diff --git a/clippy_lints/src/methods/needless_option_take.rs b/clippy_lints/src/methods/needless_option_take.rs
index 297d83e9e37..5596515637e 100644
--- a/clippy_lints/src/methods/needless_option_take.rs
+++ b/clippy_lints/src/methods/needless_option_take.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 use clippy_utils::diagnostics::span_lint_and_sugg;
+use clippy_utils::match_def_path;
 use clippy_utils::source::snippet_with_applicability;
 use clippy_utils::ty::is_type_diagnostic_item;
 use rustc_errors::Applicability;
@@ -10,7 +11,7 @@ use super::NEEDLESS_OPTION_TAKE;
 
 pub(super) fn check<'tcx>(cx: &LateContext<'tcx>, expr: &'tcx Expr<'_>, recv: &'tcx Expr<'_>) {
     // Checks if expression type is equal to sym::Option and if the expr is not a syntactic place
-    if is_expr_option(cx, recv) && !recv.is_syntactic_place_expr() {
+    if !recv.is_syntactic_place_expr() && is_expr_option(cx, recv) && has_expr_as_ref_path(cx, recv) {
         let mut applicability = Applicability::MachineApplicable;
         span_lint_and_sugg(
             cx,
@@ -31,3 +32,10 @@ fn is_expr_option(cx: &LateContext<'_>, expr: &Expr<'_>) -> bool {
     let expr_type = cx.typeck_results().expr_ty(expr);
     is_type_diagnostic_item(cx, expr_type, sym::Option)
 }
+
+fn has_expr_as_ref_path(cx: &LateContext<'_>, expr: &Expr<'_>) -> bool {
+    if let Some(ref_id) = cx.typeck_results().type_dependent_def_id(expr.hir_id) {
+        return match_def_path(cx, ref_id, &["core", "option", "Option", "as_ref"]);
+    }
+    false
+}