diff --git a/test/collection/test_filter.py b/test/collection/test_filter.py
index ff120e964..c9bdd1c21 100644
--- a/test/collection/test_filter.py
+++ b/test/collection/test_filter.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 
 import weaviate
 import weaviate.classes as wvc
-from weaviate.collections.classes.filters import _FilterAnd, _FilterOr
+from weaviate.collections.classes.filters import Filter, _FilterAnd, _FilterOr
 
 
 def test_empty_input_contains_any() -> None:
@@ -86,3 +86,9 @@ def test_filter_bitwise_or_assignment() -> None:
     assert isinstance(or_direct.filters[0], _FilterOr)
     assert f4.filters[0].filters == or_direct.filters[0].filters
     assert f4.filters[1] == f3
+
+
+def test_auto_capitalize_first_letter_by_ref_multi_target() -> None:
+    result = Filter.by_ref_multi_target(link_on="ref1", target_collection="test")
+    target_collection_stored = result._FilterByRef__target.target_collection
+    assert target_collection_stored == "Test"
diff --git a/weaviate/collections/classes/filters.py b/weaviate/collections/classes/filters.py
index 25584172a..854fb0c80 100644
--- a/weaviate/collections/classes/filters.py
+++ b/weaviate/collections/classes/filters.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 from weaviate.exceptions import WeaviateInvalidInputError
 from weaviate.proto.v1 import base_pb2
 from weaviate.types import UUID
-from weaviate.util import get_valid_uuid
+from weaviate.util import get_valid_uuid, _capitalize_first_letter
 
 
 class _Operator(str, Enum):
@@ -480,6 +480,7 @@ def by_ref(self, link_on: str) -> "_FilterByRef":
 
     def by_ref_multi_target(self, reference: str, target_collection: str) -> "_FilterByRef":
         """Filter on the given multi-target reference."""
+        target_collection = _capitalize_first_letter(target_collection)
         self.__last_target.target = _MultiTargetRef(
             link_on=reference, target_collection=target_collection
         )
@@ -528,6 +529,7 @@ def by_ref(link_on: str) -> _FilterByRef:
     @staticmethod
     def by_ref_multi_target(link_on: str, target_collection: str) -> _FilterByRef:
         """Define a filter based on a reference to be used when querying and deleting from a collection."""
+        target_collection = _capitalize_first_letter(target_collection)
         return _FilterByRef(_MultiTargetRef(link_on=link_on, target_collection=target_collection))
 
     @staticmethod