diff --git a/app/models/object_manager/attribute.rb b/app/models/object_manager/attribute.rb
index 962796ca1..88ea4fac5 100644
--- a/app/models/object_manager/attribute.rb
+++ b/app/models/object_manager/attribute.rb
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ class ObjectManager::Attribute < ApplicationModel
 
   validates :name, presence: true
   validates :data_type, inclusion: { in: DATA_TYPES, msg: '%{value} is not a valid data type' } # rubocop:disable Style/FormatStringToken
+  validate :inactive_must_be_unused_by_references, unless: :active?
   validate :data_option_must_have_appropriate_values
   validate :data_type_must_not_change, on: :update
 
@@ -844,6 +845,16 @@ is certain attribute used by triggers, overviews or schedulers
       .each { |validation| errors.add(local_data_attr, validation[:message]) }
   end
 
+  def inactive_must_be_unused_by_references
+    return if !ObjectManager::Attribute.attribute_used_by_references?(object_lookup.name, name)
+
+    human_reference = ObjectManager::Attribute.attribute_used_by_references_humaniced(object_lookup.name, name)
+    text            = "#{object_lookup.name}.#{name} is referenced by #{human_reference} and thus cannot be set to inactive!"
+
+    # Adding as `base` to prevent `Active` prefix which does not look good on error message shown at the top of the form.
+    errors.add(:base, text)
+  end
+
   def data_type_must_not_change
     allowable_changes = %w[tree_select select input checkbox]
 
diff --git a/spec/models/object_manager/attribute_spec.rb b/spec/models/object_manager/attribute_spec.rb
index a5ce46fdc..870d59993 100644
--- a/spec/models/object_manager/attribute_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/object_manager/attribute_spec.rb
@@ -107,4 +107,43 @@ RSpec.describe ObjectManager::Attribute, type: :model do
       end.not_to raise_error
     end
   end
+
+  describe 'validate that referenced attributes are not set as inactive' do
+    subject(:attr) { create(:object_manager_attribute_text) }
+
+    before do
+      allow(described_class)
+        .to receive(:attribute_used_by_references?)
+        .with(attr.object_lookup.name, attr.name)
+        .and_return(is_referenced)
+
+      attr.active = active
+    end
+
+    context 'when is used and changing to inactive' do
+      let(:active)        { false }
+      let(:is_referenced) { true }
+
+      it { is_expected.not_to be_valid }
+
+      it do
+        attr.valid?
+        expect(attr.errors).not_to be_blank
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'when is not used and changing to inactive' do
+      let(:active)        { false }
+      let(:is_referenced) { false }
+
+      it { is_expected.to be_valid }
+    end
+
+    context 'when is used and staying active and chan' do
+      let(:active)        { true }
+      let(:is_referenced) { true }
+
+      it { is_expected.to be_valid }
+    end
+  end
 end