diff --git a/clang-tools-extra/clangd/XRefs.cpp b/clang-tools-extra/clangd/XRefs.cpp
--- a/clang-tools-extra/clangd/XRefs.cpp
+++ b/clang-tools-extra/clangd/XRefs.cpp
@@ -2112,6 +2112,7 @@
   // FIXME: Consider also using AST information when feasible.
   RefsRequest Request;
   Request.IDs.insert(*ID);
+  Request.WantContainer = true;
   // We could restrict more specifically to calls by introducing a new RefKind,
   // but non-call references (such as address-of-function) can still be
   // interesting as they can indicate indirect calls.
diff --git a/clang-tools-extra/clangd/index/Index.h b/clang-tools-extra/clangd/index/Index.h
--- a/clang-tools-extra/clangd/index/Index.h
+++ b/clang-tools-extra/clangd/index/Index.h
@@ -72,6 +72,9 @@
   /// choose to return less than this, e.g. it tries to avoid returning stale
   /// results.
   llvm::Optional<uint32_t> Limit;
+  /// If set, populates the container of the reference.
+  /// Index implementations may chose to populate containers no matter what.
+  bool WantContainer = false;
 };
 
 struct RelationsRequest {
diff --git a/clang-tools-extra/clangd/index/remote/Index.proto b/clang-tools-extra/clangd/index/remote/Index.proto
--- a/clang-tools-extra/clangd/index/remote/Index.proto
+++ b/clang-tools-extra/clangd/index/remote/Index.proto
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@
   repeated string ids = 1;
   optional uint32 filter = 2;
   optional uint32 limit = 3;
+  optional bool want_container = 4;
 }
 
 // The response is a stream of reference messages, and one terminating has_more
diff --git a/clang-tools-extra/clangd/index/remote/marshalling/Marshalling.cpp b/clang-tools-extra/clangd/index/remote/marshalling/Marshalling.cpp
--- a/clang-tools-extra/clangd/index/remote/marshalling/Marshalling.cpp
+++ b/clang-tools-extra/clangd/index/remote/marshalling/Marshalling.cpp
@@ -122,6 +122,7 @@
     Req.Filter = clangd::RefKind::All;
   if (Message->limit())
     Req.Limit = Message->limit();
+  Req.WantContainer = Message->want_container();
   return Req;
 }
 
@@ -239,6 +240,7 @@
   RPCRequest.set_filter(static_cast<uint32_t>(From.Filter));
   if (From.Limit)
     RPCRequest.set_limit(*From.Limit);
+  RPCRequest.set_want_container(From.WantContainer);
   return RPCRequest;
 }