Steps to replicate the issue (include links if applicable):

• Create a page with the following Wikitext

<ref details="page 1" name="book">Miller</ref>

• Edit the page in VE
• Delete the subref [1.1] in VE

What happens?:

• The subref is removed from the article
• The main ref is still visible in the references list

What should have happened instead?:

• The main ref should also be gone

Notes:

• In this case ( and similar variants of this ) VE uses a synthetic list defined ref to store the main content.
• When saving Parsoid always makes sure, that the synthetic list defined refs are not stored back.

Related:

There's a similar scenario where users get into the situation described above

• Create a page with the following Wikitext

<ref details="page 1" name="book" />

<references>
<ref name="book">Miller</ref>
</references>

• Edit the page in VE
• Delete the subref [1.1] in VE
• The main ref is still visible in the references list

• When saving you get to the following Wikitext

<references>
<ref name="book">Miller</ref>
</references>

• And an error

Outcome

Cannot save the page
https://de.wikipedia.beta.wmcloud.org/w/index.php?title=SyntheticListDefinedRefs