diff --git a/packages/core-plugin-api/src/translation/useTranslationRef.test.tsx b/packages/core-plugin-api/src/translation/useTranslationRef.test.tsx
index 70d0c89a97..a8dbdc0402 100644
--- a/packages/core-plugin-api/src/translation/useTranslationRef.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/core-plugin-api/src/translation/useTranslationRef.test.tsx
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ import {
   withLogCollector,
 } from '@backstage/test-utils';
 import { renderHook } from '@testing-library/react-hooks';
-import { createTranslationRef } from './TranslationRef';
+import { createTranslationRef, TranslationRef } from './TranslationRef';
 import { useTranslationRef } from './useTranslationRef';
 // eslint-disable-next-line @backstage/no-relative-monorepo-imports
 import { I18nextTranslationApi } from '../../../core-app-api/src/apis/implementations/TranslationApi';
@@ -284,4 +284,42 @@ describe('useTranslationRef', () => {
       },
     ]);
   });
+
+  it('should handle translationRef switches', async () => {
+    const ref1 = createTranslationRef({
+      id: 'test1',
+      messages: {
+        key: 'default1',
+      },
+    });
+    const ref2 = createTranslationRef({
+      id: 'test2',
+      messages: {
+        key: 'default2',
+      },
+    });
+
+    const languageApi = AppLanguageSelector.create();
+    const translationApi = I18nextTranslationApi.create({ languageApi });
+
+    const { result, rerender } = renderHook(
+      ({ translationRef }) => useTranslationRef(translationRef),
+      {
+        wrapper: ({ children }) => (
+          <TestApiProvider
+            apis={[
+              [translationApiRef, translationApi],
+              [errorApiRef, { post: jest.fn() }],
+            ]}
+            children={children}
+          />
+        ),
+        initialProps: { translationRef: ref1 as TranslationRef },
+      },
+    );
+
+    expect(result.current.t('key')).toBe('default1');
+    rerender({ translationRef: ref2 });
+    expect(result.current.t('key')).toBe('default2');
+  });
 });
diff --git a/packages/core-plugin-api/src/translation/useTranslationRef.ts b/packages/core-plugin-api/src/translation/useTranslationRef.ts
index 50d6d4d85a..b874ac93d8 100644
--- a/packages/core-plugin-api/src/translation/useTranslationRef.ts
+++ b/packages/core-plugin-api/src/translation/useTranslationRef.ts
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
-import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useState } from 'react';
+import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState } from 'react';
 import { errorApiRef, useApi } from '../apis';
 import {
   translationApiRef,
@@ -73,6 +73,16 @@ export const useTranslationRef = <
     };
   }, [observable, onError]);
 
+  // Keep track of if the provided translation ref changes, and in that case update the snapshot
+  const initialRenderRef = useRef(true);
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (initialRenderRef.current) {
+      initialRenderRef.current = false;
+    } else {
+      setSnapshot(translationApi.getTranslation(translationRef));
+    }
+  }, [translationApi, translationRef]);
+
   if (!snapshot.ready) {
     throw new Promise<void>(resolve => {
       const subscription = observable.subscribe({