diff --git a/doc/qweb.md b/doc/qweb.md
index e20bdf18..3d5a626b 100644
--- a/doc/qweb.md
+++ b/doc/qweb.md
@@ -294,14 +294,14 @@ There is another way to format a string attribute: the `t-attf-` directive. With
 it, you get string interpolation:
 
 ```xml
-<div t-attf-foo="a {{value1}} is {{value2}} of {{value3}} ]"/>
+<div t-attf-foo="a #{value1} is #{value2} of #{value3} ]"/>
 <!-- result if values are set to 1,2 and 3: <div foo="a 0 is 1 of 2 ]"></div> -->
 ```
 
 For historical reason, there is an alternate form of string interpolation:
 
 ```xml
-<div t-attf-foo="a #{value1} is #{value2} of #{value3} ]"/>
+<div t-attf-foo="a {{value1}} is {{value2}} of {{value3}} ]"/>
 <!-- result if values are set to 1,2 and 3: <div foo="a 0 is 1 of 2 ]"></div> -->
 ```
 
@@ -480,6 +480,24 @@ some method on a sub widget.
 Note: if used on a component, the reference will be set in the `refs`
 variable between `willPatch` and `patched`.
 
+The `t-ref` directive also accepts dynamic values with string interpolation
+(like the `t-attf-` directive). For example, if we have `id` set to 44 in the
+rendering context,
+
+```xml
+<div t-ref="widget_#{id}"/>
+```
+
+```js
+this.refs.widget_44;
+```
+
+Similarly to `t-attf-`, there is an alternate form of string interpolation:
+
+```xml
+<div t-ref="widget_{{id}}"/>
+```
+
 ### `t-key` directive
 
 Even though Owl tries to be as declarative as possible, some DOM state is still
diff --git a/extras/playground/samples.js b/extras/playground/samples.js
index f710e290..3351b395 100644
--- a/extras/playground/samples.js
+++ b/extras/playground/samples.js
@@ -551,7 +551,7 @@ const TODO_APP_STORE_XML = `<templates>
       </label>
       <button class="destroy" t-on-click="removeTodo"></button>
     </div>
-    <input class="edit" t-ref="'input'" t-if="state.isEditing" t-att-value="props.title" t-on-keyup="handleKeyup" t-mounted="focusInput" t-on-blur="handleBlur"/>
+    <input class="edit" t-ref="input" t-if="state.isEditing" t-att-value="props.title" t-on-keyup="handleKeyup" t-mounted="focusInput" t-on-blur="handleBlur"/>
   </li>
 </templates>`;
 
diff --git a/extras/playground/templates.xml b/extras/playground/templates.xml
index 40e73716..5b384e6b 100644
--- a/extras/playground/templates.xml
+++ b/extras/playground/templates.xml
@@ -2,12 +2,12 @@
   <div t-name="TabbedEditor" class="tabbed-editor">
     <div class="tabBar" t-att-class="{resizeable: props.resizeable}" t-on-mousedown="onMouseDown">
         <t t-foreach="['js', 'xml', 'css']" t-as="tab">
-            <a t-ref="tab" t-if="props[tab]" t-key="tab" class="tab flash" t-att-class="{active: state.currentTab===tab}" t-on-click="setTab(tab)">
+            <a t-ref="{{tab}}" t-if="props[tab]" t-key="tab" class="tab flash" t-att-class="{active: state.currentTab===tab}" t-on-click="setTab(tab)">
                 <t t-esc="tab"/>
             </a>
         </t>
     </div>
-    <div class="code-editor" t-ref="'editor'"></div>
+    <div class="code-editor" t-ref="editor"></div>
   </div>
 
   <div t-name="App" class="playground">
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@
         <div t-if="state.error" class="error">
           <t t-esc="state.error"/>
         </div>
-        <div class="content" t-ref="'content'"/>
+        <div class="content" t-ref="content"/>
       </div>
   </div>
 </templates>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/qweb_core.ts b/src/qweb_core.ts
index 46b2a48f..409fcdb5 100644
--- a/src/qweb_core.ts
+++ b/src/qweb_core.ts
@@ -483,9 +483,6 @@ export class QWeb {
         props.push(`${key}: _${val}`);
       }
     }
-    function formatter(expr) {
-      return "${" + ctx.formatExpression(expr) + "}";
-    }
 
     for (let i = 0; i < attributes.length; i++) {
       let name = attributes[i].name;
@@ -544,17 +541,13 @@ export class QWeb {
           // attribute contains 'non letters' => we want to quote it
           attName = '"' + attName + '"';
         }
-        const formattedExpr = value!
-          .replace(/\{\{.*?\}\}/g, s => formatter(s.slice(2, -2)))
-          .replace(/\#\{.*?\}/g, s => formatter(s.slice(2, -1)));
+        const formattedExpr = ctx.interpolate(value);
         const attID = ctx.generateID();
         let staticVal = (<Element>node).getAttribute(attName);
         if (staticVal) {
-          ctx.addLine(
-            `var _${attID} = '${staticVal} ' + \`${formattedExpr}\`;`
-          );
+          ctx.addLine(`var _${attID} = '${staticVal} ' + ${formattedExpr};`);
         } else {
-          ctx.addLine(`var _${attID} = \`${formattedExpr}\`;`);
+          ctx.addLine(`var _${attID} = ${formattedExpr};`);
         }
         attrs.push(`${attName}: _${attID}`);
       }
@@ -758,4 +751,28 @@ export class Context {
     const result = r.slice(0, -1);
     return result;
   }
+
+  /**
+   * Perform string interpolation on the given string. Note that if the whole
+   * string is an expression, it simply returns it (formatted).
+   * For instance:
+   *   'Hello {{x}}!' -> `Hello ${x}`
+   *   '{{x}}' -> x
+   */
+  interpolate(s: string): string {
+    let matches = s.match(/\{\{.*?\}\}/g);
+    if (matches && matches[0].length === s.length) {
+      return this.formatExpression(s.slice(2, -2));
+    }
+    matches = s.match(/\#\{.*?\}/g);
+    if (matches && matches[0].length === s.length) {
+      return this.formatExpression(s.slice(2, -1));
+    }
+
+    let formatter = expr => "${" + this.formatExpression(expr) + "}";
+    let r = s
+      .replace(/\{\{.*?\}\}/g, s => formatter(s.slice(2, -2)))
+      .replace(/\#\{.*?\}/g, s => formatter(s.slice(2, -1)));
+    return "`" + r + "`";
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/qweb_extensions.ts b/src/qweb_extensions.ts
index 6cd817e2..0d03441c 100644
--- a/src/qweb_extensions.ts
+++ b/src/qweb_extensions.ts
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ QWeb.addDirective({
   priority: 95,
   atNodeCreation({ ctx, value, addNodeHook }) {
     const refKey = `ref${ctx.generateID()}`;
-    ctx.addLine(`const ${refKey} = ${ctx.formatExpression(value)}`);
+    ctx.addLine(`const ${refKey} = ${ctx.interpolate(value)};`);
     addNodeHook("create", `context.refs[${refKey}] = n.elm;`);
   }
 });
@@ -391,7 +391,7 @@ QWeb.addDirective({
     let refKey: string = "";
     if (ref) {
       refKey = `ref${ctx.generateID()}`;
-      ctx.addLine(`const ${refKey} = ${ctx.formatExpression(ref)}`);
+      ctx.addLine(`const ${refKey} = ${ctx.interpolate(ref)};`);
       refExpr = `context.refs[${refKey}] = w${widgetID};`;
     }
     let transitionsInsertCode = "";
diff --git a/tests/__snapshots__/qweb.test.ts.snap b/tests/__snapshots__/qweb.test.ts.snap
index 8a562c6b..9ee9966a 100644
--- a/tests/__snapshots__/qweb.test.ts.snap
+++ b/tests/__snapshots__/qweb.test.ts.snap
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ exports[`attributes format expression 1`] = `
 "function anonymous(context,extra
 ) {
     var h = this.utils.h;
-    var _1 = \`\${context['value'] + 37}\`;
+    var _1 = context['value'] + 37;
     let c2 = [], p2 = {key:2,attrs:{foo: _1}};
     var vn2 = h('div', p2, c2);
     return vn2;
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ exports[`attributes format expression, other format 1`] = `
 "function anonymous(context,extra
 ) {
     var h = this.utils.h;
-    var _1 = \`\${context['value'] + 37}\`;
+    var _1 = context['value'] + 37;
     let c2 = [], p2 = {key:2,attrs:{foo: _1}};
     var vn2 = h('div', p2, c2);
     return vn2;
@@ -1494,7 +1494,7 @@ exports[`t-ref can get a dynamic ref on a node 1`] = `
     let c2 = [], p2 = {key:2};
     var vn2 = h('span', p2, c2);
     c1.push(vn2);
-    const ref3 = 'myspan' + 3
+    const ref3 = \`myspan\${context['id']}\`;
     p2.hook = {
       create: (_, n) => {
         context.refs[ref3] = n.elm;
@@ -1513,7 +1513,7 @@ exports[`t-ref can get a ref on a node 1`] = `
     let c2 = [], p2 = {key:2};
     var vn2 = h('span', p2, c2);
     c1.push(vn2);
-    const ref3 = 'myspan'
+    const ref3 = \`myspan\`;
     p2.hook = {
       create: (_, n) => {
         context.refs[ref3] = n.elm;
@@ -1546,7 +1546,7 @@ exports[`t-ref refs in a loop 1`] = `
         let c5 = [], p5 = {key:context['item']};
         var vn5 = h('div', p5, c5);
         c1.push(vn5);
-        const ref6 = context['item']
+        const ref6 = context['item'];
         p5.hook = {
           create: (_, n) => {
             context.refs[ref6] = n.elm;
diff --git a/tests/animations.test.ts b/tests/animations.test.ts
index 2ff55f07..c72d7eef 100644
--- a/tests/animations.test.ts
+++ b/tests/animations.test.ts
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ describe("animations", () => {
 
     env.qweb.addTemplate(
       "TestWidget",
-      `<div><span t-ref="'span'" t-transition="chimay">blue</span></div>`
+      `<div><span t-ref="span" t-transition="chimay">blue</span></div>`
     );
     class TestWidget extends Widget {
       state = { hide: false };
diff --git a/tests/component.test.ts b/tests/component.test.ts
index 9c429c69..12d0b46c 100644
--- a/tests/component.test.ts
+++ b/tests/component.test.ts
@@ -896,7 +896,7 @@ describe("composition", () => {
   test("t-refs on widget are widgets", async () => {
     env.qweb.addTemplate(
       "WidgetC",
-      `<div>Hello<t t-ref="'mywidgetb'" t-widget="b"/></div>`
+      `<div>Hello<t t-ref="mywidgetb" t-widget="b"/></div>`
     );
     class WidgetC extends Widget {
       widgets = { b: WidgetB };
@@ -912,7 +912,7 @@ describe("composition", () => {
       "ParentWidget",
       `
         <div>
-          <t t-foreach="state.list" t-as="elem" t-ref="'child'" t-key="elem" t-widget="Widget"/>
+          <t t-foreach="state.list" t-as="elem" t-ref="child" t-key="elem" t-widget="Widget"/>
         </div>`
     );
     class ParentWidget extends Widget {
@@ -938,8 +938,8 @@ describe("composition", () => {
       "ParentWidget",
       `
         <div>
-          <t t-if="state.child1" t-ref="'child1'" t-widget="Widget"/>
-          <t t-if="state.child2" t-ref="'child2'" t-widget="Widget"/>
+          <t t-if="state.child1" t-ref="child1" t-widget="Widget"/>
+          <t t-if="state.child2" t-ref="child2" t-widget="Widget"/>
         </div>`
     );
     class ParentWidget extends Widget {
@@ -1004,7 +1004,7 @@ describe("composition", () => {
       "ParentWidget",
       `<div>
         <t t-foreach="state.items" t-as="item">
-          <t t-widget="Child" t-ref="item" t-key="item"/>
+          <t t-widget="Child" t-ref="{{item}}" t-key="item"/>
         </t>
       </div>`
     );
@@ -2277,7 +2277,7 @@ describe("t-mounted directive", () => {
   test("combined with a t-ref", async () => {
     env.qweb.addTemplate(
       "TestWidget",
-      `<div><input t-ref="'input'" t-mounted="f"/></div>`
+      `<div><input t-ref="input" t-mounted="f"/></div>`
     );
     class TestWidget extends Widget {
       f() {}
diff --git a/tests/qweb.test.ts b/tests/qweb.test.ts
index 4ba216ea..8ea2217c 100644
--- a/tests/qweb.test.ts
+++ b/tests/qweb.test.ts
@@ -1,10 +1,5 @@
 import { QWeb } from "../src/qweb_core";
-import {
-  normalize,
-  renderToDOM,
-  renderToString,
-  trim
-} from "./helpers";
+import { normalize, renderToDOM, renderToString, trim } from "./helpers";
 
 //------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Setup and helpers
@@ -1056,16 +1051,16 @@ describe("t-on", () => {
 
 describe("t-ref", () => {
   test("can get a ref on a node", () => {
-    qweb.addTemplate("test", `<div><span t-ref="'myspan'"/></div>`);
+    qweb.addTemplate("test", `<div><span t-ref="myspan"/></div>`);
     let refs: any = {};
     renderToDOM(qweb, "test", { refs });
     expect(refs.myspan.tagName).toBe("SPAN");
   });
 
   test("can get a dynamic ref on a node", () => {
-    qweb.addTemplate("test", `<div><span t-ref="'myspan' + 3"/></div>`);
+    qweb.addTemplate("test", `<div><span t-ref="myspan{{id}}"/></div>`);
     let refs: any = {};
-    renderToDOM(qweb, "test", { refs });
+    renderToDOM(qweb, "test", { refs, id: 3 });
     expect(refs.myspan3.tagName).toBe("SPAN");
   });
 
@@ -1075,7 +1070,7 @@ describe("t-ref", () => {
       `
       <div>
         <t t-foreach="items" t-as="item">
-          <div t-ref="item" t-key="item"><t t-esc="item"/></div>
+          <div t-ref="{{item}}" t-key="item"><t t-esc="item"/></div>
         </t>
       </div>`
     );
diff --git a/tests/store.test.ts b/tests/store.test.ts
index 601f3b47..4f361703 100644
--- a/tests/store.test.ts
+++ b/tests/store.test.ts
@@ -876,7 +876,7 @@ describe("connecting a component to store", () => {
       "Parent",
       `
         <div>
-            <t t-widget="Child" t-ref="'child'" t-props="{key: props.current}"/>
+            <t t-widget="Child" t-props="{key: props.current}"/>
         </div>
       `
     );