diff --git a/modules/references/client/components/Info.js b/modules/references/client/components/Info.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..37a5e23277
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/references/client/components/Info.js
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+import React from 'react';
+import PropTypes from 'prop-types';
+
+/**
+ * @TODO make these elements nicer
+ */
+
+export function Self() {
+  return (<div>Self</div>);
+}
+
+export function Loading() {
+  return (<div>Loading</div>);
+}
+
+export function Duplicate() {
+  return (<div>Duplicate</div>);
+}
+
+export function Submitted({ isReported, isPublic }) {
+  return (
+    <div>
+      <div>Submitted</div>
+      {(isReported) ? <div>Reported</div> : null}
+      <div>{(isPublic) ? '' : 'not '}public</div>
+    </div>
+  );
+}
+
+Submitted.propTypes = {
+  isReported: PropTypes.boolean,
+  isPublic: PropTypes.boolean
+};
diff --git a/modules/references/client/components/Navigation.js b/modules/references/client/components/Navigation.js
index 09936cbc55..061a81b1d2 100644
--- a/modules/references/client/components/Navigation.js
+++ b/modules/references/client/components/Navigation.js
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ export default function Navigation(props) {
       className="btn btn-action btn-primary"
       aria-label="Submit reference"
       onClick={props.onSubmit}
-      disabled={props.tabDone < props.tabs - 1}>
+      disabled={props.tabDone < props.tabs - 1 || props.disabled}>
       Submit
     </button>
   );
@@ -46,7 +46,6 @@ export default function Navigation(props) {
       {/* <!-- For the last tab -->*/}
       {(props.tab === props.tabs - 1) ? submit : null}
     </div>
-
   );
 }
 
@@ -54,6 +53,7 @@ Navigation.propTypes = {
   onBack: PropTypes.func,
   onNext: PropTypes.func,
   onSubmit: PropTypes.func,
+  disabled: PropTypes.boolean,
   tab: PropTypes.number, // current tab index - indexed from 0
   tabs: PropTypes.number, // amount of tabs to display
   tabDone: PropTypes.number // which tab is already filled
diff --git a/modules/references/client/components/ReferencesNew.component.js b/modules/references/client/components/ReferencesNew.component.js
index 4b9044981b..f096ba8178 100644
--- a/modules/references/client/components/ReferencesNew.component.js
+++ b/modules/references/client/components/ReferencesNew.component.js
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import * as references from './references.api';
 import Navigation from './Navigation';
 import Interaction from './Interaction';
 import Recommend from './Recommend';
+import { Self, Loading, Duplicate, Submitted } from './Info';
 
 const api = { references };
 
@@ -22,10 +23,26 @@ export default class ReferencesNew extends React.Component {
         recommend: null
       },
       report: false,
-      reportMessage: ''
+      reportMessage: '',
+      isSelf: props.userFrom._id === props.userTo._id,
+      isLoading: true,
+      isSubmitting: false,
+      isDuplicate: false,
+      isSubmitted: false,
+      isPublic: false
     };
   }
 
+  async componentDidMount() {
+    const reference = await api.references.read({ userFrom: this.props.userFrom._id, userTo: this.props.userTo._id });
+
+    const newState = { isLoading: false };
+
+    if (reference.length === 1) newState.isDuplicate = true;
+
+    this.setState(newState);
+  }
+
   handleTabSwitch(move) {
     this.setState({
       tab: this.state.tab + move
@@ -74,11 +91,21 @@ export default class ReferencesNew extends React.Component {
       reportMessage: this.state.reportMessage
     };
 
-    await api.references.create({ ...data.reference, userTo: this.props.userTo._id });
+    this.setState({
+      isSubmitting: true
+    });
+
+    const savedReference = await api.references.create({ ...data.reference, userTo: this.props.userTo._id });
 
     if (data.reference.recommend === 'no' && data.report) {
       await api.references.report(this.props.userTo, data.reportMessage);
     }
+
+    this.setState({
+      isSubmitting: false,
+      isSubmitted: true,
+      isPublic: savedReference.public
+    });
   }
 
   render() {
@@ -100,6 +127,18 @@ export default class ReferencesNew extends React.Component {
     const tabDone = (recommend) ? 1 :
       (hostedMe || hostedThem || met) ? 0 : -1;
 
+    if (this.state.isSelf) return <Self />;
+
+    if (this.state.isLoading) return <Loading />;
+
+    if (this.state.isDuplicate) return <Duplicate />;
+
+    if (this.state.isSubmitted) {
+      const isReported = this.state.reference.recommend === 'no' && this.state.report;
+      const isPublic = this.state.isPublic;
+      return <Submitted isReported={isReported} isPublic={isPublic} />;
+    }
+
     return (
       <div>
         <nav><span>How do you know them</span> &gt; <span>Recommendation</span></nav>
@@ -109,6 +148,7 @@ export default class ReferencesNew extends React.Component {
           tab={this.state.tab}
           tabDone={tabDone}
           tabs={tabs.length}
+          disabled={this.state.isSubmitting}
           onBack={() => this.handleTabSwitch(-1)}
           onNext={() => this.handleTabSwitch(+1)}
           onSubmit={() => this.handleSubmit()}
@@ -119,5 +159,6 @@ export default class ReferencesNew extends React.Component {
 }
 
 ReferencesNew.propTypes = {
+  userFrom: PropTypes.object,
   userTo: PropTypes.object
 };
diff --git a/modules/references/client/components/references.api.js b/modules/references/client/components/references.api.js
index 7330ad4389..84d7fb0499 100644
--- a/modules/references/client/components/references.api.js
+++ b/modules/references/client/components/references.api.js
@@ -1,11 +1,18 @@
 export async function create(reference) {
-  await fetch('/api/references', {
+  const response = await fetch('/api/references', {
     method: 'POST',
     headers: {
       'Content-Type': 'application/json; charset=utf-8'
     },
     body: JSON.stringify(reference) // eslint-disable-line angular/json-functions
   });
+
+  return await response.json();
+}
+
+export async function read({ userFrom, userTo }) {
+  const response = await fetch(`/api/references?userFrom=${userFrom}&userTo=${userTo}`);
+  return await response.json();
 }
 
 export async function report(user, message) {
diff --git a/modules/references/tests/client/Navigation.client.component.tests.js b/modules/references/tests/client/Navigation.client.component.tests.js
index 05e57b9b9e..597b608718 100644
--- a/modules/references/tests/client/Navigation.client.component.tests.js
+++ b/modules/references/tests/client/Navigation.client.component.tests.js
@@ -22,15 +22,6 @@ Enzyme.configure({ adapter: new Adapter() });
     });
 
     describe('Navigation through 3 tabs', () => {
-      xit('test', () => {
-        const wrapper = shallow(<Navigation tab={1} tabDone={0} tabs={3} onBack={() => {}} />);
-        console.log(wrapper);
-        console.log(<Navigation tab={0} />);
-        console.log(wrapper.find('button'), wrapper.exists(), wrapper.name());
-        expect(wrapper.find('button')).toBeDefined();
-        expect(wrapper.props().tab).toBe(0);
-      });
-
       it('when tab is 0, there is no Back button and there is Next button', () => {
         const wrapper = shallow(<Navigation tab={0} tabs={3} />);
 
diff --git a/modules/references/tests/client/ReferencesNew.client.component.tests.js b/modules/references/tests/client/ReferencesNew.client.component.tests.js
index e69de29bb2..d2524ebbbf 100644
--- a/modules/references/tests/client/ReferencesNew.client.component.tests.js
+++ b/modules/references/tests/client/ReferencesNew.client.component.tests.js
@@ -0,0 +1,192 @@
+'use strict';
+
+import ReferencesNew from '../../client/components/ReferencesNew.component';
+import { Self, Loading, Duplicate, Submitted } from '../../client/components/Info';
+import Interaction from '../../client/components/Interaction';
+import Navigation from '../../client/components/Navigation';
+import Enzyme from 'enzyme';
+import { shallow } from 'enzyme';
+import React from 'react';
+import sinon from 'sinon';
+import Adapter from 'enzyme-adapter-react-16';
+import jasmineEnzyme from 'jasmine-enzyme';
+import * as api from '../../client/components/references.api';
+
+Enzyme.configure({ adapter: new Adapter() });
+
+/**
+ * This is a first React test suite with enzyme.
+ * The enzyme configuration can be moved elsewhere (before all tests ever).
+ */
+
+(function () {
+
+  describe('<ReferencesNew />', () => {
+    beforeEach(() => {
+      jasmineEnzyme();
+    });
+
+    afterEach(() => {
+      sinon.restore();
+    });
+
+    it('should not be possible to leave a reference to self', () => {
+      const me = {
+        _id: '123456',
+        username: 'username'
+      };
+
+      const wrapper = shallow(<ReferencesNew userFrom={me} userTo={me} />);
+      expect(wrapper.find(Self)).toExist();
+    });
+
+    it('check whether the reference exists at the beginning', () => {
+      const userFrom = { _id: '111111', username: 'userfrom' };
+      const userTo = { _id: '222222', username: 'userto' };
+      const stub = sinon.stub(api, 'read');
+      stub.withArgs({ userFrom: userFrom._id, userTo: userTo._id }).returns(new Promise(() => {}));
+
+      expect(stub.callCount).toBe(0);
+      const wrapper = shallow(<ReferencesNew userFrom={userFrom} userTo={userTo} />);
+      expect(stub.callCount).toBe(1);
+      expect(wrapper.find(Loading)).toExist();
+    });
+
+    it('can not leave a second reference', async () => {
+      const userFrom = { _id: '111111', username: 'userfrom' };
+      const userTo = { _id: '222222', username: 'userto' };
+      const stub = sinon.stub(api, 'read');
+      stub.withArgs({ userFrom: userFrom._id, userTo: userTo._id }).resolves([{
+        userFrom, userTo, public: false
+      }]);
+
+      const wrapper = shallow(<ReferencesNew userFrom={userFrom} userTo={userTo} />);
+
+      expect(wrapper.find(Duplicate)).not.toExist();
+      await null;
+      expect(wrapper.find(Duplicate)).toExist();
+      expect(wrapper.find(Interaction)).not.toExist();
+    });
+
+    it('can leave a reference (reference form is available)', async () => {
+      const userFrom = { _id: '111111', username: 'userfrom' };
+      const userTo = { _id: '222222', username: 'userto' };
+      const stub = sinon.stub(api, 'read');
+      stub.withArgs({ userFrom: userFrom._id, userTo: userTo._id }).resolves([]);
+
+      const wrapper = shallow(<ReferencesNew userFrom={userFrom} userTo={userTo} />);
+      expect(wrapper.find(Interaction)).not.toExist();
+      await null;
+      expect(wrapper.find(Interaction)).toExist();
+    });
+
+    it('submit a reference', async () => {
+      const userFrom = { _id: '111111', username: 'userfrom' };
+      const userTo = { _id: '222222', username: 'userto' };
+      const spyCreate = sinon.spy(api, 'create');
+      const stubRead = sinon.stub(api, 'read');
+      stubRead.withArgs({ userFrom: userFrom._id, userTo: userTo._id }).resolves([]);
+
+      const wrapper = shallow(<ReferencesNew userFrom={userFrom} userTo={userTo} />);
+
+      await null;
+
+      expect(spyCreate.callCount).toBe(0);
+      wrapper.setState({
+        reference: {
+          interactions: {
+            met: false,
+            hostedMe: true,
+            hostedThem: false
+          },
+          recommend: 'yes'
+        }
+      });
+
+      const nav = wrapper.find(Navigation);
+      nav.props().onSubmit();
+
+      expect(spyCreate.callCount).toBe(1);
+
+      expect(spyCreate.calledOnceWith({
+        interactions: {
+          met: false,
+          hostedMe: true,
+          hostedThem: false
+        },
+        recommend: 'yes',
+        userTo: userTo._id
+      })).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it('submit a report when recommend is no and user wants to send a report', async () => {
+      const userFrom = { _id: '111111', username: 'userfrom' };
+      const userTo = { _id: '222222', username: 'userto' };
+      const spyReport = sinon.spy(api, 'report');
+      const stubRead = sinon.stub(api, 'read');
+      const stubCreate = sinon.stub(api, 'create');
+      stubRead.withArgs({ userFrom: userFrom._id, userTo: userTo._id }).resolves([]);
+      stubCreate.resolves();
+
+      const wrapper = shallow(<ReferencesNew userFrom={userFrom} userTo={userTo} />);
+
+      await null;
+
+      expect(spyReport.callCount).toBe(0);
+      wrapper.setState({
+        reference: {
+          interactions: {
+            met: false,
+            hostedMe: true,
+            hostedThem: false
+          },
+          recommend: 'unknown'
+        },
+        report: true,
+        reportMessage: 'asdf'
+      });
+
+      const nav = wrapper.find(Navigation);
+
+      nav.props().onSubmit();
+
+      await null;
+
+      expect(spyReport.callCount).toBe(0);
+
+      wrapper.setState({
+        reference: {
+          interactions: {
+            met: true,
+            hostedMe: true,
+            hostedThem: true
+          },
+          recommend: 'no'
+        }
+      });
+
+      nav.props().onSubmit();
+
+      await null;
+
+      expect(spyReport.callCount).toBe(1);
+      expect(spyReport.calledOnceWith(userTo, 'asdf')).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it('give the information that the reference was submitted', async () => {
+      const userFrom = { _id: '111111', username: 'userfrom' };
+      const userTo = { _id: '222222', username: 'userto' };
+
+      const wrapper = shallow(<ReferencesNew userFrom={userFrom} userTo={userTo} />);
+
+      wrapper.setState({
+        isLoading: false,
+        isSubmitted: true
+      });
+
+      wrapper.update();
+
+      expect(wrapper.find(Submitted)).toExist();
+    });
+  });
+}());
diff --git a/modules/users/client/config/users.client.routes.js b/modules/users/client/config/users.client.routes.js
index 7d32a7eb45..9c6cd3e870 100644
--- a/modules/users/client/config/users.client.routes.js
+++ b/modules/users/client/config/users.client.routes.js
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@
       }).
       state('profile.references.new', {
         url: '/new',
-        template: '<references-new userTo="profileCtrl.profile"></references-new>',
+        template: '<references-new userTo="profileCtrl.profile" userFrom="app.user"></references-new>',
         requiresAuth: true,
         noScrollingTop: true,
         data: {