diff --git a/src/binary-reader.cc b/src/binary-reader.cc
index b68562dd50..a0b31787e6 100644
--- a/src/binary-reader.cc
+++ b/src/binary-reader.cc
@@ -557,6 +557,9 @@ bool BinaryReader::IsConcreteType(Type type) {
     case Type::ExternRef:
       return options_.features.reference_types_enabled();
 
+    case Type::ExnRef:
+      return options_.features.exceptions_enabled();
+
     case Type::Reference:
       return options_.features.function_references_enabled();
 
diff --git a/src/binary-writer-spec.cc b/src/binary-writer-spec.cc
index 3cb6674de3..edcf0ba58f 100644
--- a/src/binary-writer-spec.cc
+++ b/src/binary-writer-spec.cc
@@ -256,6 +256,14 @@ void BinaryWriterSpec::WriteConst(const Const& const_) {
       break;
     }
 
+    case Type::ExnRef: {
+      WriteString("exnref");
+      WriteSeparator();
+      WriteKey("value");
+      WriteRefBits(const_.ref_bits());
+      break;
+    }
+
     case Type::V128: {
       WriteString("v128");
       WriteSeparator();
diff --git a/src/interp/interp.cc b/src/interp/interp.cc
index fe333b4275..97f35f81fb 100644
--- a/src/interp/interp.cc
+++ b/src/interp/interp.cc
@@ -225,6 +225,8 @@ bool Store::HasValueType(Ref ref, ValueType type) const {
     case ValueType::FuncRef:
       return obj->kind() == ObjectKind::DefinedFunc ||
              obj->kind() == ObjectKind::HostFunc;
+    case ValueType::ExnRef:
+      return obj->kind() == ObjectKind::Exception;
     default:
       return false;
   }
@@ -2733,8 +2735,11 @@ std::string Thread::TraceSource::Pick(Index index, Instr instr) {
                           v.u32(2), v.u32(3));
     }
 
+      // clang-format off
     case ValueType::FuncRef:    reftype = "funcref"; break;
     case ValueType::ExternRef:  reftype = "externref"; break;
+    case ValueType::ExnRef:     reftype = "exnref"; break;
+      // clang-format on
 
     default:
       WABT_UNREACHABLE;
diff --git a/src/tools/spectest-interp.cc b/src/tools/spectest-interp.cc
index 9e7e32e33a..2dd4202baf 100644
--- a/src/tools/spectest-interp.cc
+++ b/src/tools/spectest-interp.cc
@@ -633,6 +633,8 @@ wabt::Result JSONParser::ParseType(Type* out_type) {
     *out_type = Type::FuncRef;
   } else if (type_str == "externref") {
     *out_type = Type::ExternRef;
+  } else if (type_str == "exnref") {
+    *out_type = Type::ExnRef;
   } else {
     PrintError("unknown type: \"%s\"", type_str.c_str());
     return wabt::Result::Error;
@@ -863,6 +865,16 @@ wabt::Result JSONParser::ParseConstValue(Type type,
       }
       break;
 
+    case Type::ExnRef:
+      if (value_str == "null") {
+        out_value->Set(Ref::Null);
+      } else {
+        // FIXME?
+        PrintError("NYI");
+        return wabt::Result::Error;
+      }
+      break;
+
     default:
       PrintError("unknown concrete type: \"%s\"", type.GetName().c_str());
       return wabt::Result::Error;
@@ -1914,6 +1926,11 @@ wabt::Result CommandRunner::CheckAssertReturnResult(
       ok = expected.value.value.Get<Ref>() == actual.value.Get<Ref>();
       break;
 
+    case Type::ExnRef:
+      // FIXME is this correct?
+      ok = (actual.type == Type::ExnRef);
+      break;
+
     default:
       WABT_UNREACHABLE;
   }
diff --git a/src/wast-parser.cc b/src/wast-parser.cc
index c829646128..eb67dcebae 100644
--- a/src/wast-parser.cc
+++ b/src/wast-parser.cc
@@ -657,7 +657,8 @@ bool WastParser::PeekMatchExpr() {
 }
 
 bool WastParser::PeekMatchRefType() {
-  return options_->features.function_references_enabled() &&
+  return (options_->features.function_references_enabled() ||
+          options_->features.exceptions_enabled()) &&
          PeekMatchLpar(TokenType::Ref);
 }
 
@@ -934,6 +935,9 @@ Result WastParser::ParseValueType(Var* out_type) {
     case Type::ExternRef:
       is_enabled = options_->features.reference_types_enabled();
       break;
+    case Type::ExnRef:
+      is_enabled = options_->features.exceptions_enabled();
+      break;
     default:
       is_enabled = true;
       break;
diff --git a/test/spec/exception-handling/ref_null.txt b/test/spec/exception-handling/ref_null.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4b9201a860
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/spec/exception-handling/ref_null.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+;;; TOOL: run-interp-spec
+;;; STDIN_FILE: third_party/testsuite/proposals/exception-handling/ref_null.wast
+;;; ARGS*: --enable-exceptions
+(;; STDOUT ;;;
+4/4 tests passed.
+;;; STDOUT ;;)