This disclosure provides methods and techniques of data replication involving cross replication group (RG) references. The present disclosure avoids automatic replication failing when an entity in an RG refers to another entity external to the RG. The entity to be replicated within the RG is referred to as the “referring entity,” and the entity as the dangling reference is referred to as the “referred entity.” Although the referring and referred entities are not replicated together in a replication operation, the referred entity may have already been replicated to the target account in another replication operation on a different replication group. In such cases, the data replication procedure may, according to aspects of the present disclosure, check if the referred entity has already been replicated, and if so, proceed to replicate the referring entity without fail, and link the referring and referred entities to enable normal functioning of the referring entity.