diff --git a/asdf/_tests/test_deprecated.py b/asdf/_tests/test_deprecated.py
index 93689ce62..07016533c 100644
--- a/asdf/_tests/test_deprecated.py
+++ b/asdf/_tests/test_deprecated.py
@@ -24,3 +24,18 @@ def test_AsdfFile_tree_assignment_validation_deprecation():
         ValidationError
     ):
         af.tree = {"history": 42}
+
+
+def test_AsdfFile_resolve_references_validation_deprecation():
+    af = asdf.AsdfFile()
+    af._tree["history"] = 42
+    with pytest.warns(
+        AsdfDeprecationWarning, match="Validation during resolve_references is deprecated"
+    ), pytest.raises(ValidationError):
+        af.resolve_references()
+
+
+def test_AsdfFile_resolve_references_kwargs_deprecation():
+    af = asdf.AsdfFile()
+    with pytest.warns(AsdfDeprecationWarning, match="Passing kwargs to resolve_references is deprecated"):
+        af.resolve_references(foo=42)
diff --git a/asdf/asdf.py b/asdf/asdf.py
index b0a7f2fd4..bf190e4f9 100644
--- a/asdf/asdf.py
+++ b/asdf/asdf.py
@@ -1220,10 +1220,18 @@ def resolve_references(self, **kwargs):
         a ASDF file after this operation means it will have no
         external references, and will be completely self-contained.
         """
-        # Set to the property self.tree so the resulting "complete"
-        # tree will be validated.
+        if len(kwargs):
+            warnings.warn("Passing kwargs to resolve_references is deprecated and does nothing", AsdfDeprecationWarning)
         self._tree = reference.resolve_references(self._tree, self)
-        self.validate()
+        try:
+            self.validate()
+        except ValidationError:
+            warnings.warn(
+                "Validation during resolve_references is deprecated. "
+                "Please use AsdfFile.validate after resolve_references to validate the resolved tree",
+                AsdfDeprecationWarning,
+            )
+            raise
 
     def resolve_and_inline(self):
         """
diff --git a/docs/asdf/deprecations.rst b/docs/asdf/deprecations.rst
index dc4c7cc1d..52788aacc 100644
--- a/docs/asdf/deprecations.rst
+++ b/docs/asdf/deprecations.rst
@@ -15,6 +15,11 @@ deprecated and will be disabled in a future version of asdf. Please call
 triggering warnings for every tree assignment the warning will only be shown
 if the validation triggered by tree assignment fails.
 
+Similarly, validation during ``AsdfFile.resolve_references`` is deprecated (with the
+warning only appearing for a failed validation).
+
+Providing ``kwargs`` to ``AsdfFile.resolve_references`` does nothing and is deprecated.
+
 Version 3.0
 ===========