diff --git a/odoo/addons/base/i18n/base.pot b/odoo/addons/base/i18n/base.pot
index cf0d7630c5b..01faa700461 100644
--- a/odoo/addons/base/i18n/base.pot
+++ b/odoo/addons/base/i18n/base.pot
@@ -16146,6 +16146,12 @@ msgstr ""
 msgid "Invalid model name %r in action definition."
 msgstr ""
 
+#. module: base
+#: code:addons/base/models/ir_actions.py:611
+#, python-format
+msgid "many2many fields cannot be evaluated by reference"
+msgstr ""
+
 #. module: base
 #: code:addons/template_inheritance.py:0
 #, python-format
diff --git a/odoo/addons/base/models/ir_actions.py b/odoo/addons/base/models/ir_actions.py
index 522c823692d..df3bc8bcf70 100644
--- a/odoo/addons/base/models/ir_actions.py
+++ b/odoo/addons/base/models/ir_actions.py
@@ -700,6 +700,11 @@ class IrServerObjectLines(models.Model):
             else:
                 line.resource_ref = False
 
+    @api.constrains('col1', 'evaluation_type')
+    def _raise_many2many_error(self):
+        if self.filtered(lambda line: line.col1.ttype == 'many2many' and line.evaluation_type == 'reference'):
+            raise ValidationError(_('many2many fields cannot be evaluated by reference'))
+
     @api.onchange('resource_ref')
     def _set_resource_ref(self):
         for line in self.filtered(lambda line: line.evaluation_type == 'reference'):