diff --git a/src/main/java/net/minecraftforge/registries/RegistryObject.java b/src/main/java/net/minecraftforge/registries/RegistryObject.java
index fb5b3d6452..cf95efe831 100644
--- a/src/main/java/net/minecraftforge/registries/RegistryObject.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/minecraftforge/registries/RegistryObject.java
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 /*
  * Minecraft Forge
- * Copyright (c) 2016-2021.
+ * Copyright (c) 2016-2022.
  *
  * This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
  * modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public
@@ -76,8 +76,9 @@ public final class RegistryObject<T extends IForgeRegistryEntry<? super T>> impl
         ObjectHolderRegistry.addHandler(pred ->
         {
             if (pred.test(registry.getRegistryName()))
-                this.value = registry.containsKey(this.name) ? (T)registry.getValue(this.name) : null;
+                this.updateReference((IForgeRegistry<? extends T>) registry);
         });
+        this.updateReference(((IForgeRegistry<? extends T>) registry));
     }
 
     @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
@@ -99,9 +100,15 @@ public final class RegistryObject<T extends IForgeRegistryEntry<? super T>> impl
                         throw new IllegalStateException("Unable to find registry for type " + baseType.getName() + " for mod \"" + modid + "\". Check the 'caused by' to see futher stack.", callerStack);
                 }
                 if (pred.test(registry.getRegistryName()))
-                    RegistryObject.this.value = registry.containsKey(RegistryObject.this.name) ? (T)registry.getValue(RegistryObject.this.name) : null;
+                    RegistryObject.this.updateReference((IForgeRegistry<? extends T>) registry);
             }
         });
+        IForgeRegistry<V> registry = RegistryManager.ACTIVE.getRegistry(baseType);
+        // allow registry to be null, this might be for a custom registry that does not exist yet
+        if (registry != null)
+        {
+            this.updateReference(((IForgeRegistry<? extends T>) registry));
+        }
     }
 
     /**
@@ -117,9 +124,10 @@ public final class RegistryObject<T extends IForgeRegistryEntry<? super T>> impl
         return ret;
     }
 
+    @Deprecated(since = "1.18.1") // TODO: make package-private
     public void updateReference(IForgeRegistry<? extends T> registry)
     {
-        this.value = registry.getValue(getId());
+        this.value = registry.containsKey(this.name) ? registry.getValue(getId()) : null;
     }
 
     public ResourceLocation getId()
diff --git a/src/test/java/net/minecraftforge/debug/RegistryObjectTest.java b/src/test/java/net/minecraftforge/debug/RegistryObjectTest.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e3e40fbfa6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/java/net/minecraftforge/debug/RegistryObjectTest.java
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+/*
+ * Minecraft Forge
+ * Copyright (c) 2016-2022.
+ *
+ * This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+ * modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public
+ * License as published by the Free Software Foundation version 2.1
+ * of the License.
+ *
+ * This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+ * Lesser General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
+ * License along with this library; if not, write to the Free Software
+ * Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA  02110-1301  USA
+ */
+
+package net.minecraftforge.debug;
+
+import net.minecraft.resources.ResourceLocation;
+import net.minecraft.world.level.block.Block;
+import net.minecraftforge.eventbus.api.IEventBus;
+import net.minecraftforge.fml.common.Mod;
+import net.minecraftforge.fml.event.lifecycle.FMLCommonSetupEvent;
+import net.minecraftforge.fml.javafmlmod.FMLJavaModLoadingContext;
+import net.minecraftforge.registries.ForgeRegistries;
+import net.minecraftforge.registries.RegistryObject;
+import org.apache.logging.log4j.LogManager;
+import org.apache.logging.log4j.Logger;
+
+/**
+ * Checks that {@link RegistryObject} works correctly, specifically that get() functions immediately
+ * after construction, if registries are already populated.
+ */
+@Mod(RegistryObjectTest.MODID)
+public class RegistryObjectTest
+{
+
+    static final String MODID = "registry_object_test";
+
+    private static final boolean ENABLED = true;
+
+    private static final Logger LOGGER = LogManager.getLogger();
+
+    public RegistryObjectTest()
+    {
+        if (!ENABLED) return;
+
+        IEventBus modBus = FMLJavaModLoadingContext.get().getModEventBus();
+        modBus.addListener(this::commonSetup);
+    }
+
+    public void commonSetup(FMLCommonSetupEvent event)
+    {
+        LOGGER.info("Stone 1: {}", RegistryObject.of(new ResourceLocation("minecraft", "stone"), ForgeRegistries.BLOCKS).get());
+        LOGGER.info("Stone 2: {}", RegistryObject.of(new ResourceLocation("minecraft", "stone"), Block.class, MODID).get());
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/test/resources/META-INF/mods.toml b/src/test/resources/META-INF/mods.toml
index 30d6a8a5c5..f7d78c7456 100644
--- a/src/test/resources/META-INF/mods.toml
+++ b/src/test/resources/META-INF/mods.toml
@@ -192,5 +192,7 @@ license="LGPL v2.1"
     modId="client_command_test"
 [[mods]]
     modId="registry_codec_test"
+[[mods]]
+    modId="registry_object_test"
 
 # ADD ABOVE THIS LINE