diff --git a/packages/base/markdown-file-def.gts b/packages/base/markdown-file-def.gts
index cd170a319e..574003808f 100644
--- a/packages/base/markdown-file-def.gts
+++ b/packages/base/markdown-file-def.gts
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ import {
   extractFileReferenceUrls,
   FRONTMATTER_PARSE_ERROR_SYMBOL,
   identifyCard,
-  VirtualNetwork,
   type FrontmatterParseError,
 } from '@cardstack/runtime-common';
 import MarkdownIcon from '@cardstack/boxel-icons/align-box-left-middle';
@@ -17,7 +16,6 @@ import {
   containsMany,
   field,
   linksToMany,
-  virtualNetworkFor,
 } from './card-api';
 import MarkdownTemplate from './default-templates/markdown';
 import {
@@ -497,11 +495,7 @@ export class MarkdownDef extends FileDef {
       if (!this.content) {
         return [];
       }
-      return extractCardReferenceUrls(
-        this.content,
-        this.id ?? '',
-        virtualNetworkFor(this) ?? new VirtualNetwork(),
-      );
+      return extractCardReferenceUrls(this.content, this.id ?? '');
     },
   });
 
@@ -518,11 +512,7 @@ export class MarkdownDef extends FileDef {
       if (!this.content) {
         return [];
       }
-      return extractFileReferenceUrls(
-        this.content,
-        this.id ?? '',
-        virtualNetworkFor(this) ?? new VirtualNetwork(),
-      );
+      return extractFileReferenceUrls(this.content, this.id ?? '');
     },
   });
 
@@ -629,16 +619,8 @@ export class MarkdownDef extends FileDef {
       // `frontmatter.rawContent`, and the verbatim file is always served from
       // the realm, so nothing is lost.
       content: body,
-      cardReferenceUrls: extractCardReferenceUrls(
-        body,
-        url,
-        new VirtualNetwork(),
-      ),
-      fileReferenceUrls: extractFileReferenceUrls(
-        body,
-        url,
-        new VirtualNetwork(),
-      ),
+      cardReferenceUrls: extractCardReferenceUrls(body, url),
+      fileReferenceUrls: extractFileReferenceUrls(body, url),
     };
 
     // Boxel-specific frontmatter is namespaced under `boxel:`; generic
diff --git a/packages/base/rich-markdown.gts b/packages/base/rich-markdown.gts
index ec32ddc446..bfff78b96f 100644
--- a/packages/base/rich-markdown.gts
+++ b/packages/base/rich-markdown.gts
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ import {
   extractFileReferenceUrls,
   fieldSerializer,
   relativeTo,
-  VirtualNetwork,
 } from '@cardstack/runtime-common';
 import { TrackedObject } from 'tracked-built-ins';
 import { eq } from '@cardstack/boxel-ui/helpers';
@@ -62,22 +61,18 @@ export class RichMarkdownField extends FieldDef {
     if (!rel) {
       return '';
     }
-    return typeof rel === 'string'
-      ? (virtualNetworkFor(this)?.toURL(rel).href ?? rel)
-      : rel.href;
+    // `relativeTo` is already a canonical RRI; references resolve against it in
+    // RRI space (no VirtualNetwork).
+    return typeof rel === 'string' ? rel : rel.href;
   }
 
-  /** Resolved absolute URLs of `:card[URL]` and `::card[URL]` references. */
+  /** Resolved canonical-RRI references of `:card[URL]` and `::card[URL]`. */
   @field cardReferenceUrls = containsMany(StringField, {
     computeVia: function (this: RichMarkdownField) {
       if (!this.content) {
         return [];
       }
-      return extractCardReferenceUrls(
-        this.content,
-        this.refBaseUrl,
-        virtualNetworkFor(this) ?? new VirtualNetwork(),
-      );
+      return extractCardReferenceUrls(this.content, this.refBaseUrl);
     },
   });
 
@@ -97,11 +92,7 @@ export class RichMarkdownField extends FieldDef {
       if (!this.content) {
         return [];
       }
-      return extractFileReferenceUrls(
-        this.content,
-        this.refBaseUrl,
-        virtualNetworkFor(this) ?? new VirtualNetwork(),
-      );
+      return extractFileReferenceUrls(this.content, this.refBaseUrl);
     },
   });
 
@@ -235,7 +226,10 @@ export class RichMarkdownField extends FieldDef {
           {{! Preview has no CodeMirrorEditor, so the sticky mode selector
               lives in its own docked bar above the rendered markdown. }}
           <div class='rich-markdown-toolbar' data-test-markdown-toolbar>
-            <MarkdownEditorModeSelect @mode={{this._mode}} @onChange={{this.setMode}} />
+            <MarkdownEditorModeSelect
+              @mode={{this._mode}}
+              @onChange={{this.setMode}}
+            />
           </div>
           <div class='rich-markdown-preview' data-test-markdown-preview>
             <MarkdownTemplate
@@ -259,7 +253,10 @@ export class RichMarkdownField extends FieldDef {
               @getCards={{context.getCards}}
             >
               <:leadingControls>
-                <MarkdownEditorModeSelect @mode={{this._mode}} @onChange={{this.setMode}} />
+                <MarkdownEditorModeSelect
+                  @mode={{this._mode}}
+                  @onChange={{this.setMode}}
+                />
               </:leadingControls>
             </CodeMirrorEditor>
           </CardContextConsumer>
diff --git a/packages/host/app/components/operator-mode/preview-panel/rendered-markdown.gts b/packages/host/app/components/operator-mode/preview-panel/rendered-markdown.gts
index 37863c9d72..e6667a4653 100644
--- a/packages/host/app/components/operator-mode/preview-panel/rendered-markdown.gts
+++ b/packages/host/app/components/operator-mode/preview-panel/rendered-markdown.gts
@@ -29,15 +29,14 @@ import {
   extractFileReferenceUrls,
   fileNameFromUrl,
   isCardErrorJSONAPI,
+  resolveRRIReference,
   rri,
   trimJsonExtension,
-  type VirtualNetwork,
 } from '@cardstack/runtime-common';
 import { markdownToHtml } from '@cardstack/runtime-common/marked-sync';
 
 import CardRenderer from '@cardstack/host/components/card-renderer';
 
-import type NetworkService from '@cardstack/host/services/network';
 import type StoreService from '@cardstack/host/services/store';
 
 import type {
@@ -70,14 +69,14 @@ interface RenderSlot {
   typeName?: string; // present when state === 'unresolved'
 }
 
-function resolveUrl(
-  raw: string,
-  baseUrl: string | undefined,
-  virtualNetwork: VirtualNetwork,
-): string {
+function resolveUrl(raw: string, baseUrl: string | undefined): string {
   try {
+    // Resolve in RRI space (no VirtualNetwork), the same way
+    // `extractCardReferenceUrls`/`extractFileReferenceUrls` resolve the refs
+    // that key `loadedCards`/`loadedFiles` — so a slot's resolved key matches
+    // the loaded instance's map key.
     return trimJsonExtension(
-      virtualNetwork.resolveRRI(raw, baseUrl ? rri(baseUrl) : undefined),
+      resolveRRIReference(raw, baseUrl ? rri(baseUrl) : undefined),
     );
   } catch {
     return trimJsonExtension(raw);
@@ -116,7 +115,6 @@ const DEFAULT_CARD_CONTEXT: Partial<CardContext> = {
 };
 
 export default class RenderedMarkdown extends Component<Signature> {
-  @service declare private network: NetworkService;
   @service declare private store: StoreService;
   @consume(CardContextName) declare private dynamicCardContext: CardContext;
 
@@ -163,7 +161,6 @@ export default class RenderedMarkdown extends Component<Signature> {
     return extractCardReferenceUrls(
       this.args.content,
       this.args.cardReferenceBaseUrl ?? '',
-      this.network.virtualNetwork,
     );
   }
 
@@ -173,7 +170,6 @@ export default class RenderedMarkdown extends Component<Signature> {
     return extractFileReferenceUrls(
       this.args.content,
       this.args.cardReferenceBaseUrl ?? '',
-      this.network.virtualNetwork,
     );
   }
 
@@ -277,11 +273,7 @@ export default class RenderedMarkdown extends Component<Signature> {
             );
           }
 
-          let resolvedUrl = resolveUrl(
-            rawUrl,
-            baseUrl,
-            this.network.virtualNetwork,
-          );
+          let resolvedUrl = resolveUrl(rawUrl, baseUrl);
 
           if (refType === 'file') {
             let file = filesByUrl.get(resolvedUrl);
diff --git a/packages/host/tests/unit/bfm-card-references-test.ts b/packages/host/tests/unit/bfm-card-references-test.ts
index 8e16f658c4..a2ad01c2c7 100644
--- a/packages/host/tests/unit/bfm-card-references-test.ts
+++ b/packages/host/tests/unit/bfm-card-references-test.ts
@@ -15,29 +15,18 @@ import {
   type BfmSizeSpec,
 } from '@cardstack/runtime-common/bfm-card-references';
 import { markdownToHtml } from '@cardstack/runtime-common/marked-sync';
-import { VirtualNetwork } from '@cardstack/runtime-common/virtual-network';
-
-const virtualNetwork = new VirtualNetwork();
 
 module('Unit | bfm-card-references', function () {
   module('extractCardReferenceUrls', function () {
     test('extracts inline card references', function (assert) {
       let markdown = 'See :card[https://example.com/cards/1] for details.';
-      let urls = extractCardReferenceUrls(
-        markdown,
-        'https://base.com/',
-        virtualNetwork,
-      );
+      let urls = extractCardReferenceUrls(markdown, 'https://base.com/');
       assert.deepEqual(urls, ['https://example.com/cards/1']);
     });
 
     test('extracts block card references', function (assert) {
       let markdown = '::card[https://example.com/cards/1]\n';
-      let urls = extractCardReferenceUrls(
-        markdown,
-        'https://base.com/',
-        virtualNetwork,
-      );
+      let urls = extractCardReferenceUrls(markdown, 'https://base.com/');
       assert.deepEqual(urls, ['https://example.com/cards/1']);
     });
 
@@ -47,11 +36,7 @@ module('Unit | bfm-card-references', function () {
         '',
         'Text with :card[https://example.com/cards/2] inline.',
       ].join('\n');
-      let urls = extractCardReferenceUrls(
-        markdown,
-        'https://base.com/',
-        virtualNetwork,
-      );
+      let urls = extractCardReferenceUrls(markdown, 'https://base.com/');
       assert.deepEqual(urls, [
         'https://example.com/cards/1',
         'https://example.com/cards/2',
@@ -61,11 +46,7 @@ module('Unit | bfm-card-references', function () {
     test('extracts the URL from an inline ref with a size spec', function (assert) {
       let markdown =
         'See :card[https://example.com/cards/1 | embedded] for details.';
-      let urls = extractCardReferenceUrls(
-        markdown,
-        'https://base.com/',
-        virtualNetwork,
-      );
+      let urls = extractCardReferenceUrls(markdown, 'https://base.com/');
       assert.deepEqual(
         urls,
         ['https://example.com/cards/1'],
@@ -78,7 +59,6 @@ module('Unit | bfm-card-references', function () {
       let urls = extractCardReferenceUrls(
         markdown,
         'https://realm.example/docs/file.md',
-        virtualNetwork,
       );
       assert.deepEqual(urls, ['https://realm.example/docs/my-card']);
     });
@@ -89,11 +69,7 @@ module('Unit | bfm-card-references', function () {
         '',
         '::card[https://example.com/cards/2.json]',
       ].join('\n');
-      let urls = extractCardReferenceUrls(
-        markdown,
-        'https://base.com/',
-        virtualNetwork,
-      );
+      let urls = extractCardReferenceUrls(markdown, 'https://base.com/');
       assert.deepEqual(urls, [
         'https://example.com/cards/1',
         'https://example.com/cards/2',
@@ -105,11 +81,7 @@ module('Unit | bfm-card-references', function () {
         ':card[https://example.com/cards/1]',
         ':card[https://example.com/cards/1.json]',
       ].join('\n');
-      let urls = extractCardReferenceUrls(
-        markdown,
-        'https://base.com/',
-        virtualNetwork,
-      );
+      let urls = extractCardReferenceUrls(markdown, 'https://base.com/');
       assert.deepEqual(urls, ['https://example.com/cards/1']);
     });
 
@@ -118,11 +90,7 @@ module('Unit | bfm-card-references', function () {
         ':card[https://example.com/cards/1]',
         ':card[https://example.com/cards/1]',
       ].join('\n');
-      let urls = extractCardReferenceUrls(
-        markdown,
-        'https://base.com/',
-        virtualNetwork,
-      );
+      let urls = extractCardReferenceUrls(markdown, 'https://base.com/');
       assert.deepEqual(urls, ['https://example.com/cards/1']);
     });
 
@@ -130,56 +98,36 @@ module('Unit | bfm-card-references', function () {
       let markdown = ['```', ':card[https://example.com/cards/1]', '```'].join(
         '\n',
       );
-      let urls = extractCardReferenceUrls(
-        markdown,
-        'https://base.com/',
-        virtualNetwork,
-      );
+      let urls = extractCardReferenceUrls(markdown, 'https://base.com/');
       assert.deepEqual(urls, []);
     });
 
     test('ignores references inside inline code', function (assert) {
       let markdown = 'Use `:card[url]` syntax.';
-      let urls = extractCardReferenceUrls(
-        markdown,
-        'https://base.com/',
-        virtualNetwork,
-      );
+      let urls = extractCardReferenceUrls(markdown, 'https://base.com/');
       assert.deepEqual(urls, []);
     });
 
     test('ignores references inside multi-backtick inline code', function (assert) {
       let markdown = 'Use ``:card[https://example.com/cards/1]`` syntax.';
-      let urls = extractCardReferenceUrls(
-        markdown,
-        'https://base.com/',
-        virtualNetwork,
-      );
+      let urls = extractCardReferenceUrls(markdown, 'https://base.com/');
       assert.deepEqual(urls, []);
     });
 
     test('skips malformed URLs with empty base', function (assert) {
       let markdown = ':card[not a valid url at all]';
-      let urls = extractCardReferenceUrls(markdown, '', virtualNetwork);
+      let urls = extractCardReferenceUrls(markdown, '');
       assert.deepEqual(urls, []);
     });
 
     test('returns empty array for markdown without references', function (assert) {
       let markdown = '# Hello World\n\nNo card references here.';
-      let urls = extractCardReferenceUrls(
-        markdown,
-        'https://base.com/',
-        virtualNetwork,
-      );
+      let urls = extractCardReferenceUrls(markdown, 'https://base.com/');
       assert.deepEqual(urls, []);
     });
 
     test('returns empty array for empty markdown', function (assert) {
-      let urls = extractCardReferenceUrls(
-        '',
-        'https://base.com/',
-        virtualNetwork,
-      );
+      let urls = extractCardReferenceUrls('', 'https://base.com/');
       assert.deepEqual(urls, []);
     });
   });
@@ -191,11 +139,7 @@ module('Unit | bfm-card-references', function () {
         ':file[https://example.com/files/1.pdf]',
         '::file[https://example.com/files/2.pdf]',
       ].join('\n');
-      let urls = extractFileReferenceUrls(
-        markdown,
-        'https://base.com/',
-        virtualNetwork,
-      );
+      let urls = extractFileReferenceUrls(markdown, 'https://base.com/');
       assert.deepEqual(urls, [
         'https://example.com/files/1.pdf',
         'https://example.com/files/2.pdf',
@@ -207,18 +151,13 @@ module('Unit | bfm-card-references', function () {
       let urls = extractFileReferenceUrls(
         markdown,
         'https://realm.example/notes/file.md',
-        virtualNetwork,
       );
       assert.deepEqual(urls, ['https://realm.example/notes/docs/report.pdf']);
     });
 
     test('returns empty array when there are no file references', function (assert) {
       let markdown = ':card[https://example.com/cards/1]';
-      let urls = extractFileReferenceUrls(
-        markdown,
-        'https://base.com/',
-        virtualNetwork,
-      );
+      let urls = extractFileReferenceUrls(markdown, 'https://base.com/');
       assert.deepEqual(urls, []);
     });
   });
@@ -229,12 +168,10 @@ module('Unit | bfm-card-references', function () {
         ':card[https://example.com/cards/1]',
         ':file[https://example.com/files/1]',
       ].join('\n');
-      let refs = extractBfmReferences(
-        markdown,
-        'https://base.com/',
-        ['card', 'file'],
-        virtualNetwork,
-      );
+      let refs = extractBfmReferences(markdown, 'https://base.com/', [
+        'card',
+        'file',
+      ]);
       assert.deepEqual(refs, [
         { url: 'https://example.com/cards/1', keyword: 'card' },
         { url: 'https://example.com/files/1', keyword: 'file' },
@@ -246,12 +183,10 @@ module('Unit | bfm-card-references', function () {
         ':card[https://example.com/thing]',
         ':file[https://example.com/thing]',
       ].join('\n');
-      let refs = extractBfmReferences(
-        markdown,
-        'https://base.com/',
-        ['card', 'file'],
-        virtualNetwork,
-      );
+      let refs = extractBfmReferences(markdown, 'https://base.com/', [
+        'card',
+        'file',
+      ]);
       assert.strictEqual(refs.length, 1);
       assert.strictEqual(refs[0].url, 'https://example.com/thing');
     });
@@ -984,31 +919,19 @@ module('Unit | bfm-card-references', function () {
   module('extractCardReferenceUrls with pipe syntax', function () {
     test('extracts URL from block ref with size specifier', function (assert) {
       let markdown = '::card[https://example.com/cards/1 | strip]\n';
-      let urls = extractCardReferenceUrls(
-        markdown,
-        'https://base.com/',
-        virtualNetwork,
-      );
+      let urls = extractCardReferenceUrls(markdown, 'https://base.com/');
       assert.deepEqual(urls, ['https://example.com/cards/1']);
     });
 
     test('extracts URL from block ref with custom dimensions', function (assert) {
       let markdown = '::card[https://example.com/cards/1 | 400x200]\n';
-      let urls = extractCardReferenceUrls(
-        markdown,
-        'https://base.com/',
-        virtualNetwork,
-      );
+      let urls = extractCardReferenceUrls(markdown, 'https://base.com/');
       assert.deepEqual(urls, ['https://example.com/cards/1']);
     });
 
     test('extracts URL from block ref with isolated', function (assert) {
       let markdown = '::card[https://example.com/cards/1 | isolated]\n';
-      let urls = extractCardReferenceUrls(
-        markdown,
-        'https://base.com/',
-        virtualNetwork,
-      );
+      let urls = extractCardReferenceUrls(markdown, 'https://base.com/');
       assert.deepEqual(urls, ['https://example.com/cards/1']);
     });
 
@@ -1017,7 +940,6 @@ module('Unit | bfm-card-references', function () {
       let urls = extractCardReferenceUrls(
         markdown,
         'https://realm.example/docs/file.md',
-        virtualNetwork,
       );
       assert.deepEqual(urls, ['https://realm.example/docs/my-card']);
     });
@@ -1027,11 +949,7 @@ module('Unit | bfm-card-references', function () {
         '::card[https://example.com/cards/1 | strip]',
         '::card[https://example.com/cards/1 | tile]',
       ].join('\n');
-      let urls = extractCardReferenceUrls(
-        markdown,
-        'https://base.com/',
-        virtualNetwork,
-      );
+      let urls = extractCardReferenceUrls(markdown, 'https://base.com/');
       assert.deepEqual(urls, ['https://example.com/cards/1']);
     });
   });
diff --git a/packages/runtime-common/bfm-card-references.ts b/packages/runtime-common/bfm-card-references.ts
index f1b11d5474..5cae81d5a5 100644
--- a/packages/runtime-common/bfm-card-references.ts
+++ b/packages/runtime-common/bfm-card-references.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { escapeHtml } from './helpers/html.ts';
-import type { VirtualNetwork } from './virtual-network.ts';
-import { trimJsonExtension } from './url.ts';
+import { resolveRRIReference, trimJsonExtension } from './url.ts';
+import type { RealmResourceIdentifier } from './realm-identifiers.ts';
 import { FITTED_FORMATS } from './formats.ts';
 import type { TokenizerAndRendererExtension } from './marked.mts';
 
@@ -11,16 +11,28 @@ const FENCED_CODE_RE = /```[\s\S]*?```/g;
 // (e.g. `code`, ``code``, ```code```).
 const INLINE_CODE_RE = new RegExp('(`+)([\\s\\S]*?)\\1', 'g');
 
-function resolveUrl(
-  ref: string,
-  baseUrl: string | undefined,
-  virtualNetwork: VirtualNetwork,
-): string | null {
+function resolveUrl(ref: string, baseUrl: string | undefined): string | null {
+  let resolved: string;
   try {
-    return virtualNetwork.resolveURL(ref, baseUrl || undefined).href;
+    // Identifiers are canonical RRI; resolve the reference against the base in
+    // RRI space (no VirtualNetwork). The search index tolerates the resulting
+    // canonical-RRI value for the `in:{id}` / `in:{url}` reference queries.
+    resolved = resolveRRIReference(
+      ref,
+      baseUrl ? (baseUrl as RealmResourceIdentifier) : undefined,
+    );
   } catch {
     return null;
   }
+  // Keep only references that resolved to an absolute identifier — a URL or a
+  // prefix-form RRI. A reference that couldn't be made absolute (e.g. a
+  // relative ref with no base) is dropped rather than emitted as a bare,
+  // unmatchable query value.
+  return resolved.startsWith('http://') ||
+    resolved.startsWith('https://') ||
+    resolved.startsWith('@')
+    ? resolved
+    : null;
 }
 
 // ── BFM size spec parsing ──
@@ -274,7 +286,6 @@ export function extractBfmReferences(
   markdown: string,
   baseUrl: string,
   keywords: string[],
-  virtualNetwork: VirtualNetwork,
 ): BfmReference[] {
   // Strip code blocks so references inside them are not extracted
   let stripped = markdown
@@ -291,7 +302,7 @@ export function extractBfmReferences(
 
     for (let match of stripped.matchAll(blockRe)) {
       let { url: rawUrl } = splitBfmContent(match[1]);
-      let resolved = resolveUrl(rawUrl, baseUrl, virtualNetwork);
+      let resolved = resolveUrl(rawUrl, baseUrl);
       if (resolved) {
         matches.push({
           index: match.index!,
@@ -302,7 +313,7 @@ export function extractBfmReferences(
     }
     for (let match of stripped.matchAll(inlineRe)) {
       let { url: rawUrl } = splitBfmContent(match[1]);
-      let resolved = resolveUrl(rawUrl, baseUrl, virtualNetwork);
+      let resolved = resolveUrl(rawUrl, baseUrl);
       if (resolved) {
         matches.push({
           index: match.index!,
@@ -335,11 +346,8 @@ export function extractBfmReferences(
 export function extractCardReferenceUrls(
   markdown: string,
   baseUrl: string,
-  virtualNetwork: VirtualNetwork,
 ): string[] {
-  return extractBfmReferences(markdown, baseUrl, ['card'], virtualNetwork).map(
-    (r) => r.url,
-  );
+  return extractBfmReferences(markdown, baseUrl, ['card']).map((r) => r.url);
 }
 
 /**
@@ -349,11 +357,8 @@ export function extractCardReferenceUrls(
 export function extractFileReferenceUrls(
   markdown: string,
   baseUrl: string,
-  virtualNetwork: VirtualNetwork,
 ): string[] {
-  return extractBfmReferences(markdown, baseUrl, ['file'], virtualNetwork).map(
-    (r) => r.url,
-  );
+  return extractBfmReferences(markdown, baseUrl, ['file']).map((r) => r.url);
 }
 
 /**