# Withdraw a reference without erasing it

`DELETE /api/v1/tasks/{id}/references`

MCP tool: `retract-reference`

Withdraws a reference, by its `url`, without deleting it: it stops counting toward readiness and dedupe, and is kept in the task's history with its `basis`. Retracting one that is not there is a no-op, not an error.

## Parameters

- `id` (path, required) — The task citing it.
- `url` (query, required) — The reference's URL, in any spelling that normalises to the stored one.
- `basis` (query, optional) — Why, kept in the task's history: a `task_…` (the standing rule you act under) or an http(s) URL. Optional; repeat for several.
- `said` (query, optional) — The person's answer that approved it, verbatim.

## Responses

- `200` — How many rows were retracted
- `400` — The request body does not match the operation's schema