diff --git a/Framework/include/QualityControl/CheckInterface.h b/Framework/include/QualityControl/CheckInterface.h
index 45d2884336..b1bb206167 100644
--- a/Framework/include/QualityControl/CheckInterface.h
+++ b/Framework/include/QualityControl/CheckInterface.h
@@ -96,10 +96,9 @@ class CheckInterface : public core::UserCodeInterface
   /// the activity is the current one, while the run number is the reference run.
   ///
   /// \param path path to the object (no provenance)
-  /// \param referenceRun Run number of the reference data
-  /// \param activity Current activity (necessary for the provenance and the pass)
+  /// \param referenceActivity Reference activity (usually a copy of the current activity with a different run number)
   /// \return
-  std::shared_ptr<MonitorObject> retrieveReference(std::string path, size_t referenceRun, Activity activity);
+  std::shared_ptr<MonitorObject> retrieveReference(std::string path, Activity referenceActivity);
 
  private:
   std::shared_ptr<o2::quality_control::repository::DatabaseInterface> mDatabase;
diff --git a/Framework/include/QualityControl/ReferenceUtils.h b/Framework/include/QualityControl/ReferenceUtils.h
index 155b077841..5b8f6d7b6f 100644
--- a/Framework/include/QualityControl/ReferenceUtils.h
+++ b/Framework/include/QualityControl/ReferenceUtils.h
@@ -33,13 +33,13 @@ namespace o2::quality_control::checker
 // Get the reference plot for a given MonitorObject path
 
 static std::shared_ptr<quality_control::core::MonitorObject> getReferencePlot(quality_control::repository::DatabaseInterface* qcdb, std::string& fullPath,
-                                                                              size_t referenceRun, core::Activity activity)
+                                                                              core::Activity referenceActivity)
 {
   auto [success, path, name] = o2::quality_control::core::RepoPathUtils::splitObjectPath(fullPath);
   if (!success) {
     return nullptr;
   }
-  return qcdb->retrieveMO(path, name, repository::DatabaseInterface::Timestamp::Latest, activity);
+  return qcdb->retrieveMO(path, name, repository::DatabaseInterface::Timestamp::Latest, referenceActivity);
 }
 
 } // namespace o2::quality_control::checker
diff --git a/Framework/src/CheckInterface.cxx b/Framework/src/CheckInterface.cxx
index a3b5d62e98..445d51e609 100644
--- a/Framework/src/CheckInterface.cxx
+++ b/Framework/src/CheckInterface.cxx
@@ -60,9 +60,9 @@ void CheckInterface::endOfActivity(const Activity& activity)
   // noop, override it if you want.
 }
 
-shared_ptr<MonitorObject> CheckInterface::retrieveReference(std::string path, size_t referenceRun, Activity activity)
+shared_ptr<MonitorObject> CheckInterface::retrieveReference(std::string path, Activity referenceActivity)
 {
-  return o2::quality_control::checker::getReferencePlot(mDatabase.get(), path, referenceRun, activity);
+  return o2::quality_control::checker::getReferencePlot(mDatabase.get(), path, referenceActivity);
 }
 
 } // namespace o2::quality_control::checker
diff --git a/Modules/Common/include/Common/ReferenceComparatorCheck.h b/Modules/Common/include/Common/ReferenceComparatorCheck.h
index 78c6f953b6..9e163f9bd2 100644
--- a/Modules/Common/include/Common/ReferenceComparatorCheck.h
+++ b/Modules/Common/include/Common/ReferenceComparatorCheck.h
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ class ReferenceComparatorCheck : public o2::quality_control::checker::CheckInter
   std::unique_ptr<ObjectComparatorInterface> mComparator;
   std::map<std::string, Quality> mQualityFlags;
   std::map<std::string, std::shared_ptr<TPaveText>> mQualityLabels;
-  quality_control::core::Activity mActivity;
+  quality_control::core::Activity mActivity /*current*/, mReferenceActivity;
   size_t mReferenceRun;
 };
 
diff --git a/Modules/Common/src/ReferenceComparatorCheck.cxx b/Modules/Common/src/ReferenceComparatorCheck.cxx
index c239855ef4..3800570252 100644
--- a/Modules/Common/src/ReferenceComparatorCheck.cxx
+++ b/Modules/Common/src/ReferenceComparatorCheck.cxx
@@ -61,6 +61,8 @@ void ReferenceComparatorCheck::startOfActivity(const Activity& activity)
   }
 
   mActivity = activity;
+  mReferenceActivity = activity;
+  mReferenceActivity.mId = mReferenceRun;
 }
 
 void ReferenceComparatorCheck::endOfActivity(const Activity& activity)
@@ -147,8 +149,8 @@ Quality ReferenceComparatorCheck::getSinglePlotQuality(std::shared_ptr<MonitorOb
 
   // get path of mo and ref (we have to remove the provenance)
   std::string path = RepoPathUtils::getPathNoProvenance(mo);
-
-  auto referencePlot = retrieveReference(path, mReferenceRun, mActivity);
+  // todo we could cache the reference plot within a run
+  auto referencePlot = retrieveReference(path, mReferenceActivity);
   if (!referencePlot) {
     message = "Reference plot not found";
     return Quality::Null;
diff --git a/Modules/Common/src/ReferenceComparatorTask.cxx b/Modules/Common/src/ReferenceComparatorTask.cxx
index 9f63668240..6904e571e6 100644
--- a/Modules/Common/src/ReferenceComparatorTask.cxx
+++ b/Modules/Common/src/ReferenceComparatorTask.cxx
@@ -119,7 +119,9 @@ void ReferenceComparatorTask::initialize(quality_control::postprocessing::Trigge
       auto fullOutPath = group.outputPath + "/" + path;
 
       // retrieve the reference MO
-      auto referencePlot = o2::quality_control::checker::getReferencePlot(&qcdb, fullRefPath, mReferenceRun, trigger.activity);
+      auto referenceActivity = trigger.activity;
+      referenceActivity.mId = mReferenceRun;
+      auto referencePlot = o2::quality_control::checker::getReferencePlot(&qcdb, fullRefPath, referenceActivity);
       if (!referencePlot) {
         continue;
       }
diff --git a/doc/Advanced.md b/doc/Advanced.md
index 7009f5ee07..ca6f291bdb 100644
--- a/doc/Advanced.md
+++ b/doc/Advanced.md
@@ -1406,11 +1406,10 @@ A reference object is an object from a previous run. It is usually used as a poi
 
 To retrieve a reference plot in your Check, use 
 ```
-  std::shared_ptr<MonitorObject> CheckInterface::retrieveReference(std::string path, int referenceRun, Activity activity);
+  std::shared_ptr<MonitorObject> CheckInterface::retrieveReference(std::string path, Activity referenceActivity);
 ```
 - `path` : the path of the object _without the provenance (e.g. `qc`)_
-- `referenceRun` : the run of reference
-- `activity` : the current activity
+- `referenceActivity` : the activity of reference (usually the current activity with a different run number)
 
 If the reference is not found it will return a `nullptr` and the quality is `Null`.