diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index 865e90626..6279c4467 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ Features added
 Bugs fixed
 ----------
 
+* #1568: fix a crash when a "centered" directive contains a reference.
 * #1563: :meth:`~sphinx.application.Sphinx.add_search_language` raises
   AssertionError for correct type of argument. Thanks to rikoman.
 * #1174: Fix smart quotes being applied inside roles like :rst:role:`program` or
diff --git a/sphinx/addnodes.py b/sphinx/addnodes.py
index 99f387ecd..55abdb019 100644
--- a/sphinx/addnodes.py
+++ b/sphinx/addnodes.py
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ class index(nodes.Invisible, nodes.Inline, nodes.TextElement):
     *entrytype* is one of "single", "pair", "double", "triple".
     """
 
-class centered(nodes.Part, nodes.Element):
+class centered(nodes.Part, nodes.TextElement):
     """Deprecated."""
 
 class acks(nodes.Element):