }>({
+      id: 'foo',
+      mode: 'sync',
+      transformProps: props => ({ foo: props.bar }),
+    });
+
     expect(true).toBe(true);
   });
 });
diff --git a/packages/frontend-plugin-api/src/components/createComponentRef.tsx b/packages/frontend-plugin-api/src/components/createComponentRef.tsx
index 37095ca055..3912b6bdad 100644
--- a/packages/frontend-plugin-api/src/components/createComponentRef.tsx
+++ b/packages/frontend-plugin-api/src/components/createComponentRef.tsx
@@ -14,33 +14,30 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
+import { OpaqueComponentRef } from '@internal/frontend';
+
 /** @public */
 export type ComponentRef<
-  TInnerComponentProps,
-  TExternalComponentProps,
-  TMode extends 'sync' | 'async',
+  TInnerComponentProps = {},
+  TExternalComponentProps = TInnerComponentProps,
 > = {
   id: string;
-  mode: TMode;
-  transformProps?: (props: TExternalComponentProps) => TInnerComponentProps;
-  defaultComponent?: TMode extends 'async'
-    ? (props: TExternalComponentProps) => Promise<JSX.Element>
-    : TMode extends 'sync'
-    ? (props: TExternalComponentProps) => JSX.Element
-    : never;
+  TProps: TInnerComponentProps;
+  TExternalProps: TExternalComponentProps;
+  $$type: '@backstage/ComponentRef';
 };
 
 export interface ComponentRefOptions<
-  TInnerComponentProps,
-  TExternalComponentProps,
+  TInnerComponentProps extends object,
+  TExternalComponentProps extends object,
   TMode extends 'sync' | 'async',
 > {
   id: string;
   mode: TMode;
   defaultComponent?: TMode extends 'async'
-    ? (props: TExternalComponentProps) => Promise<JSX.Element>
+    ? () => Promise<(props: TInnerComponentProps) => JSX.Element>
     : TMode extends 'sync'
-    ? (props: TExternalComponentProps) => JSX.Element
+    ? (props: TInnerComponentProps) => JSX.Element
     : never;
   transformProps?: (props: TExternalComponentProps) => TInnerComponentProps;
 }
@@ -50,51 +47,52 @@ export interface ComponentRefOptions<
  * @public
  */
 export function createComponentRef<
-  TInnerComponentProps,
-  TExternalComponentProps,
+  TInnerComponentProps extends object,
+  TExternalComponentProps extends object = TInnerComponentProps,
 >(
   options: ComponentRefOptions<
     TInnerComponentProps,
     TExternalComponentProps,
     'sync'
   >,
-): ComponentRef<TInnerComponentProps, TExternalComponentProps, 'sync'>;
+): ComponentRef<TInnerComponentProps, TExternalComponentProps>;
 
 /**
  * Creates a new component ref that is asynchronous.
  * @public
  */
 export function createComponentRef<
-  TInnerComponentProps,
-  TExternalComponentProps,
+  TInnerComponentProps extends object,
+  TExternalComponentProps extends object = TInnerComponentProps,
 >(
   options: ComponentRefOptions<
     TInnerComponentProps,
     TExternalComponentProps,
     'async'
   >,
-): ComponentRef<TInnerComponentProps, TExternalComponentProps, 'async'>;
+): ComponentRef<TInnerComponentProps, TExternalComponentProps>;
 
 export function createComponentRef<
-  TInnerComponentProps,
-  TExternalComponentProps,
-  TMode extends 'sync' | 'async',
+  TInnerComponentProps extends object,
+  TExternalComponentProps extends object,
 >(
   options: ComponentRefOptions<
     TInnerComponentProps,
     TExternalComponentProps,
-    TMode
+    'async' | 'sync'
   >,
-): ComponentRef<TInnerComponentProps, TExternalComponentProps, TMode> {
-  const { id, mode, defaultComponent, transformProps } = options;
-
-  return {
-    id,
-    mode,
-    defaultComponent,
-    transformProps,
+): ComponentRef<TInnerComponentProps, TExternalComponentProps> {
+  return OpaqueComponentRef.createInstance('v1', {
+    id: options.id,
+    TProps: {} as TInnerComponentProps,
+    TExternalProps: {} as TExternalComponentProps,
     toString() {
-      return `ComponentRef{id=${id}}`;
+      return `ComponentRef{id=${options.id}}`;
     },
-  } as ComponentRef<TInnerComponentProps, TExternalComponentProps, TMode>;
+    options: {
+      mode: options.mode,
+      defaultComponent: options.defaultComponent,
+      transformProps: options.transformProps,
+    },
+  });
 }
diff --git a/packages/frontend-plugin-api/src/components/makeComponentFromRef.test.tsx b/packages/frontend-plugin-api/src/components/makeComponentFromRef.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ffaa9d5ccf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/frontend-plugin-api/src/components/makeComponentFromRef.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,128 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2025 The Backstage Authors
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+import { render, screen } from '@testing-library/react';
+import { createComponentRef } from './createComponentRef';
+import { makeComponentFromRef } from './makeComponentFromRef';
+
+describe('makeComponentFromRef', () => {
+  describe('sync', () => {
+    it('should create a component from a ref for sync component', () => {
+      const ref = createComponentRef({
+        id: 'random',
+        mode: 'sync',
+        defaultComponent: (props: { name: string }) => {
+          return <div data-testid="test">{props.name}</div>;
+        },
+      });
+
+      const Component = makeComponentFromRef({ ref });
+
+      render(<Component name="test" />);
+
+      expect(screen.getByTestId('test')).toHaveTextContent('test');
+    });
+
+    it('should render a fallback when theres no default implementation provided', () => {
+      const ref = createComponentRef({
+        id: 'random',
+        mode: 'sync',
+      });
+
+      const Component = makeComponentFromRef({ ref });
+
+      render(<Component />);
+
+      expect(screen.getByTestId('random')).toBeInTheDocument();
+    });
+
+    it('should map props from external to internal', () => {
+      const ref = createComponentRef({
+        id: 'random',
+        mode: 'sync',
+        transformProps: (props: { name: string }) => ({
+          uppercase: props.name.toUpperCase(),
+        }),
+        defaultComponent: props => {
+          // @ts-expect-error as uppercase is types as a string
+          const test: number = props.uppercase;
+
+          return <div data-testid="test">{props.uppercase}</div>;
+        },
+      });
+
+      const Component = makeComponentFromRef({ ref });
+
+      render(<Component name="test" />);
+
+      expect(screen.getByTestId('test')).toHaveTextContent('TEST');
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('async', () => {
+    it('should create a component from a ref for async component', async () => {
+      const ref = createComponentRef({
+        id: 'random',
+        mode: 'async',
+        defaultComponent: async () => (props: { name: string }) => {
+          return <div data-testid="test">{props.name}</div>;
+        },
+      });
+
+      const Component = makeComponentFromRef({ ref });
+
+      render(<Component name="test" />);
+
+      await expect(screen.findByTestId('test')).resolves.toBeInTheDocument();
+    });
+
+    it('should render a fallback when theres no default implementation provided', async () => {
+      const ref = createComponentRef({
+        id: 'random',
+        mode: 'async',
+      });
+
+      const Component = makeComponentFromRef({ ref });
+
+      render(<Component />);
+
+      await expect(screen.findByTestId('random')).resolves.toBeInTheDocument();
+    });
+
+    it('should map props from external to internal', async () => {
+      const ref = createComponentRef({
+        id: 'random',
+        mode: 'async',
+        transformProps: (props: { name: string }) => ({
+          uppercase: props.name.toUpperCase(),
+        }),
+        defaultComponent: async () => props => {
+          // @ts-expect-error as uppercase is types as a string
+          const test: number = props.uppercase;
+
+          return <div data-testid="test">{props.uppercase}</div>;
+        },
+      });
+
+      const Component = makeComponentFromRef({ ref });
+
+      render(<Component name="test" />);
+
+      await expect(screen.findByTestId('test')).resolves.toHaveTextContent(
+        'TEST',
+      );
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/frontend-plugin-api/src/components/makeComponentFromRef.tsx b/packages/frontend-plugin-api/src/components/makeComponentFromRef.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ef3ca0ac4b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/frontend-plugin-api/src/components/makeComponentFromRef.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2025 The Backstage Authors
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+import { lazy, Suspense } from 'react';
+import { ComponentRef } from './createComponentRef';
+import { OpaqueComponentRef } from '@internal/frontend';
+import { Progress } from '@backstage/core-components';
+
+export function makeComponentFromRef<
+  InternalComponentProps extends object,
+  ExternalComponentProps extends object,
+>({
+  ref,
+}: {
+  ref: ComponentRef<InternalComponentProps, ExternalComponentProps>;
+}): (props: ExternalComponentProps) => JSX.Element {
+  const { options } = OpaqueComponentRef.toInternal(ref);
+  const FallbackComponent = (p: JSX.IntrinsicAttributes) => (
+    <div data-testid={ref.id} {...p} />
+  );
+
+  const ComponentRefImpl = (props: ExternalComponentProps) => {
+    const innerProps = options.transformProps?.(props) ?? props;
+
+    if (options.mode === 'sync') {
+      const DefaultImplementation =
+        options.defaultComponent ?? FallbackComponent;
+
+      return <DefaultImplementation {...innerProps} />;
+    }
+
+    const DefaultImplementation = lazy(
+      () =>
+        options.defaultComponent?.().then(c => {
+          return { default: c };
+        }) ??
+        Promise.resolve({
+          default: FallbackComponent,
+        }),
+    );
+
+    return (
+      <Suspense>
+        <DefaultImplementation {...innerProps} />
+      </Suspense>
+    );
+  };
+
+  return ComponentRefImpl;
+}