diff --git a/main-settings/src/main/scala/sbt/Reference.scala b/main-settings/src/main/scala/sbt/Reference.scala
index 80055fc1a..3186d685d 100644
--- a/main-settings/src/main/scala/sbt/Reference.scala
+++ b/main-settings/src/main/scala/sbt/Reference.scala
@@ -94,13 +94,4 @@ object Reference {
     case BuildRef(b)      => Some(b)
     case _                => None
   }
-
-  @deprecated("Explicitly wrap the URI in a call to RootProject.", "0.13.0")
-  implicit def uriToRef(u: URI): ProjectReference = RootProject(u)
-
-  @deprecated("Explicitly wrap the File in a call to RootProject.", "0.13.0")
-  implicit def fileToRef(f: File): ProjectReference = RootProject(f)
-
-  @deprecated("Explicitly wrap the String in a call to LocalProject.", "0.13.0")
-  implicit def stringToReference(s: String): ProjectReference = LocalProject(s)
 }
diff --git a/sbt/src/sbt-test/compiler-project/src-dep-plugin/build.sbt b/sbt/src/sbt-test/compiler-project/src-dep-plugin/build.sbt
index 4871bbf58..ef1a97259 100644
--- a/sbt/src/sbt-test/compiler-project/src-dep-plugin/build.sbt
+++ b/sbt/src/sbt-test/compiler-project/src-dep-plugin/build.sbt
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import Configurations.{CompilerPlugin => CPlugin}
 
-lazy val use = project.dependsOn(file("def") % CPlugin).settings(
+lazy val use = project.dependsOn(RootProject(file("def")) % CPlugin).settings(
 	autoCompilerPlugins := true
 )
diff --git a/sbt/src/sbt-test/project/src-plugins/project/p.sbt b/sbt/src/sbt-test/project/src-plugins/project/p.sbt
index 09360a6a8..8d6251248 100644
--- a/sbt/src/sbt-test/project/src-plugins/project/p.sbt
+++ b/sbt/src/sbt-test/project/src-plugins/project/p.sbt
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
 lazy val root = (project in file(".")).
-  dependsOn(file("../plugin"))
+  dependsOn(RootProject(file("../plugin")))