diff --git a/openapi3/swagger_loader.go b/openapi3/swagger_loader.go
index cb0cda438..71216a28a 100644
--- a/openapi3/swagger_loader.go
+++ b/openapi3/swagger_loader.go
@@ -166,9 +166,11 @@ func (swaggerLoader *SwaggerLoader) loadSwaggerFromDataWithPathInternal(data []b
 }
 
 func (swaggerLoader *SwaggerLoader) ResolveRefsIn(swagger *Swagger, path *url.URL) (err error) {
-	swaggerLoader.visited = make(map[interface{}]struct{})
+	if swaggerLoader.visited == nil {
+		swaggerLoader.visited = make(map[interface{}]struct{})
+	}
 	if swaggerLoader.visitedFiles == nil {
-		swaggerLoader.visitedFiles = make(map[string]struct{})
+		swaggerLoader.reset()
 	}
 
 	// Visit all components
@@ -232,7 +234,7 @@ func join(basePath *url.URL, relativePath *url.URL) (*url.URL, error) {
 	}
 	newPath, err := copyURL(basePath)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Can't copy path: '%s'", basePath.String())
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("cannot copy path: %q", basePath.String())
 	}
 	newPath.Path = path.Join(path.Dir(newPath.Path), relativePath.Path)
 	return newPath, nil
@@ -274,9 +276,7 @@ func (swaggerLoader *SwaggerLoader) resolveComponent(swagger *Swagger, ref strin
 
 	cursor = swagger
 	for _, pathPart := range strings.Split(fragment[1:], "/") {
-
-		pathPart = strings.Replace(pathPart, "~1", "/", -1)
-		pathPart = strings.Replace(pathPart, "~0", "~", -1)
+		pathPart = unescapeRefString(pathPart)
 
 		if cursor, err = drillIntoSwaggerField(cursor, pathPart); err != nil {
 			return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("Failed to resolve '%s' in fragment in URI: '%s': %v", ref, pathPart, err.Error())
@@ -369,7 +369,7 @@ func (swaggerLoader *SwaggerLoader) resolveHeaderRef(swagger *Swagger, component
 	if component == nil {
 		return errors.New("invalid header: value MUST be a JSON object")
 	}
-	if ref := component.Ref; len(ref) > 0 {
+	if ref := component.Ref; ref != "" {
 		if isSingleRefElement(ref) {
 			var header Header
 			if err := swaggerLoader.loadSingleElementFromURI(ref, path, &header); err != nil {
@@ -416,7 +416,7 @@ func (swaggerLoader *SwaggerLoader) resolveParameterRef(swagger *Swagger, compon
 		return errors.New("invalid parameter: value MUST be a JSON object")
 	}
 	ref := component.Ref
-	if len(ref) > 0 {
+	if ref != "" {
 		if isSingleRefElement(ref) {
 			var param Parameter
 			if err := swaggerLoader.loadSingleElementFromURI(ref, documentPath, &param); err != nil {
@@ -477,7 +477,7 @@ func (swaggerLoader *SwaggerLoader) resolveRequestBodyRef(swagger *Swagger, comp
 	if component == nil {
 		return errors.New("invalid requestBody: value MUST be a JSON object")
 	}
-	if ref := component.Ref; len(ref) > 0 {
+	if ref := component.Ref; ref != "" {
 		if isSingleRefElement(ref) {
 			var requestBody RequestBody
 			if err := swaggerLoader.loadSingleElementFromURI(ref, path, &requestBody); err != nil {
@@ -532,7 +532,7 @@ func (swaggerLoader *SwaggerLoader) resolveResponseRef(swagger *Swagger, compone
 		return errors.New("invalid response: value MUST be a JSON object")
 	}
 	ref := component.Ref
-	if len(ref) > 0 {
+	if ref != "" {
 
 		if isSingleRefElement(ref) {
 			var resp Response
@@ -607,7 +607,7 @@ func (swaggerLoader *SwaggerLoader) resolveSchemaRef(swagger *Swagger, component
 		return errors.New("invalid schema: value MUST be a JSON object")
 	}
 	ref := component.Ref
-	if len(ref) > 0 {
+	if ref != "" {
 		if isSingleRefElement(ref) {
 			var schema Schema
 			if err := swaggerLoader.loadSingleElementFromURI(ref, documentPath, &schema); err != nil {
@@ -692,7 +692,7 @@ func (swaggerLoader *SwaggerLoader) resolveSecuritySchemeRef(swagger *Swagger, c
 	if component == nil {
 		return errors.New("invalid securityScheme: value MUST be a JSON object")
 	}
-	if ref := component.Ref; len(ref) > 0 {
+	if ref := component.Ref; ref != "" {
 		if isSingleRefElement(ref) {
 			var scheme SecurityScheme
 			if err := swaggerLoader.loadSingleElementFromURI(ref, path, &scheme); err != nil {
@@ -729,7 +729,7 @@ func (swaggerLoader *SwaggerLoader) resolveExampleRef(swagger *Swagger, componen
 	if component == nil {
 		return errors.New("invalid example: value MUST be a JSON object")
 	}
-	if ref := component.Ref; len(ref) > 0 {
+	if ref := component.Ref; ref != "" {
 		if isSingleRefElement(ref) {
 			var example Example
 			if err := swaggerLoader.loadSingleElementFromURI(ref, path, &example); err != nil {
@@ -766,7 +766,7 @@ func (swaggerLoader *SwaggerLoader) resolveLinkRef(swagger *Swagger, component *
 	if component == nil {
 		return errors.New("invalid link: value MUST be a JSON object")
 	}
-	if ref := component.Ref; len(ref) > 0 {
+	if ref := component.Ref; ref != "" {
 		if isSingleRefElement(ref) {
 			var link Link
 			if err := swaggerLoader.loadSingleElementFromURI(ref, path, &link); err != nil {
diff --git a/openapi3/swagger_loader_issue235_test.go b/openapi3/swagger_loader_issue235_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..79515c12d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/openapi3/swagger_loader_issue235_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+package openapi3
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+)
+
+func TestIssue235OK(t *testing.T) {
+	loader := NewSwaggerLoader()
+	loader.IsExternalRefsAllowed = true
+	doc, err := loader.LoadSwaggerFromFile("testdata/issue235.spec0.yml")
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	err = doc.Validate(loader.Context)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+}
+
+func TestIssue235CircularDep(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Skip("TODO: return an error on circular dependencies between external files of a spec")
+	loader := NewSwaggerLoader()
+	loader.IsExternalRefsAllowed = true
+	doc, err := loader.LoadSwaggerFromFile("testdata/issue235.spec0-typo.yml")
+	require.Nil(t, doc)
+	require.Error(t, err)
+}
diff --git a/openapi3/testdata/issue235.spec0-typo.yml b/openapi3/testdata/issue235.spec0-typo.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..543600620
--- /dev/null
+++ b/openapi3/testdata/issue235.spec0-typo.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+openapi: 3.0.0
+info:
+  title: 'OAI Specification in YAML'
+  version: 0.0.1
+paths:
+  /test:
+    get:
+      responses:
+        "200":
+          $ref: '#/components/responses/GetTestOK'
+components:
+  responses:
+    GetTestOK:
+      description: OK
+      content:
+        application/json:
+          schema:
+            $ref: '#/components/schemas/ObjectA'
+  schemas:
+    ObjectA:
+      type: object
+      properties:
+        object_b:
+          $ref: 'issue235.spec0-typo.yml#/components/schemas/ObjectD'
diff --git a/openapi3/testdata/issue235.spec0.yml b/openapi3/testdata/issue235.spec0.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d9236aaec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/openapi3/testdata/issue235.spec0.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+openapi: 3.0.0
+info:
+  title: 'OAI Specification in YAML'
+  version: 0.0.1
+paths:
+  /test:
+    get:
+      responses:
+        "200":
+          $ref: '#/components/responses/GetTestOK'
+components:
+  responses:
+    GetTestOK:
+      description: OK
+      content:
+        application/json:
+          schema:
+            $ref: '#/components/schemas/ObjectA'
+  schemas:
+    ObjectA:
+      type: object
+      properties:
+        object_b:
+          $ref: 'issue235.spec1.yml#/components/schemas/ObjectD'
diff --git a/openapi3/testdata/issue235.spec1.yml b/openapi3/testdata/issue235.spec1.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a1bc67906
--- /dev/null
+++ b/openapi3/testdata/issue235.spec1.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+components:
+  schemas:
+    ObjectD:
+      type: object
+      properties:
+        result:
+          $ref: '#/components/schemas/ObjectE'
+
+    ObjectE:
+      properties:
+        name:
+          $ref: issue235.spec2.yml#/components/schemas/ObjectX
diff --git a/openapi3/testdata/issue235.spec2.yml b/openapi3/testdata/issue235.spec2.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b0bcb0fa2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/openapi3/testdata/issue235.spec2.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+components:
+  schemas:
+    ObjectX:
+      type: object
+      properties:
+        name:
+          type: string