diff --git a/client/ayon_maya/plugins/load/load_reference.py b/client/ayon_maya/plugins/load/load_reference.py
index 92cee414..d16f8085 100644
--- a/client/ayon_maya/plugins/load/load_reference.py
+++ b/client/ayon_maya/plugins/load/load_reference.py
@@ -194,14 +194,6 @@ def process_reference(self, context, name, namespace, options):
                         cmds.xform(group_name, zeroTransformPivots=True)
 
                 settings = get_project_settings(project_name)
-
-                display_handle = settings['maya']['load'].get(
-                    'reference_loader', {}
-                ).get('display_handle', True)
-                cmds.setAttr(
-                    "{}.displayHandle".format(group_name), display_handle
-                )
-
                 color = plugin.get_load_color_for_product_type(
                     product_type, settings
                 )
@@ -215,25 +207,11 @@ def process_reference(self, context, name, namespace, options):
                         blue
                     )
 
-                cmds.setAttr(
-                    "{}.displayHandle".format(group_name), display_handle
-                )
-                # get bounding box
-                bbox = cmds.exactWorldBoundingBox(group_name)
-                # get pivot position on world space
-                pivot = cmds.xform(group_name, q=True, sp=True, ws=True)
-                # center of bounding box
-                cx = (bbox[0] + bbox[3]) / 2
-                cy = (bbox[1] + bbox[4]) / 2
-                cz = (bbox[2] + bbox[5]) / 2
-                # add pivot position to calculate offset
-                cx = cx + pivot[0]
-                cy = cy + pivot[1]
-                cz = cz + pivot[2]
-                # set selection handle offset to center of bounding box
-                cmds.setAttr("{}.selectHandleX".format(group_name), cx)
-                cmds.setAttr("{}.selectHandleY".format(group_name), cy)
-                cmds.setAttr("{}.selectHandleZ".format(group_name), cz)
+                display_handle = settings['maya']['load'].get(
+                    'reference_loader', {}
+                ).get('display_handle', True)
+                if display_handle:
+                    self._set_display_handle(group_name)
 
             if product_type == "rig":
                 self._post_process_rig(namespace, context, options)
@@ -282,6 +260,32 @@ def _lock_camera_transforms(self, nodes):
             self.log.warning("This version of Maya does not support locking of"
                              " transforms of cameras.")
 
+    def _set_display_handle(self, group_name: str):
+        """Enable display handle and move select handle to object center"""
+        cmds.setAttr(f"{group_name}.displayHandle", True)
+        # get bounding box
+        # Bugfix: We force a refresh here because there is a reproducable case
+        # with Advanced Skeleton rig where the call to `exactWorldBoundingBox`
+        # directly after the reference without it breaks the behavior of the
+        # rigs making it appear as if parts of the mesh are static.
+        # TODO: Preferably we have a better fix than requiring refresh on loads
+        cmds.refresh()
+        bbox = cmds.exactWorldBoundingBox(group_name)
+        # get pivot position on world space
+        pivot = cmds.xform(group_name, q=True, sp=True, ws=True)
+        # center of bounding box
+        cx = (bbox[0] + bbox[3]) / 2
+        cy = (bbox[1] + bbox[4]) / 2
+        cz = (bbox[2] + bbox[5]) / 2
+        # add pivot position to calculate offset
+        cx += pivot[0]
+        cy += pivot[1]
+        cz += pivot[2]
+        # set selection handle offset to center of bounding box
+        cmds.setAttr(f"{group_name}.selectHandleX", cx)
+        cmds.setAttr(f"{group_name}.selectHandleY", cy)
+        cmds.setAttr(f"{group_name}.selectHandleZ", cz)
+
 
 class MayaUSDReferenceLoader(ReferenceLoader):
     """Reference USD file to native Maya nodes using MayaUSDImport reference"""