Methods and apparatus for a memory device with self-healing reference bits

A memory device, such an MRAM device, includes self-healing reference bits associated with a set of array bits. The memory performs an error detection step (e.g., using an error-correction coding (ECC) algorithm, to detect the presence of a set of errors within the data bits. One of the reference bits is toggled to a different state if an error count is greater than a predetermined threshold. If the set of errors remains unchanged when subsequently read, the reference bit is toggled back to its original state.