Magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) in magnetic random access memory (MRAM) are subject to read disturb events when the current passing through the MTJ causes a spontaneous switching of the MTJ due to spin transfer torque (STT) from a parallel state to an anti-parallel state or from an anti-parallel state to a parallel state. Because the state of the MTJ corresponds to stored data, a read disturb event may cause data loss in MRAM devices. Read disturb events may be reduced by controlling the direction of current flow through the MTJ. For example, the current direction through a reference MTJ may be selected based on the state of the reference MTJ. In another example, the current direction through a data or reference MTJ may be alternated such that the MTJ is only subject to read disturb events during approximately half the read operations on the MTJ.