diff --git a/changes/236.canada.bugfix b/changes/236.canada.bugfix
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..24975df8312
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changes/236.canada.bugfix
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Fixed an issue with the `datastore purge` command deleting custom Reference Tables.
diff --git a/ckanext/datastore/cli.py b/ckanext/datastore/cli.py
index 61fc1739fe9..7185a158302 100644
--- a/ckanext/datastore/cli.py
+++ b/ckanext/datastore/cli.py
@@ -144,6 +144,11 @@ def purge(list: bool = False, yes: bool = False):
 
     site_user = logic.get_action('get_site_user')({'ignore_auth': True}, {})
 
+    # (canada fork only): skip underscored tables,
+    #                     skip public_table_search tables
+    # TODO: upstream contrib!!
+    public_search_tables = config.get('ckan.datastore.public_table_search', [])
+
     resource_id_list = []
     # (canada fork only): more options and state=deleted handling
     # TODO: upstream contrib!!
@@ -166,6 +171,14 @@ def purge(list: bool = False, yes: bool = False):
                 if record['alias_of']:
                     continue
 
+                # (canada fork only): skip underscored tables,
+                #                     skip public_table_search tables
+                # TODO: upstream contrib!!
+                if record['name'] in public_search_tables:
+                    continue
+                if record['name'].startswith('_'):
+                    continue
+
                 # (canada fork only): more options and state=deleted handling
                 # TODO: upstream contrib!!
                 res = logic.get_action('resource_show')(