diff --git a/sphinx/ext/intersphinx.py b/sphinx/ext/intersphinx.py
index 0797a7c7c..4795d1ae2 100644
--- a/sphinx/ext/intersphinx.py
+++ b/sphinx/ext/intersphinx.py
@@ -305,9 +305,28 @@ def missing_reference(app: Sphinx, env: BuildEnvironment, node: pending_xref,
                     to_try.append((inventories.named_inventory[setname], full_qualified_name))
     for inventory, target in to_try:
         for objtype in objtypes:
-            if objtype not in inventory or target not in inventory[objtype]:
+            if objtype not in inventory:
+                # Continue if there's nothing of this kind in the inventory
                 continue
-            proj, version, uri, dispname = inventory[objtype][target]
+            if target in inventory[objtype]:
+                # Case sensitive match, use it
+                proj, version, uri, dispname = inventory[objtype][target]
+            elif objtype == 'std:term':
+                # Check for potential case insensitive matches for terms only
+                target_lower = target.lower()
+                insensitive_matches = list(filter(lambda k: k.lower() == target_lower,
+                                                  inventory[objtype].keys()))
+                if insensitive_matches:
+                    proj, version, uri, dispname = inventory[objtype][insensitive_matches[0]]
+                else:
+                    # No case insensitive match either, continue to the next candidate
+                    continue
+            else:
+                # Could reach here if we're not a term but have a case insensitive match.
+                # This is a fix for terms specifically, but potentially should apply to
+                # other types.
+                continue
+
             if '://' not in uri and node.get('refdoc'):
                 # get correct path in case of subdirectories
                 uri = path.join(relative_path(node['refdoc'], '.'), uri)
diff --git a/tests/test_ext_intersphinx.py b/tests/test_ext_intersphinx.py
index 875f14346..28b5e63b1 100644
--- a/tests/test_ext_intersphinx.py
+++ b/tests/test_ext_intersphinx.py
@@ -196,6 +196,16 @@ def test_missing_reference_pydomain(tempdir, app, status, warning):
     rn = missing_reference(app, app.env, node, contnode)
     assert rn.astext() == 'Foo.bar'
 
+    # term reference (normal)
+    node, contnode = fake_node('std', 'term', 'a term', 'a term')
+    rn = missing_reference(app, app.env, node, contnode)
+    assert rn.astext() == 'a term'
+
+    # term reference (case insensitive)
+    node, contnode = fake_node('std', 'term', 'A TERM', 'A TERM')
+    rn = missing_reference(app, app.env, node, contnode)
+    assert rn.astext() == 'A TERM'
+
 
 def test_missing_reference_stddomain(tempdir, app, status, warning):
     inv_file = tempdir / 'inventory'