diff --git a/packages/runtime-core/__tests__/vnode.spec.ts b/packages/runtime-core/__tests__/vnode.spec.ts
index 7408eee8..3396ed3e 100644
--- a/packages/runtime-core/__tests__/vnode.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/runtime-core/__tests__/vnode.spec.ts
@@ -198,6 +198,24 @@ describe('vnode', () => {
     expect(cloned2).toEqual(node2)
     expect(cloneVNode(node2)).toEqual(node2)
     expect(cloneVNode(node2)).toEqual(cloned2)
+
+    // #1041 should use reoslved key/ref
+    expect(cloneVNode(createVNode('div', { key: 1 })).key).toBe(1)
+    expect(cloneVNode(createVNode('div', { key: 1 }), { key: 2 }).key).toBe(2)
+    expect(cloneVNode(createVNode('div'), { key: 2 }).key).toBe(2)
+
+    // ref normalizes to [currentRenderingInstance, ref]
+    expect(cloneVNode(createVNode('div', { ref: 'foo' })).ref).toEqual([
+      null,
+      'foo'
+    ])
+    expect(
+      cloneVNode(createVNode('div', { ref: 'foo' }), { ref: 'bar' }).ref
+    ).toEqual([null, 'bar'])
+    expect(cloneVNode(createVNode('div'), { ref: 'bar' }).ref).toEqual([
+      null,
+      'bar'
+    ])
   })
 
   describe('mergeProps', () => {
diff --git a/packages/runtime-core/src/vnode.ts b/packages/runtime-core/src/vnode.ts
index 85b04166..3e2bf518 100644
--- a/packages/runtime-core/src/vnode.ts
+++ b/packages/runtime-core/src/vnode.ts
@@ -312,9 +312,9 @@ function _createVNode(
     _isVNode: true,
     type,
     props,
-    key: props && props.key !== undefined ? props.key : null,
+    key: props && props.key != null ? props.key : null,
     ref:
-      props && props.ref !== undefined
+      props && props.ref != null
         ? [currentRenderingInstance!, props.ref]
         : null,
     scopeId: currentScopeId,
@@ -362,18 +362,24 @@ export function cloneVNode<T, U>(
   vnode: VNode<T, U>,
   extraProps?: Data & VNodeProps
 ): VNode<T, U> {
+  const props = (extraProps
+    ? vnode.props
+      ? mergeProps(vnode.props, extraProps)
+      : extend({}, extraProps)
+    : vnode.props) as any
   // This is intentionally NOT using spread or extend to avoid the runtime
   // key enumeration cost.
   return {
     _isVNode: true,
     type: vnode.type,
-    props: extraProps
-      ? vnode.props
-        ? mergeProps(vnode.props, extraProps)
-        : extend({}, extraProps)
-      : vnode.props,
-    key: vnode.key,
-    ref: vnode.ref,
+    props,
+    key: props && props.key != null ? props.key : null,
+    ref:
+      props && props.ref != null
+        ? isArray(props.ref)
+          ? props.ref
+          : [currentRenderingInstance!, props.ref]
+        : null,
     scopeId: vnode.scopeId,
     children: vnode.children,
     target: vnode.target,