diff --git a/packages/runtime-core/__tests__/helpers/useTemplateRef.spec.ts b/packages/runtime-core/__tests__/helpers/useTemplateRef.spec.ts
index adc8ed66c..2e21e152b 100644
--- a/packages/runtime-core/__tests__/helpers/useTemplateRef.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/runtime-core/__tests__/helpers/useTemplateRef.spec.ts
@@ -70,18 +70,23 @@ describe('useTemplateRef', () => {
     expect(t1!.value).toBe(null)
   })
 
-  test('should warn on duplicate useTemplateRef', () => {
+  test('should warn and return same value on duplicate useTemplateRef', async () => {
+    let f1, f2
+    const key = ref('foo')
     const root = nodeOps.createElement('div')
     render(
       h(() => {
-        useTemplateRef('foo')
-        useTemplateRef('foo')
-        return ''
+        f1 = useTemplateRef('foo')
+        f2 = useTemplateRef('foo')
+        return h('div', { ref: key.value })
       }),
       root,
     )
-
+    await nextTick()
     expect(`useTemplateRef('foo') already exists.`).toHaveBeenWarned()
+    expect(f1!.value).toBe(root.children[0])
+    expect(f2!.value).toBe(root.children[0])
+    expect(f1!.value).toEqual(f2!.value)
   })
 
   // #11795
diff --git a/packages/runtime-core/src/helpers/useTemplateRef.ts b/packages/runtime-core/src/helpers/useTemplateRef.ts
index f516d14c9..a84545396 100644
--- a/packages/runtime-core/src/helpers/useTemplateRef.ts
+++ b/packages/runtime-core/src/helpers/useTemplateRef.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { type ShallowRef, readonly, shallowRef } from '@vue/reactivity'
+import { type ShallowRef, readonly, shallowRef, toRef } from '@vue/reactivity'
 import { getCurrentInstance } from '../component'
 import { warn } from '../warning'
 import { EMPTY_OBJ } from '@vue/shared'
@@ -16,11 +16,13 @@ export function useTemplateRef<T = unknown, Keys extends string = string>(
     const refs = i.refs === EMPTY_OBJ ? (i.refs = {}) : i.refs
     let desc: PropertyDescriptor | undefined
     if (
-      __DEV__ &&
       (desc = Object.getOwnPropertyDescriptor(refs, key)) &&
       !desc.configurable
     ) {
-      warn(`useTemplateRef('${key}') already exists.`)
+      if (__DEV__) {
+        warn(`useTemplateRef('${key}') already exists.`)
+      }
+      return toRef(() => refs[key]) as unknown as Readonly<ShallowRef<T>>
     } else {
       Object.defineProperty(refs, key, {
         enumerable: true,