diff --git a/modules/swagger-parser/src/test/java/io/swagger/parser/SwaggerParserTest.java b/modules/swagger-parser/src/test/java/io/swagger/parser/SwaggerParserTest.java
index c408097a34..f08a826f49 100644
--- a/modules/swagger-parser/src/test/java/io/swagger/parser/SwaggerParserTest.java
+++ b/modules/swagger-parser/src/test/java/io/swagger/parser/SwaggerParserTest.java
@@ -138,6 +138,16 @@ public void testLoadRelativeFileTree_Json() throws Exception {
         //Json.mapper().writerWithDefaultPrettyPrinter().writeValue(new File("resolved.json"), swagger);
     }
 
+    @Test
+    public void testLoadExternalNestedDefinitions() throws Exception {
+        SwaggerParser parser = new SwaggerParser();
+        final Swagger swagger = parser.read("src/test/resources/nested-references/b.yaml");
+        Map<String, Model> definitions = swagger.getDefinitions();
+        assertTrue(definitions.containsKey("x"));
+        assertTrue(!definitions.containsKey("y"));
+        assertTrue(definitions.containsKey("z"));
+    }
+
     @Test
     public void testPetstore() throws Exception {
         SwaggerParser parser = new SwaggerParser();
diff --git a/modules/swagger-parser/src/test/resources/nested-references/a.yaml b/modules/swagger-parser/src/test/resources/nested-references/a.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..fffb166321
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/swagger-parser/src/test/resources/nested-references/a.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+---
+swagger: "2.0"
+info:
+  title: test
+  version: '0.0.0'
+paths: {}
+definitions:
+  y:
+    $ref: "#/definitions/z"
+  z:
+    type: object
+    properties:
+      name:
+        type: string
diff --git a/modules/swagger-parser/src/test/resources/nested-references/b.yaml b/modules/swagger-parser/src/test/resources/nested-references/b.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..504ab6b518
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/swagger-parser/src/test/resources/nested-references/b.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+---
+swagger: "2.0"
+info:
+  title: test
+  version: '0.0.0'
+paths: {}
+definitions:
+  x:
+    $ref: "./a.yaml#/definitions/y"