diff --git a/src/licensedcode/data/rules/unknown-license-reference_382.RULE b/src/licensedcode/data/rules/unknown-license-reference_382.RULE
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f1be0d5f8c6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/licensedcode/data/rules/unknown-license-reference_382.RULE
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+---
+license_expression: unknown-license-reference
+is_license_tag: yes
+minimum_coverage: 100
+referenced_filenames:
+    - COPYING.txt
+---
+
+<license type="file">COPYING.txt</license>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/licensedcode/data/rules/unknown-license-reference_383.RULE b/src/licensedcode/data/rules/unknown-license-reference_383.RULE
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..3155d56453e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/licensedcode/data/rules/unknown-license-reference_383.RULE
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+---
+license_expression: unknown-license-reference
+is_license_reference: yes
+minimum_coverage: 100
+referenced_filenames:
+    - COPYING.txt
+---
+
+license COPYING.txt
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/licensedcode/data/rules/unknown-license-reference_384.RULE b/src/licensedcode/data/rules/unknown-license-reference_384.RULE
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..172552b3dfc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/licensedcode/data/rules/unknown-license-reference_384.RULE
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+---
+license_expression: unknown-license-reference
+is_license_reference: yes
+minimum_coverage: 100
+referenced_filenames:
+    - COPYING.txt
+---
+
+license @type file #text COPYING.txt
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/packagedcode/data/license_detection/reference-at-manifest/fizzler.expected.json b/tests/packagedcode/data/license_detection/reference-at-manifest/fizzler.expected.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..191e3dcad51
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/packagedcode/data/license_detection/reference-at-manifest/fizzler.expected.json
@@ -0,0 +1,403 @@
+{
+  "packages": [
+    {
+      "type": "nuget",
+      "namespace": null,
+      "name": "Fizzler",
+      "version": "1.3.0",
+      "qualifiers": {},
+      "subpath": null,
+      "primary_language": null,
+      "description": "Fizzler is a W3C Selectors parser and generic selector framework for document hierarchies.",
+      "release_date": null,
+      "parties": [
+        {
+          "type": null,
+          "role": "author",
+          "name": "Atif Aziz,Colin Ramsay",
+          "email": null,
+          "url": null
+        }
+      ],
+      "keywords": [],
+      "homepage_url": "https://github.com/atifaziz/Fizzler",
+      "download_url": null,
+      "size": null,
+      "sha1": null,
+      "md5": null,
+      "sha256": null,
+      "sha512": null,
+      "bug_tracking_url": null,
+      "code_view_url": null,
+      "vcs_url": "Git+https://github.com/atifaziz/Fizzler",
+      "copyright": "Copyright \u00a9 2009 Atif Aziz, Colin Ramsay. All rights reserved. Portions Copyright \u00a9 2008 Novell, Inc.",
+      "holder": "Atif Aziz, Colin Ramsay\nNovell, Inc.",
+      "declared_license_expression": "lgpl-2.0-plus AND gpl-1.0-plus",
+      "declared_license_expression_spdx": "LGPL-2.0-or-later AND GPL-1.0-or-later",
+      "license_detections": [
+        {
+          "license_expression": "lgpl-2.0-plus AND gpl-1.0-plus",
+          "matches": [
+            {
+              "score": 16.0,
+              "start_line": 1,
+              "end_line": 1,
+              "matched_length": 3,
+              "match_coverage": 100.0,
+              "matcher": "1-hash",
+              "license_expression": "unknown-license-reference",
+              "rule_identifier": "unknown-license-reference_386.RULE",
+              "rule_relevance": 16,
+              "rule_url": "https://github.com/nexB/scancode-toolkit/tree/develop/src/licensedcode/data/rules/unknown-license-reference_386.RULE",
+              "matched_text": "license COPYING.txt"
+            },
+            {
+              "score": 100.0,
+              "start_line": 1,
+              "end_line": 1,
+              "matched_length": 5,
+              "match_coverage": 100.0,
+              "matcher": "2-aho",
+              "license_expression": "lgpl-2.0-plus",
+              "rule_identifier": "lgpl-2.0-plus_87.RULE",
+              "rule_relevance": 100,
+              "rule_url": "https://github.com/nexB/scancode-toolkit/tree/develop/src/licensedcode/data/rules/lgpl-2.0-plus_87.RULE",
+              "matched_text": "GNU LESSER GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE"
+            },
+            {
+              "score": 100.0,
+              "start_line": 3,
+              "end_line": 3,
+              "matched_length": 4,
+              "match_coverage": 100.0,
+              "matcher": "2-aho",
+              "license_expression": "gpl-1.0-plus",
+              "rule_identifier": "gpl_63.RULE",
+              "rule_relevance": 100,
+              "rule_url": "https://github.com/nexB/scancode-toolkit/tree/develop/src/licensedcode/data/rules/gpl_63.RULE",
+              "matched_text": "GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE"
+            }
+          ],
+          "identifier": "lgpl-2.0-plus AND gpl-1.0-plus-025d58dd-210c-88d8-f25e-c6a64f395b71",
+          "detection_log": [
+            "package-unknown-reference-to-local-file"
+          ]
+        }
+      ],
+      "other_license_expression": null,
+      "other_license_expression_spdx": null,
+      "other_license_detections": [],
+      "extracted_license_statement": "{'@type': 'file', '#text': 'COPYING.txt'}",
+      "notice_text": null,
+      "source_packages": [],
+      "extra_data": {},
+      "repository_homepage_url": "https://www.nuget.org/packages/Fizzler/1.3.0",
+      "repository_download_url": "https://www.nuget.org/api/v2/package/Fizzler/1.3.0",
+      "api_data_url": "https://api.nuget.org/v3/registration3/fizzler/1.3.0.json",
+      "package_uid": "pkg:nuget/Fizzler@1.3.0?uuid=fixed-uid-done-for-testing-5642512d1758",
+      "datafile_paths": [
+        "Fizzler.nuspec"
+      ],
+      "datasource_ids": [
+        "nuget_nupsec"
+      ],
+      "purl": "pkg:nuget/Fizzler@1.3.0"
+    }
+  ],
+  "dependencies": [
+    {
+      "purl": "pkg:nuget/NETStandard.Library",
+      "extracted_requirement": "1.6.1",
+      "scope": "dependency",
+      "is_runtime": true,
+      "is_optional": false,
+      "is_resolved": false,
+      "resolved_package": {},
+      "extra_data": {
+        "framework": ".NETStandard1.0",
+        "exclude": "Build,Analyzers"
+      },
+      "dependency_uid": "pkg:nuget/NETStandard.Library?uuid=fixed-uid-done-for-testing-5642512d1758",
+      "for_package_uid": "pkg:nuget/Fizzler@1.3.0?uuid=fixed-uid-done-for-testing-5642512d1758",
+      "datafile_path": "Fizzler.nuspec",
+      "datasource_id": "nuget_nupsec"
+    },
+    {
+      "purl": "pkg:nuget/System.Diagnostics.Contracts",
+      "extracted_requirement": "4.3.0",
+      "scope": "dependency",
+      "is_runtime": true,
+      "is_optional": false,
+      "is_resolved": false,
+      "resolved_package": {},
+      "extra_data": {
+        "framework": ".NETStandard1.0",
+        "exclude": "Build,Analyzers"
+      },
+      "dependency_uid": "pkg:nuget/System.Diagnostics.Contracts?uuid=fixed-uid-done-for-testing-5642512d1758",
+      "for_package_uid": "pkg:nuget/Fizzler@1.3.0?uuid=fixed-uid-done-for-testing-5642512d1758",
+      "datafile_path": "Fizzler.nuspec",
+      "datasource_id": "nuget_nupsec"
+    }
+  ],
+  "license_detections": [
+    {
+      "identifier": "lgpl_2_0_plus_and_gpl_1_0_plus-2a11c930-7038-736e-5e48-b35f872691cc",
+      "license_expression": "lgpl-2.0-plus AND gpl-1.0-plus",
+      "detection_count": 1,
+      "detection_log": []
+    },
+    {
+      "identifier": "unknown_license_reference-45e84991-3b5b-bfa7-1b2f-7413856c448d",
+      "license_expression": "unknown-license-reference",
+      "detection_count": 1,
+      "detection_log": []
+    },
+    {
+      "identifier": "lgpl-2.0-plus AND gpl-1.0-plus-025d58dd-210c-88d8-f25e-c6a64f395b71",
+      "license_expression": "lgpl-2.0-plus AND gpl-1.0-plus",
+      "detection_count": 1,
+      "detection_log": [
+        "package-unknown-reference-to-local-file"
+      ]
+    }
+  ],
+  "files": [
+    {
+      "path": "COPYING.txt",
+      "type": "file",
+      "package_data": [],
+      "for_packages": [],
+      "detected_license_expression": "lgpl-2.0-plus AND gpl-1.0-plus",
+      "detected_license_expression_spdx": "LGPL-2.0-or-later AND GPL-1.0-or-later",
+      "license_detections": [
+        {
+          "license_expression": "lgpl-2.0-plus AND gpl-1.0-plus",
+          "matches": [
+            {
+              "score": 100.0,
+              "start_line": 1,
+              "end_line": 1,
+              "matched_length": 5,
+              "match_coverage": 100.0,
+              "matcher": "2-aho",
+              "license_expression": "lgpl-2.0-plus",
+              "rule_identifier": "lgpl-2.0-plus_87.RULE",
+              "rule_relevance": 100,
+              "rule_url": "https://github.com/nexB/scancode-toolkit/tree/develop/src/licensedcode/data/rules/lgpl-2.0-plus_87.RULE",
+              "matched_text": "GNU LESSER GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE"
+            },
+            {
+              "score": 100.0,
+              "start_line": 3,
+              "end_line": 3,
+              "matched_length": 4,
+              "match_coverage": 100.0,
+              "matcher": "2-aho",
+              "license_expression": "gpl-1.0-plus",
+              "rule_identifier": "gpl_63.RULE",
+              "rule_relevance": 100,
+              "rule_url": "https://github.com/nexB/scancode-toolkit/tree/develop/src/licensedcode/data/rules/gpl_63.RULE",
+              "matched_text": "GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE"
+            }
+          ],
+          "detection_log": [],
+          "identifier": "lgpl_2_0_plus_and_gpl_1_0_plus-2a11c930-7038-736e-5e48-b35f872691cc"
+        }
+      ],
+      "license_clues": [],
+      "percentage_of_license_text": 100.0,
+      "scan_errors": []
+    },
+    {
+      "path": "Fizzler.nuspec",
+      "type": "file",
+      "package_data": [
+        {
+          "type": "nuget",
+          "namespace": null,
+          "name": "Fizzler",
+          "version": "1.3.0",
+          "qualifiers": {},
+          "subpath": null,
+          "primary_language": null,
+          "description": "Fizzler is a W3C Selectors parser and generic selector framework for document hierarchies.",
+          "release_date": null,
+          "parties": [
+            {
+              "type": null,
+              "role": "author",
+              "name": "Atif Aziz,Colin Ramsay",
+              "email": null,
+              "url": null
+            }
+          ],
+          "keywords": [],
+          "homepage_url": "https://github.com/atifaziz/Fizzler",
+          "download_url": null,
+          "size": null,
+          "sha1": null,
+          "md5": null,
+          "sha256": null,
+          "sha512": null,
+          "bug_tracking_url": null,
+          "code_view_url": null,
+          "vcs_url": "Git+https://github.com/atifaziz/Fizzler",
+          "copyright": "Copyright \u00a9 2009 Atif Aziz, Colin Ramsay. All rights reserved. Portions Copyright \u00a9 2008 Novell, Inc.",
+          "holder": "Atif Aziz, Colin Ramsay\nNovell, Inc.",
+          "declared_license_expression": "lgpl-2.0-plus AND gpl-1.0-plus",
+          "declared_license_expression_spdx": "LGPL-2.0-or-later AND GPL-1.0-or-later",
+          "license_detections": [
+            {
+              "license_expression": "lgpl-2.0-plus AND gpl-1.0-plus",
+              "matches": [
+                {
+                  "score": 16.0,
+                  "start_line": 1,
+                  "end_line": 1,
+                  "matched_length": 3,
+                  "match_coverage": 100.0,
+                  "matcher": "1-hash",
+                  "license_expression": "unknown-license-reference",
+                  "rule_identifier": "unknown-license-reference_386.RULE",
+                  "rule_relevance": 16,
+                  "rule_url": "https://github.com/nexB/scancode-toolkit/tree/develop/src/licensedcode/data/rules/unknown-license-reference_386.RULE",
+                  "matched_text": "license COPYING.txt"
+                },
+                {
+                  "score": 100.0,
+                  "start_line": 1,
+                  "end_line": 1,
+                  "matched_length": 5,
+                  "match_coverage": 100.0,
+                  "matcher": "2-aho",
+                  "license_expression": "lgpl-2.0-plus",
+                  "rule_identifier": "lgpl-2.0-plus_87.RULE",
+                  "rule_relevance": 100,
+                  "rule_url": "https://github.com/nexB/scancode-toolkit/tree/develop/src/licensedcode/data/rules/lgpl-2.0-plus_87.RULE",
+                  "matched_text": "GNU LESSER GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE"
+                },
+                {
+                  "score": 100.0,
+                  "start_line": 3,
+                  "end_line": 3,
+                  "matched_length": 4,
+                  "match_coverage": 100.0,
+                  "matcher": "2-aho",
+                  "license_expression": "gpl-1.0-plus",
+                  "rule_identifier": "gpl_63.RULE",
+                  "rule_relevance": 100,
+                  "rule_url": "https://github.com/nexB/scancode-toolkit/tree/develop/src/licensedcode/data/rules/gpl_63.RULE",
+                  "matched_text": "GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE"
+                }
+              ],
+              "identifier": "lgpl-2.0-plus AND gpl-1.0-plus-025d58dd-210c-88d8-f25e-c6a64f395b71",
+              "detection_log": [
+                "package-unknown-reference-to-local-file"
+              ]
+            }
+          ],
+          "other_license_expression": null,
+          "other_license_expression_spdx": null,
+          "other_license_detections": [],
+          "extracted_license_statement": "{'@type': 'file', '#text': 'COPYING.txt'}",
+          "notice_text": null,
+          "source_packages": [],
+          "file_references": [],
+          "extra_data": {},
+          "dependencies": [
+            {
+              "purl": "pkg:nuget/NETStandard.Library",
+              "extracted_requirement": "1.6.1",
+              "scope": "dependency",
+              "is_runtime": true,
+              "is_optional": false,
+              "is_resolved": false,
+              "resolved_package": {},
+              "extra_data": {
+                "framework": ".NETStandard1.0",
+                "exclude": "Build,Analyzers"
+              }
+            },
+            {
+              "purl": "pkg:nuget/System.Diagnostics.Contracts",
+              "extracted_requirement": "4.3.0",
+              "scope": "dependency",
+              "is_runtime": true,
+              "is_optional": false,
+              "is_resolved": false,
+              "resolved_package": {},
+              "extra_data": {
+                "framework": ".NETStandard1.0",
+                "exclude": "Build,Analyzers"
+              }
+            }
+          ],
+          "repository_homepage_url": "https://www.nuget.org/packages/Fizzler/1.3.0",
+          "repository_download_url": "https://www.nuget.org/api/v2/package/Fizzler/1.3.0",
+          "api_data_url": "https://api.nuget.org/v3/registration3/fizzler/1.3.0.json",
+          "datasource_id": "nuget_nupsec",
+          "purl": "pkg:nuget/Fizzler@1.3.0"
+        }
+      ],
+      "for_packages": [
+        "pkg:nuget/Fizzler@1.3.0?uuid=fixed-uid-done-for-testing-5642512d1758"
+      ],
+      "detected_license_expression": "lgpl-2.0-plus AND gpl-1.0-plus",
+      "detected_license_expression_spdx": "LGPL-2.0-or-later AND GPL-1.0-or-later",
+      "license_detections": [
+        {
+          "license_expression": "lgpl-2.0-plus AND gpl-1.0-plus",
+          "matches": [
+            {
+              "score": 33.0,
+              "start_line": 9,
+              "end_line": 9,
+              "matched_length": 6,
+              "match_coverage": 100.0,
+              "matcher": "2-aho",
+              "license_expression": "unknown-license-reference",
+              "rule_identifier": "unknown-license-reference_382.RULE",
+              "rule_relevance": 33,
+              "rule_url": "https://github.com/nexB/scancode-toolkit/tree/develop/src/licensedcode/data/rules/unknown-license-reference_382.RULE",
+              "matched_text": "license type=\"file\">COPYING.txt</license>"
+            },
+            {
+              "score": 100.0,
+              "start_line": 1,
+              "end_line": 1,
+              "matched_length": 5,
+              "match_coverage": 100.0,
+              "matcher": "2-aho",
+              "license_expression": "lgpl-2.0-plus",
+              "rule_identifier": "lgpl-2.0-plus_87.RULE",
+              "rule_relevance": 100,
+              "rule_url": "https://github.com/nexB/scancode-toolkit/tree/develop/src/licensedcode/data/rules/lgpl-2.0-plus_87.RULE",
+              "matched_text": "GNU LESSER GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE"
+            },
+            {
+              "score": 100.0,
+              "start_line": 3,
+              "end_line": 3,
+              "matched_length": 4,
+              "match_coverage": 100.0,
+              "matcher": "2-aho",
+              "license_expression": "gpl-1.0-plus",
+              "rule_identifier": "gpl_63.RULE",
+              "rule_relevance": 100,
+              "rule_url": "https://github.com/nexB/scancode-toolkit/tree/develop/src/licensedcode/data/rules/gpl_63.RULE",
+              "matched_text": "GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE"
+            }
+          ],
+          "detection_log": [
+            "unknown-reference-to-local-file"
+          ],
+          "identifier": "lgpl-2.0-plus AND gpl-1.0-plus-17115808-8fc8-9c98-b64d-c5013bcbde1b"
+        }
+      ],
+      "license_clues": [],
+      "percentage_of_license_text": 3.97,
+      "scan_errors": []
+    }
+  ]
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/packagedcode/data/license_detection/reference-at-manifest/fizzler/COPYING.txt b/tests/packagedcode/data/license_detection/reference-at-manifest/fizzler/COPYING.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..8d0f8898dd5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/packagedcode/data/license_detection/reference-at-manifest/fizzler/COPYING.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+GNU LESSER GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE
+                      
+GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE
+                    
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/packagedcode/data/license_detection/reference-at-manifest/fizzler/Fizzler.nuspec b/tests/packagedcode/data/license_detection/reference-at-manifest/fizzler/Fizzler.nuspec
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..604ccea71a5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/packagedcode/data/license_detection/reference-at-manifest/fizzler/Fizzler.nuspec
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
+<package xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/packaging/2013/05/nuspec.xsd">
+  <metadata>
+    <id>Fizzler</id>
+    <version>1.3.0</version>
+    <authors>Atif Aziz,Colin Ramsay</authors>
+    <owners></owners>
+    <requireLicenseAcceptance>false</requireLicenseAcceptance>
+    <license type="file">COPYING.txt</license>
+    <licenseUrl>https://aka.ms/deprecateLicenseUrl</licenseUrl>
+    <projectUrl>https://github.com/atifaziz/Fizzler</projectUrl>
+    <description>Fizzler is a W3C Selectors parser and generic selector framework for document hierarchies.</description>
+    <releaseNotes>See https://github.com/atifaziz/Fizzler/releases/tag/v1.3.0</releaseNotes>
+    <copyright>Copyright © 2009 Atif Aziz, Colin Ramsay. All rights reserved. Portions Copyright © 2008 Novell, Inc.</copyright>
+    <tags>selectors w3c</tags>
+    <repository type="Git" url="https://github.com/atifaziz/Fizzler" commit="8323ec7a49ce5dff579b1aa146492ee7aa0ab10d" />
+    <dependencies>
+      <group targetFramework=".NETStandard1.0">
+        <dependency id="NETStandard.Library" version="1.6.1" exclude="Build,Analyzers" />
+        <dependency id="System.Diagnostics.Contracts" version="4.3.0" exclude="Build,Analyzers" />
+      </group>
+      <group targetFramework=".NETStandard2.0" />
+    </dependencies>
+  </metadata>
+</package>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/packagedcode/test_license_detection.py b/tests/packagedcode/test_license_detection.py
index adb21672586..6aa491075c3 100644
--- a/tests/packagedcode/test_license_detection.py
+++ b/tests/packagedcode/test_license_detection.py
@@ -57,6 +57,25 @@ def test_license_reference_detection_in_manifest_known():
     check_json_scan(test_loc, result_file, regen=REGEN_TEST_FIXTURES)
 
 
+def test_license_reference_detection_in_manifest_unknown_reference_nuget():
+    test_dir = test_env.get_test_loc('license_detection/reference-at-manifest/fizzler/', copy=True)
+    result_file = test_env.get_temp_file('json')
+    args = [
+        '--license',
+        '--license-text',
+        '--license-text-diagnostics',
+        '--license-diagnostics',
+        '--package',
+        '--strip-root',
+        '--verbose',
+        '--json', result_file,
+        test_dir,
+    ]
+    run_scan_click(args)
+    test_loc = test_env.get_test_loc('license_detection/reference-at-manifest/fizzler.expected.json')
+    check_json_scan(test_loc, result_file, regen=REGEN_TEST_FIXTURES)
+
+
 def test_license_reference_detection_in_manifest_licence_comment():
     test_dir = test_env.get_test_loc('license_detection/license-as-manifest-comment/activemq-camel/', copy=True)
     result_file = test_env.get_temp_file('json')