diff --git a/src/__tests__/utils.parseFilter.test.js b/src/__tests__/utils.parseFilter.test.js
index d926796..c4ac2ad 100644
--- a/src/__tests__/utils.parseFilter.test.js
+++ b/src/__tests__/utils.parseFilter.test.js
@@ -38,4 +38,16 @@ describe('parseFilter number fields', () => {
     const result = await parseFilter('_reference', 'JOB*', jobModel);
     expect(result._reference).toEqual({ $regex: '^JOB.*$', $options: 'i' });
   });
+
+  it('strips model prefix from equality expressions', async () => {
+    await expect(parseFilter('_reference', 'GCF:EJX3EXUZYW2U', jobModel)).resolves.toEqual({
+      _reference: { $regex: '^EJX3EXUZYW2U$', $options: 'i' },
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('strips model prefix from not-equal expressions', async () => {
+    await expect(parseFilter('_reference', '<>GCF:EJX3EXUZYW2U', jobModel)).resolves.toEqual({
+      _reference: { $ne: 'EJX3EXUZYW2U' },
+    });
+  });
 });
diff --git a/src/utils.js b/src/utils.js
index b7cbbcd..d054547 100644
--- a/src/utils.js
+++ b/src/utils.js
@@ -198,6 +198,26 @@ function parsePrefixedValue(value) {
   return { prefix: null, suffix: trimmed, hadPrefix: false };
 }
 
+const FILTER_OPERATOR_PREFIXES = ['<>', '>=', '<=', '>', '<', '='];
+
+function splitLeadingOperator(str) {
+  const text = String(str).trim();
+  for (const op of FILTER_OPERATOR_PREFIXES) {
+    if (text.startsWith(op)) {
+      return { operator: op, operand: text.slice(op.length).trim() };
+    }
+  }
+  return { operator: '', operand: text };
+}
+
+// Strips a model prefix (e.g. GCF:) from an expression, including after a leading operator.
+function stripModelPrefixFromExpression(expression) {
+  const { operator, operand } = splitLeadingOperator(expression);
+  const { suffix, hadPrefix } = parsePrefixedValue(operand);
+  if (!hadPrefix) return expression;
+  return operator + suffix;
+}
+
 function buildRegexOp(pattern, useOptions = true) {
   const op = { $regex: pattern };
   if (useOptions) op.$options = 'i';
@@ -242,12 +262,12 @@ function getRefModelEntryFromPrefix(prefix) {
 }
 
 function stripPrefixFromOperand(operand) {
-  const { suffix, hadPrefix } = parsePrefixedValue(String(operand).trim());
-  return hadPrefix ? suffix : String(operand).trim();
+  return stripModelPrefixFromExpression(operand);
 }
 
 function getRefModelEntryForToken(token, fallbackRefName) {
-  const { prefix, hadPrefix } = parsePrefixedValue(String(token).trim());
+  const { operand } = splitLeadingOperator(token);
+  const { prefix, hadPrefix } = parsePrefixedValue(operand);
   if (hadPrefix) {
     const entry = getRefModelEntryFromPrefix(prefix);
     if (entry) return entry;
@@ -741,9 +761,15 @@ function combineAndRefIds(children) {
 }
 
 async function resolveRefOperand(operand, refModelEntry, operator = 'eq') {
+  const lookupOperand = String(operand).trim();
+  const { prefix, suffix, hadPrefix } = parsePrefixedValue(lookupOperand);
+  if (hadPrefix) {
+    const prefixEntry = getRefModelEntryFromPrefix(prefix);
+    if (prefixEntry) refModelEntry = prefixEntry;
+  }
+
   if (!refModelEntry?.model) return NO_MATCH_CONDITION;
 
-  const lookupOperand = String(operand).trim();
   const objectId = extractObjectIdFromOperand(lookupOperand);
 
   if (objectId) {
@@ -752,14 +778,16 @@ async function resolveRefOperand(operand, refModelEntry, operator = 'eq') {
     return NO_MATCH_CONDITION;
   }
 
-  const expression = buildRefListExpression(operator, lookupOperand);
-  const ids = await listRefModelIds(refModelEntry, expression);
+  const expressionOperand = hadPrefix ? suffix : lookupOperand;
 
   if (operator === 'ne') {
+    const ids = await listRefModelIds(refModelEntry, expressionOperand);
     if (ids.length === 0) return { query: {} };
     return { op: { $nin: ids } };
   }
 
+  const expression = buildRefListExpression(operator, expressionOperand);
+  const ids = await listRefModelIds(refModelEntry, expression);
   return idsToCondition(ids);
 }
 
@@ -850,9 +878,8 @@ async function parseFilter(property, value, model = null) {
   }
 
   let expression = trimmed;
-  if (fieldKind.kind === 'default' && expression.charAt(3) === ':') {
-    const afterColon = value.split(':')[1];
-    expression = afterColon != null ? afterColon.trim() : '';
+  if (fieldKind.kind === 'default') {
+    expression = stripModelPrefixFromExpression(expression);
   }
 
   const isDateField = looksLikeDateField(property);