diff --git a/lib/schemaUtils.js b/lib/schemaUtils.js
index 2a6f7ad0a..c80668ba9 100644
--- a/lib/schemaUtils.js
+++ b/lib/schemaUtils.js
@@ -2129,6 +2129,10 @@ module.exports = {
       rDataMode = 'raw';
       let bodyType, language;
 
+      if (contentObj.hasOwnProperty('schema') && contentObj.schema.hasOwnProperty('$ref')) {
+        contentObj.schema = this.getRefObject(contentObj.schema.$ref, components, options);
+      }
+
       // checking for all possible raw types
       if (contentObj.hasOwnProperty(APP_JS)) { bodyType = APP_JS; }
       else if (contentObj.hasOwnProperty(APP_JSON)) { bodyType = APP_JSON; }