diff --git a/rules/camunda-cloud/escalation-reference.js b/rules/camunda-cloud/escalation-reference.js
index b9e2475e..b3e9e7ab 100644
--- a/rules/camunda-cloud/escalation-reference.js
+++ b/rules/camunda-cloud/escalation-reference.js
@@ -24,27 +24,35 @@ module.exports = skipInNonExecutableProcess(function() {
       return;
     }
 
-    let errors = hasProperties(eventDefinition, {
-      escalationRef: {
-        required: true
-      }
-    }, node);
+    let errors = [];
 
-    if (errors && errors.length) {
-      reportErrors(node, reporter, errors);
+    if (!isNoEscalationRefAllowed(node)) {
+      errors = hasProperties(eventDefinition, {
+        escalationRef: {
+          required: true
+        }
+      }, node);
 
-      return;
+      if (errors.length) {
+        reportErrors(node, reporter, errors);
+
+        return;
+      }
     }
 
     const escalationRef = eventDefinition.get('escalationRef');
 
+    if (!escalationRef) {
+      return;
+    }
+
     errors = hasProperties(escalationRef, {
       escalationCode: {
         required: true
       }
     }, node);
 
-    if (errors && errors.length) {
+    if (errors.length) {
       reportErrors(node, reporter, errors);
     }
   }
@@ -53,3 +61,7 @@ module.exports = skipInNonExecutableProcess(function() {
     check
   };
 });
+
+function isNoEscalationRefAllowed(node, version) {
+  return is(node, 'bpmn:BoundaryEvent');
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/camunda-cloud/escalation-reference.spec.js b/test/camunda-cloud/escalation-reference.spec.js
index ce5d0ead..aaf8a972 100644
--- a/test/camunda-cloud/escalation-reference.spec.js
+++ b/test/camunda-cloud/escalation-reference.spec.js
@@ -22,6 +22,27 @@ const valid = [
       <bpmn:escalation id="Escalation_1" escalationCode="foo" />
     `))
   },
+  {
+    name: 'escalation boundary event',
+    moddleElement: createModdle(createDefinitions(`
+      <bpmn:process id="Process_1">
+        <bpmn:callActivity id="CallActivity_1" />
+        <bpmn:boundaryEvent id="BoundaryEvent_1" attachedToRef="CallActivity_1">
+          <bpmn:escalationEventDefinition id="EscalationEventDefinition_1" escalationRef="Escalation_1" />
+        </bpmn:boundaryEvent>
+      </bpmn:process>
+      <bpmn:escalation id="Escalation_1" escalationCode="foo" />
+    `))
+  },
+  {
+    name: 'escalation boundary event (no escalation reference)',
+    moddleElement: createModdle(createProcess(`
+      <bpmn:callActivity id="CallActivity_1" />
+      <bpmn:boundaryEvent id="BoundaryEvent_1" attachedToRef="CallActivity_1">
+        <bpmn:escalationEventDefinition id="EscalationEventDefinition_1" />
+      </bpmn:boundaryEvent>
+    `))
+  },
   {
     name: 'end event (message)',
     moddleElement: createModdle(createProcess(`