diff --git a/profiles/aom.js b/profiles/aom.js
index db075aa1d6..c9df5652bc 100644
--- a/profiles/aom.js
+++ b/profiles/aom.js
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ const modules = [
   import("../src/core/linter-rules/no-unused-vars.js"),
   import("../src/core/linter-rules/privsec-section.js"),
   import("../src/core/linter-rules/no-http-props.js"),
+  import("../src/core/linter-rules/prefer-xref.js"),
 ];
 
 Promise.all(modules)
diff --git a/profiles/dini.js b/profiles/dini.js
index 0315e6d46e..e94aebbf5b 100644
--- a/profiles/dini.js
+++ b/profiles/dini.js
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ const modules = [
   import("../src/core/linter-rules/no-unused-vars.js"),
   import("../src/core/linter-rules/privsec-section.js"),
   import("../src/core/linter-rules/no-http-props.js"),
+  import("../src/core/linter-rules/prefer-xref.js"),
 ];
 
 Promise.all(modules)
diff --git a/profiles/geonovum.js b/profiles/geonovum.js
index 798a323b35..da072db60b 100644
--- a/profiles/geonovum.js
+++ b/profiles/geonovum.js
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ const modules = [
   import("../src/core/linter-rules/no-unused-vars.js"),
   import("../src/core/linter-rules/privsec-section.js"),
   import("../src/core/linter-rules/no-http-props.js"),
+  import("../src/core/linter-rules/prefer-xref.js"),
 ];
 
 Promise.all(modules)
diff --git a/profiles/w3c.js b/profiles/w3c.js
index cdf270af71..434c549b00 100644
--- a/profiles/w3c.js
+++ b/profiles/w3c.js
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ const modules = [
   import("../src/core/linter-rules/no-http-props.js"),
   import("../src/core/linter-rules/a11y.js"),
   import("../src/core/linter-rules/informative-dfn.js"),
+  import("../src/core/linter-rules/prefer-xref.js"),
 ];
 
 Promise.all(modules)
diff --git a/src/core/linter-rules/prefer-xref.js b/src/core/linter-rules/prefer-xref.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2b42952da7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/core/linter-rules/prefer-xref.js
@@ -0,0 +1,127 @@
+// @ts-check
+import { docLink, getIntlData, showError, showWarning } from "../utils.js";
+import { profiles } from "../xref.js";
+
+const ruleName = "prefer-xref";
+export const name = "core/linter-rules/prefer-xref";
+
+/** @satisfies {Record<string, { msg(specKey: string): string; readonly hint: string }>} */
+const localizationStrings = {
+  en: {
+    msg(specKey) {
+      return `Spec \`${specKey}\` is available in xref. Consider using shorthand syntax (e.g. \`[= term =]\`) instead of \`data-cite="${specKey}#…"\`.`;
+    },
+    get hint() {
+      return docLink`Using ${"[xref]"} shorthand syntax is shorter, spec-version-agnostic, and lets ReSpec verify the term exists. To silence this warning for a specific element, add \`class="lint-ignore"\`. To disable this rule entirely, set \`lint: { "${ruleName}": false }\` in your \`respecConfig\`.`;
+    },
+  },
+  cs: {
+    msg(specKey) {
+      return `Specifikace \`${specKey}\` je dostupná v xref. Zvažte použití zkráceného zápisu (např. \`[= pojem =]\`) místo \`data-cite="${specKey}#…"\`.`;
+    },
+    get hint() {
+      return docLink`Zkrácený zápis ${"[xref]"} je kratší, nezávislý na verzi specifikace a umožňuje ReSpecu ověřit existenci pojmu. Pro potlačení tohoto varování u konkrétního prvku přidejte \`class="lint-ignore"\`. Pro úplné vypnutí pravidla nastavte \`lint: { "${ruleName}": false }\` ve vašem \`respecConfig\`.`;
+    },
+  },
+};
+const l10n = getIntlData(localizationStrings);
+
+/**
+ * @param {Conf["xref"]} xref
+ * @returns {Set<string> | null}
+ */
+function getXrefSpecSet(xref) {
+  if (!xref || xref === true) return null;
+
+  /** @type {Set<string>} */
+  const specs = new Set();
+
+  if (typeof xref === "string") {
+    const profile = xref.toLowerCase();
+    if (profile in profiles) {
+      /** @type {Record<string, string[]>} */ (profiles)[profile].forEach(
+        (/** @type {string} */ s) => specs.add(s.toUpperCase())
+      );
+    }
+    return specs.size ? specs : null;
+  }
+
+  if (Array.isArray(xref)) {
+    xref.forEach(s => specs.add(s.toUpperCase()));
+    return specs.size ? specs : null;
+  }
+
+  if (typeof xref === "object") {
+    const { profile, specs: specList } =
+      /** @type {{ profile?: string; specs?: string[] }} */ (xref);
+    if (profile) {
+      const key = profile.toLowerCase();
+      if (key in profiles) {
+        /** @type {Record<string, string[]>} */ (profiles)[key].forEach(
+          (/** @type {string} */ s) => specs.add(s.toUpperCase())
+        );
+      }
+    }
+    if (specList) {
+      specList.forEach(s => specs.add(s.toUpperCase()));
+    }
+    return specs.size ? specs : null;
+  }
+
+  return null;
+}
+
+/**
+ * @param {string} rawCite
+ * @returns {string}
+ */
+function extractSpecKey(rawCite) {
+  return rawCite.replace(/^[?!]/, "").split(/[/#]/)[0].toUpperCase();
+}
+
+/**
+ * @param {Conf} conf
+ */
+export function run(conf) {
+  // @ts-expect-error -- LintConfig can be false; ?. only short-circuits null/undefined in TS
+  if (!conf.lint?.[ruleName]) {
+    return;
+  }
+
+  if (!conf.xref) {
+    return;
+  }
+
+  const xrefSpecSet = getXrefSpecSet(conf.xref);
+  if (!xrefSpecSet) {
+    return;
+  }
+
+  /** @type {NodeListOf<HTMLElement>} */
+  const elems = document.querySelectorAll(
+    ":is(a, dfn)[data-cite*='#']:not([data-cite^='#']):not(.lint-ignore)"
+  );
+
+  /** @type {Map<string, HTMLElement[]>} */
+  const offenders = new Map();
+
+  elems.forEach(elem => {
+    const rawCite = /** @type {string} */ (elem.dataset.cite);
+    const specKey = extractSpecKey(rawCite);
+    if (!specKey || !xrefSpecSet.has(specKey)) return;
+
+    if (!offenders.has(specKey)) {
+      offenders.set(specKey, []);
+    }
+    /** @type {HTMLElement[]} */ (offenders.get(specKey)).push(elem);
+  });
+
+  // @ts-expect-error -- ruleName is a string literal but LintConfig index signature doesn't cover it
+  const logger = conf.lint?.[ruleName] === "error" ? showError : showWarning;
+  offenders.forEach((elements, specKey) => {
+    logger(l10n.msg(specKey), name, {
+      hint: l10n.hint,
+      elements,
+    });
+  });
+}
diff --git a/src/core/xref.js b/src/core/xref.js
index 459af7e97e..e9bd8baeab 100644
--- a/src/core/xref.js
+++ b/src/core/xref.js
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ import { sub } from "./pubsubhub.js";
 
 export const name = "core/xref";
 
-const profiles = {
+export const profiles = {
   "web-platform": ["HTML", "INFRA", "URL", "WEBIDL", "DOM", "FETCH"],
 };
 
diff --git a/tests/spec/core/linter-rules/prefer-xref-spec.js b/tests/spec/core/linter-rules/prefer-xref-spec.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..166d928058
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/spec/core/linter-rules/prefer-xref-spec.js
@@ -0,0 +1,243 @@
+"use strict";
+
+import {
+  flushIframes,
+  makeRSDoc,
+  makeStandardOps,
+  warningFilters,
+} from "../../SpecHelper.js";
+
+describe("Core — linter-rules - prefer-xref", () => {
+  const name = "core/linter-rules/prefer-xref";
+  const lintWarnings = warningFilters.filter(name);
+
+  afterAll(() => {
+    flushIframes();
+  });
+
+  it("does not warn when the rule is turned off", async () => {
+    const body = `
+      <section>
+        <h2>Test</h2>
+        <p><a data-cite="HTML#the-a-element">a element</a></p>
+      </section>`;
+    const ops = makeStandardOps(
+      { lint: { "prefer-xref": false }, xref: "web-platform" },
+      body
+    );
+    const doc = await makeRSDoc(ops);
+    expect(lintWarnings(doc)).toHaveSize(0);
+  });
+
+  it("does not warn when xref is not enabled", async () => {
+    const body = `
+      <section>
+        <h2>Test</h2>
+        <p><a data-cite="HTML#the-a-element">a element</a></p>
+      </section>`;
+    const ops = makeStandardOps(
+      { lint: { "prefer-xref": true }, xref: false },
+      body
+    );
+    const doc = await makeRSDoc(ops);
+    expect(lintWarnings(doc)).toHaveSize(0);
+  });
+
+  it("does not warn when xref is enabled with no spec list (xref: true)", async () => {
+    // When xref=true we cannot determine coverage without a network call,
+    // so we conservatively skip the check.
+    const body = `
+      <section>
+        <h2>Test</h2>
+        <p><a data-cite="HTML#the-a-element">a element</a></p>
+      </section>`;
+    const ops = makeStandardOps(
+      { lint: { "prefer-xref": true }, xref: true },
+      body
+    );
+    const doc = await makeRSDoc(ops);
+    expect(lintWarnings(doc)).toHaveSize(0);
+  });
+
+  it("warns for data-cite with fragment on a spec in the xref profile", async () => {
+    const body = `
+      <section>
+        <h2>Test</h2>
+        <p><a data-cite="HTML#the-a-element">a element</a></p>
+      </section>`;
+    const ops = makeStandardOps(
+      { lint: { "prefer-xref": true }, xref: "web-platform" },
+      body
+    );
+    const doc = await makeRSDoc(ops);
+    const warnings = lintWarnings(doc);
+    expect(warnings).toHaveSize(1);
+    expect(warnings[0].message).toContain("HTML");
+  });
+
+  it("warns once per spec key, grouping all offending elements together", async () => {
+    const body = `
+      <section>
+        <h2>Test</h2>
+        <p><a data-cite="HTML#the-a-element">a element</a></p>
+        <p><a data-cite="HTML#the-p-element">p element</a></p>
+        <p><a data-cite="INFRA#list">list</a></p>
+      </section>`;
+    const ops = makeStandardOps(
+      { lint: { "prefer-xref": true }, xref: "web-platform" },
+      body
+    );
+    const doc = await makeRSDoc(ops);
+    const warnings = lintWarnings(doc);
+    // One warning per spec key (HTML and INFRA each get one warning).
+    expect(warnings).toHaveSize(2);
+    const specKeys = warnings.map(w => w.message).join(" ");
+    expect(specKeys).toContain("HTML");
+    expect(specKeys).toContain("INFRA");
+  });
+
+  it("does not warn for data-cite without a fragment (context-only use)", async () => {
+    // data-cite="HTML" (no #) is a legitimate context hint — xref uses it.
+    const body = `
+      <section data-cite="HTML">
+        <h2>Test</h2>
+        <p><a>event handler</a></p>
+      </section>`;
+    const ops = makeStandardOps(
+      { lint: { "prefer-xref": true }, xref: "web-platform" },
+      body
+    );
+    const doc = await makeRSDoc(ops);
+    expect(lintWarnings(doc)).toHaveSize(0);
+  });
+
+  it("does not warn for specs not in the configured xref list", async () => {
+    const body = `
+      <section>
+        <h2>Test</h2>
+        <p><a data-cite="SOME-OTHER-SPEC#a-fragment">some term</a></p>
+      </section>`;
+    const ops = makeStandardOps(
+      { lint: { "prefer-xref": true }, xref: "web-platform" },
+      body
+    );
+    const doc = await makeRSDoc(ops);
+    expect(lintWarnings(doc)).toHaveSize(0);
+  });
+
+  it("warns for specs in a custom xref array", async () => {
+    const body = `
+      <section>
+        <h2>Test</h2>
+        <p><a data-cite="MYSPEC#some-term">some term</a></p>
+      </section>`;
+    const ops = makeStandardOps(
+      { lint: { "prefer-xref": true }, xref: ["MYSPEC"] },
+      body
+    );
+    const doc = await makeRSDoc(ops);
+    const warnings = lintWarnings(doc);
+    expect(warnings).toHaveSize(1);
+    expect(warnings[0].message).toContain("MYSPEC");
+  });
+
+  it("warns for specs in a custom xref object with specs array", async () => {
+    const body = `
+      <section>
+        <h2>Test</h2>
+        <p><a data-cite="DOM#eventtarget">EventTarget</a></p>
+      </section>`;
+    const ops = makeStandardOps(
+      {
+        lint: { "prefer-xref": true },
+        xref: { profile: "web-platform", specs: ["DOM"] },
+      },
+      body
+    );
+    const doc = await makeRSDoc(ops);
+    const warnings = lintWarnings(doc);
+    expect(warnings).toHaveSize(1);
+    expect(warnings[0].message).toContain("DOM");
+  });
+
+  it("ignores elements with class='lint-ignore'", async () => {
+    const body = `
+      <section>
+        <h2>Test</h2>
+        <p><a class="lint-ignore" data-cite="HTML#the-a-element">a element</a></p>
+        <p><a data-cite="HTML#the-p-element">p element</a></p>
+      </section>`;
+    const ops = makeStandardOps(
+      { lint: { "prefer-xref": true }, xref: "web-platform" },
+      body
+    );
+    const doc = await makeRSDoc(ops);
+    const warnings = lintWarnings(doc);
+    // Only the second element (without lint-ignore) should warn.
+    expect(warnings).toHaveSize(1);
+    expect(warnings[0].elements).toHaveSize(1);
+  });
+
+  it("handles case-insensitive spec key matching", async () => {
+    // Authors may write lowercase "html" — should still match "HTML" in the profile.
+    const body = `
+      <section>
+        <h2>Test</h2>
+        <p><a data-cite="html#the-a-element">a element</a></p>
+      </section>`;
+    const ops = makeStandardOps(
+      { lint: { "prefer-xref": true }, xref: "web-platform" },
+      body
+    );
+    const doc = await makeRSDoc(ops);
+    const warnings = lintWarnings(doc);
+    expect(warnings).toHaveSize(1);
+  });
+
+  it("handles informative prefix '?' in data-cite value", async () => {
+    const body = `
+      <section>
+        <h2>Test</h2>
+        <p><a data-cite="?HTML#the-a-element">a element</a></p>
+      </section>`;
+    const ops = makeStandardOps(
+      { lint: { "prefer-xref": true }, xref: "web-platform" },
+      body
+    );
+    const doc = await makeRSDoc(ops);
+    const warnings = lintWarnings(doc);
+    expect(warnings).toHaveSize(1);
+    expect(warnings[0].message).toContain("HTML");
+  });
+
+  it("warns for dfn elements with data-cite fragment in xref specs", async () => {
+    const body = `
+      <section>
+        <h2>Test</h2>
+        <p><dfn data-cite="WEBIDL#dfn-interface">interface</dfn></p>
+      </section>`;
+    const ops = makeStandardOps(
+      { lint: { "prefer-xref": true }, xref: "web-platform" },
+      body
+    );
+    const doc = await makeRSDoc(ops);
+    const warnings = lintWarnings(doc);
+    expect(warnings).toHaveSize(1);
+    expect(warnings[0].message).toContain("WEBIDL");
+  });
+
+  it("does not warn for self-referencing data-cite (data-cite='#foo')", async () => {
+    const body = `
+      <section>
+        <h2>Test</h2>
+        <dfn id="something">something</dfn>
+        <p><a data-cite="#something">something</a></p>
+      </section>`;
+    const ops = makeStandardOps(
+      { lint: { "prefer-xref": true }, xref: "web-platform" },
+      body
+    );
+    const doc = await makeRSDoc(ops);
+    expect(lintWarnings(doc)).toHaveSize(0);
+  });
+});