diff --git a/lldb/source/DataFormatters/ValueObjectPrinter.cpp b/lldb/source/DataFormatters/ValueObjectPrinter.cpp
--- a/lldb/source/DataFormatters/ValueObjectPrinter.cpp
+++ b/lldb/source/DataFormatters/ValueObjectPrinter.cpp
@@ -516,11 +516,13 @@
   if (m_options.m_pointer_as_array)
     return true;
 
-  TypeSummaryImpl *entry = GetSummaryFormatter();
-
   if (m_options.m_use_objc)
     return false;
 
+  bool print_children = true;
+  if (TypeSummaryImpl *type_summary = GetSummaryFormatter())
+    print_children = type_summary->DoesPrintChildren(m_valobj);
+
   if (is_failed_description || !HasReachedMaximumDepth()) {
     // We will show children for all concrete types. We won't show pointer
     // contents unless a pointer depth has been specified. We won't reference
@@ -538,7 +540,7 @@
 
       const bool is_root_level = m_curr_depth == 0;
 
-      if (is_ref && is_root_level) {
+      if (is_ref && is_root_level && print_children) {
         // If this is the root object (depth is zero) that we are showing and
         // it is a reference, and no pointer depth has been supplied print out
         // what it references. Don't do this at deeper depths otherwise we can
@@ -549,7 +551,7 @@
       return curr_ptr_depth.CanAllowExpansion();
     }
 
-    return (!entry || entry->DoesPrintChildren(m_valobj) || m_summary.empty());
+    return print_children || m_summary.empty();
   }
   return false;
 }
diff --git a/lldb/test/API/functionalities/data-formatter/root-reference-children/Makefile b/lldb/test/API/functionalities/data-formatter/root-reference-children/Makefile
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lldb/test/API/functionalities/data-formatter/root-reference-children/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+CXX_SOURCES := main.cpp
+
+include Makefile.rules
diff --git a/lldb/test/API/functionalities/data-formatter/root-reference-children/TestRootReferenceChildren.py b/lldb/test/API/functionalities/data-formatter/root-reference-children/TestRootReferenceChildren.py
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lldb/test/API/functionalities/data-formatter/root-reference-children/TestRootReferenceChildren.py
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+import lldb
+from lldbsuite.test.decorators import *
+from lldbsuite.test.lldbtest import *
+from lldbsuite.test import lldbutil
+
+
+class TestCase(TestBase):
+    def test(self):
+        self.build()
+        lldbutil.run_to_source_breakpoint(
+            self, "break here", lldb.SBFileSpec("main.cpp")
+        )
+
+        self.dbg.HandleCommand(
+            f"type summary add --expand -s 'some summary' SummaryAndChildren"
+        )
+        self.dbg.HandleCommand(f"type summary add -s 'some summary' SummaryOnly")
+
+        self.expect(
+            "v summary_and_children_ref", substrs=["some summary", "child = 30"]
+        )
+        self.expect(
+            "v summary_only_ref", patterns=["some summary", "(?s)^(?!.*child = )"]
+        )
+        self.expect(
+            "v children_only_ref", patterns=["(?s)^(?!.*some summary)", "child = 30"]
+        )
diff --git a/lldb/test/API/functionalities/data-formatter/root-reference-children/main.cpp b/lldb/test/API/functionalities/data-formatter/root-reference-children/main.cpp
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lldb/test/API/functionalities/data-formatter/root-reference-children/main.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+#include <stdio.h>
+
+struct SummaryAndChildren {
+  int child = 30;
+};
+
+struct SummaryOnly {
+  int child = 30;
+};
+
+struct ChildrenOnly {
+  int child = 30;
+};
+
+int main() {
+  SummaryAndChildren summary_and_children;
+  SummaryOnly summary_only;
+  ChildrenOnly children_only;
+  auto &summary_and_children_ref = summary_and_children;
+  auto &summary_only_ref = summary_only;
+  auto &children_only_ref = children_only;
+  printf("break here\n");
+  return 0;
+}