diff --git a/lib/index.js b/lib/index.js
index f5ec7e3..751d466 100644
--- a/lib/index.js
+++ b/lib/index.js
@@ -304,23 +304,12 @@ function validatePRTitle(title) {
         else {
             result.labelsToRemove.push(TitleLabel.TYPE_MISSING);
         }
-        // References
-        if (parsed.references.length === 0) {
-            result.labelsToAdd.push(TitleLabel.ISSUE_REFERENCE_MISSING);
-        }
-        else {
-            result.labelsToRemove.push(TitleLabel.ISSUE_REFERENCE_MISSING);
-        }
+        // References — check disabled; always clear the label so existing PRs self-clean
+        result.labelsToRemove.push(TitleLabel.ISSUE_REFERENCE_MISSING);
         // Subject
         if (parsed.subject != null) {
-            // Capitalisation
-            const firstChar = parsed.subject.slice(0, 1);
-            if (firstChar !== firstChar.toUpperCase()) {
-                result.labelsToAdd.push(TitleLabel.TITLE_NOT_CAPITALISED);
-            }
-            else {
-                result.labelsToRemove.push(TitleLabel.TITLE_NOT_CAPITALISED);
-            }
+            // Capitalisation — check disabled; always clear the label so existing PRs self-clean
+            result.labelsToRemove.push(TitleLabel.TITLE_NOT_CAPITALISED);
             // Don't end with period
             const lastChar = parsed.subject.slice(-1);
             if (lastChar === '.') {
diff --git a/src/verifyPRTitle.ts b/src/verifyPRTitle.ts
index 06c37b4..566ec03 100644
--- a/src/verifyPRTitle.ts
+++ b/src/verifyPRTitle.ts
@@ -32,23 +32,13 @@ async function validatePRTitle(title: string): Promise<Result> {
     result.labelsToRemove.push(TitleLabel.TYPE_MISSING);
   }
 
-  // References
-  if (parsed.references.length === 0) {
-    result.labelsToAdd.push(TitleLabel.ISSUE_REFERENCE_MISSING);
-  } else {
-    result.labelsToRemove.push(TitleLabel.ISSUE_REFERENCE_MISSING);
-  }
+  // References — check disabled; always clear the label so existing PRs self-clean
+  result.labelsToRemove.push(TitleLabel.ISSUE_REFERENCE_MISSING);
 
   // Subject
   if (parsed.subject != null) {
-    // Capitalisation
-    const firstChar = parsed.subject.slice(0, 1);
-
-    if (firstChar !== firstChar.toUpperCase()) {
-      result.labelsToAdd.push(TitleLabel.TITLE_NOT_CAPITALISED);
-    } else {
-      result.labelsToRemove.push(TitleLabel.TITLE_NOT_CAPITALISED);
-    }
+    // Capitalisation — check disabled; always clear the label so existing PRs self-clean
+    result.labelsToRemove.push(TitleLabel.TITLE_NOT_CAPITALISED);
 
     // Don't end with period
     const lastChar = parsed.subject.slice(-1);