diff --git a/ghc/interpreter/lib/Prelude.hs b/ghc/interpreter/lib/Prelude.hs
index e2261b08e1004188b156bb08a8df2f73a1050097..940b1ad25cf0115526157b519b984bc3713b214d 100644
--- a/ghc/interpreter/lib/Prelude.hs
+++ b/ghc/interpreter/lib/Prelude.hs
@@ -106,6 +106,9 @@ module Prelude (
     , MVar, newEmptyMVar, newMVar, putMVar, takeMVar, readMVar, swapMVar
     , ThreadId, forkIO
     ,trace
+
+    , Ref, newRef, readRef, writeRef
+
     -- Arrrggghhh!!! Help! Help! Help!
     -- What?!  Prelude.hs doesn't even _define_ most of these things!
     ,primCompAux,PrimArray,primRunST,primNewArray,primWriteArray
@@ -1890,6 +1893,13 @@ data Ref                  s a -- mutable variables
 data PrimMutableArray     s a -- mutable arrays with Int indices
 data PrimMutableByteArray s
 
+newRef   :: a -> ST s (Ref s a)
+newRef    = primNewRef
+readRef  :: Ref s a -> ST s a
+readRef   = primReadRef
+writeRef :: Ref s a -> a -> ST s ()
+writeRef  = primWriteRef
+
 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 -- ThreadId, MVar, concurrency stuff -----------------------------------------
diff --git a/ghc/lib/hugs/Prelude.hs b/ghc/lib/hugs/Prelude.hs
index e2261b08e1004188b156bb08a8df2f73a1050097..940b1ad25cf0115526157b519b984bc3713b214d 100644
--- a/ghc/lib/hugs/Prelude.hs
+++ b/ghc/lib/hugs/Prelude.hs
@@ -106,6 +106,9 @@ module Prelude (
     , MVar, newEmptyMVar, newMVar, putMVar, takeMVar, readMVar, swapMVar
     , ThreadId, forkIO
     ,trace
+
+    , Ref, newRef, readRef, writeRef
+
     -- Arrrggghhh!!! Help! Help! Help!
     -- What?!  Prelude.hs doesn't even _define_ most of these things!
     ,primCompAux,PrimArray,primRunST,primNewArray,primWriteArray
@@ -1890,6 +1893,13 @@ data Ref                  s a -- mutable variables
 data PrimMutableArray     s a -- mutable arrays with Int indices
 data PrimMutableByteArray s
 
+newRef   :: a -> ST s (Ref s a)
+newRef    = primNewRef
+readRef  :: Ref s a -> ST s a
+readRef   = primReadRef
+writeRef :: Ref s a -> a -> ST s ()
+writeRef  = primWriteRef
+
 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 -- ThreadId, MVar, concurrency stuff -----------------------------------------