diff --git a/packages/calcite-components/src/components/popover/popover.e2e.ts b/packages/calcite-components/src/components/popover/popover.e2e.ts
index f0ea02bf118..c3debe2eb19 100644
--- a/packages/calcite-components/src/components/popover/popover.e2e.ts
+++ b/packages/calcite-components/src/components/popover/popover.e2e.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { newE2EPage } from "@arcgis/lumina-compiler/puppeteerTesting";
-import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, MockInstance, vi } from "vitest";
 import { html } from "../../../support/formatting";
 import {
   accessible,
@@ -729,6 +729,54 @@ describe("calcite-popover", () => {
     });
   });
 
+  describe("warning messages", () => {
+    let consoleSpy: MockInstance;
+
+    beforeEach(
+      () =>
+        (consoleSpy = vi.spyOn(console, "warn").mockImplementation(() => {
+          // hide warning messages during test
+        })),
+    );
+
+    afterEach(() => consoleSpy.mockClear());
+
+    it("does not warn if reference element is present", async () => {
+      const page = await newE2EPage();
+      await page.setContent(
+        html`<calcite-popover reference-element="ref">content</calcite-popover>
+          <div id="ref">referenceElement</div>`,
+      );
+      await page.waitForChanges();
+
+      expect(consoleSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+
+    it("does not warn after removal", async () => {
+      const page = await newE2EPage();
+      await page.setContent(
+        html`<calcite-popover reference-element="ref">content</calcite-popover>
+          <div id="ref">referenceElement</div>`,
+      );
+      await page.waitForChanges();
+      const popover = await page.find("calcite-popover");
+      await popover.callMethod("remove");
+      await page.waitForChanges();
+
+      expect(consoleSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+
+    it("warns if reference element is not present", async () => {
+      const page = await newE2EPage();
+      await page.setContent(`<calcite-popover reference-element="non-existent-ref">content</calcite-popover>`);
+      await page.waitForChanges();
+
+      expect(consoleSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        expect.stringMatching(new RegExp(`reference-element id "non-existent-ref" was not found`)),
+      );
+    });
+  });
+
   describe("theme", () => {
     describe("default", () => {
       themed(
diff --git a/packages/calcite-components/src/components/popover/popover.tsx b/packages/calcite-components/src/components/popover/popover.tsx
index 7febcdb51b2..518220def34 100644
--- a/packages/calcite-components/src/components/popover/popover.tsx
+++ b/packages/calcite-components/src/components/popover/popover.tsx
@@ -387,7 +387,10 @@ export class Popover
 
   private setFloatingEl(el: HTMLDivElement): void {
     this.floatingEl = el;
-    requestAnimationFrame(() => this.setUpReferenceElement());
+
+    if (el) {
+      requestAnimationFrame(() => this.setUpReferenceElement());
+    }
   }
 
   private setTransitionEl(el: HTMLDivElement): void {
diff --git a/packages/calcite-components/src/components/tooltip/tooltip.e2e.ts b/packages/calcite-components/src/components/tooltip/tooltip.e2e.ts
index bb0f8719f7e..d0c35301f59 100644
--- a/packages/calcite-components/src/components/tooltip/tooltip.e2e.ts
+++ b/packages/calcite-components/src/components/tooltip/tooltip.e2e.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { newE2EPage, E2EPage } from "@arcgis/lumina-compiler/puppeteerTesting";
-import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, MockInstance, vi } from "vitest";
 import { accessible, defaults, floatingUIOwner, hidden, openClose, renders, themed } from "../../tests/commonTests";
 import { html } from "../../../support/formatting";
 import { getElementXY, GlobalTestProps, skipAnimations } from "../../tests/utils";
@@ -1204,6 +1204,54 @@ describe("calcite-tooltip", () => {
     });
   });
 
+  describe("warning messages", () => {
+    let consoleSpy: MockInstance;
+
+    beforeEach(
+      () =>
+        (consoleSpy = vi.spyOn(console, "warn").mockImplementation(() => {
+          // hide warning messages during test
+        })),
+    );
+
+    afterEach(() => consoleSpy.mockClear());
+
+    it("does not warn if reference element is present", async () => {
+      const page = await newE2EPage();
+      await page.setContent(
+        html` <calcite-tooltip reference-element="ref">content</calcite-tooltip>
+          <div id="ref">referenceElement</div>`,
+      );
+      await page.waitForChanges();
+
+      expect(consoleSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+
+    it("does not warn after removal", async () => {
+      const page = await newE2EPage();
+      await page.setContent(
+        html` <calcite-tooltip reference-element="ref">content</calcite-tooltip>
+          <div id="ref">referenceElement</div>`,
+      );
+      await page.waitForChanges();
+      const tooltip = await page.find("calcite-tooltip");
+      await tooltip.callMethod("remove");
+      await page.waitForChanges();
+
+      expect(consoleSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+
+    it("warns if reference element is not present", async () => {
+      const page = await newE2EPage();
+      await page.setContent(`<calcite-tooltip reference-element="non-existent-ref">content</calcite-tooltip>`);
+      await page.waitForChanges();
+
+      expect(consoleSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        expect.stringMatching(new RegExp(`reference-element id "non-existent-ref" was not found`)),
+      );
+    });
+  });
+
   describe("theme", () => {
     describe("default", () => {
       themed(
diff --git a/packages/calcite-components/src/components/tooltip/tooltip.tsx b/packages/calcite-components/src/components/tooltip/tooltip.tsx
index befcfb164f4..20c09270660 100644
--- a/packages/calcite-components/src/components/tooltip/tooltip.tsx
+++ b/packages/calcite-components/src/components/tooltip/tooltip.tsx
@@ -247,7 +247,10 @@ export class Tooltip extends LitElement implements FloatingUIComponent, OpenClos
 
   private setFloatingEl(el: HTMLDivElement): void {
     this.floatingEl = el;
-    requestAnimationFrame(() => this.setUpReferenceElement());
+
+    if (el) {
+      requestAnimationFrame(() => this.setUpReferenceElement());
+    }
   }
 
   private setTransitionEl(el: HTMLDivElement): void {