diff --git a/include/actsim_agent/task_interface.hpp b/include/actsim_agent/task_interface.hpp
index 0e15c3a..4381264 100644
--- a/include/actsim_agent/task_interface.hpp
+++ b/include/actsim_agent/task_interface.hpp
@@ -63,11 +63,22 @@ class TaskInterface {
     std::unique_ptr<OutputType> pop_finished(bool& empty);
     size_t get_buffer_space();
 
+    /*
+     * Store a design entry locally
+    */
     bool increment_design(const db::uuid_t& id);
     void decrement_design(const db::uuid_t& id);
     std::string get_design(const db::uuid_t& id);
     void store_design(const db::uuid_t&, std::string& design);
 
+    /*
+     * Store a reference run locally
+    */
+    bool increment_reference(const db::uuid_t& id);
+    void decrement_reference(const db::uuid_t& id);
+    pl::SimOutputArtifact get_reference(const db::uuid_t& id);
+    void store_reference(const db::uuid_t&, pl::SimOutputArtifact);
+
     bool running() { return this->running_.load(std::memory_order_relaxed); };
     bool is_stop_immediate() { return this->immediate_stop.load(std::memory_order_relaxed); };
     void stop();
@@ -87,6 +98,7 @@ class TaskInterface {
     volatile std::atomic_bool immediate_stop;
 
     std::unordered_map<db::uuid_t, std::pair<size_t, std::string>> designs;
+    std::unordered_map<db::uuid_t, std::pair<size_t, pl::SimOutputArtifact>> references;
 
     ////// Mutexes //////
 
@@ -95,6 +107,9 @@ class TaskInterface {
 
     // design map access
     std::mutex designs_mutex;
+  
+    // reference map access
+    std::mutex references_mutex;
 
     // notify upload thread that the finished queue is ready for cleanup
     std::atomic_bool cleanup_ready;
diff --git a/src/actsim_agent/task_interface.cpp b/src/actsim_agent/task_interface.cpp
index 828d0ab..fc313d2 100644
--- a/src/actsim_agent/task_interface.cpp
+++ b/src/actsim_agent/task_interface.cpp
@@ -206,6 +206,80 @@ void TaskInterface::store_design(const db::uuid_t& id, std::string& design) {
     this->designs[id] = {1, design};
 }
 
+bool TaskInterface::increment_reference(const db::uuid_t& id) {
+    std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock (this->references_mutex);
+    DEBUG_PRINT("Looking for reference run with ID " + db::to_string(id));
+
+    // make sure the requested reference run is in the list of available reference runs
+    if (this->references.find(id) == this->references.end()) {
+        DEBUG_PRINT("Reference run not found.");
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    std::pair<size_t, pl::SimOutputArtifact>& reference_run = references[id];
+
+    // if so, increment its reference counter
+    ++reference_run.first;
+
+    DEBUG_PRINT("Reference run found. Incrementing reference counter. New counter is " + std::to_string(reference_run.first));
+    return true;
+}
+
+void TaskInterface::decrement_reference(const db::uuid_t& id) {
+    std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock (this->references_mutex);
+    DEBUG_PRINT("Looking to decrement reference run with ID " + db::to_string(id));
+
+    // make sure the requested reference run is in the list of available reference runs
+    if (this->references.find(id) == this->references.end()) {
+        DEBUG_PRINT("Could not find reference run. Not decrementing.");
+        return;
+    }
+
+    std::pair<size_t, pl::SimOutputArtifact>& reference_run = references[id];
+
+    // if so, decrement its reference counters
+    --reference_run.first;
+
+    DEBUG_PRINT("Reference run found. Decrementing reference counter. New counter is " + std::to_string(reference_run.first));
+
+    // if the reference counter hit 0, erase the reference run entry from the list
+    // of available reference runs
+    if (reference_run.first == 0) {
+        DEBUG_PRINT("Reference counter has hit 0. Erasing reference run from map...");
+        this->references.erase(id);
+    }
+}
+
+pl::SimOutputArtifact TaskInterface::get_reference(const db::uuid_t& id) {
+    std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock (this->references_mutex);
+
+    // make sure the requested reference run is in the list of available reference runs
+    if (this->references.find(id) == this->references.end()) {
+        std::cerr << "Error: Reference run was somehow deleted before it could reach the execution stage. This should really never happen!" << std::endl;
+        return pl::SimOutputArtifact();
+    }
+
+    return this->references[id].second;
+}
+
+void TaskInterface::store_reference(const db::uuid_t& id, pl::SimOutputArtifact reference) {
+    std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock (this->references_mutex);
+
+    DEBUG_PRINT("Storing new design with ID " + db::to_string(id));
+
+    // make sure the reference run isn't already in the list of reference runs
+    // if it is, just increment its reference counter
+    if (this->references.find(id) != this->references.end()) {
+        DEBUG_PRINT("Reference run is already in here, incrementing reference counter instead.");
+        ++(this->references[id]).first;
+        return;
+    }
+
+    // otherwise, create a new entry for this design
+    this->references[id] = {1, reference};
+}
+
+
 size_t TaskInterface::get_buffer_space() {
     std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock(this->fresh_queue_mutex);
     return this->buffer_size - this->fresh_queue.size();