diff --git a/schemas/v3.1/schema.json b/schemas/v3.1/schema.json
index 44fdbb92b8..8df4d61121 100644
--- a/schemas/v3.1/schema.json
+++ b/schemas/v3.1/schema.json
@@ -316,6 +316,7 @@
     },
     "path-item-or-reference": {
       "if": {
+        "type": "object",
         "required": [
           "$ref"
         ]
@@ -655,6 +656,7 @@
     },
     "request-body-or-reference": {
       "if": {
+        "type": "object",
         "required": [
           "$ref"
         ]
@@ -811,6 +813,7 @@
     },
     "response-or-reference": {
       "if": {
+        "type": "object",
         "required": [
           "$ref"
         ]
@@ -831,6 +834,7 @@
     },
     "callbacks-or-reference": {
       "if": {
+        "type": "object",
         "required": [
           "$ref"
         ]
@@ -909,6 +913,7 @@
     },
     "link-or-reference": {
       "if": {
+        "type": "object",
         "required": [
           "$ref"
         ]
@@ -975,6 +980,7 @@
     },
     "header-or-reference": {
       "if": {
+        "type": "object",
         "required": [
           "$ref"
         ]
@@ -1196,6 +1202,7 @@
     },
     "security-scheme-or-reference": {
       "if": {
+        "type": "object",
         "required": [
           "$ref"
         ]
diff --git a/schemas/v3.1/schema.yaml b/schemas/v3.1/schema.yaml
index 39b90f34de..8cb9044d0c 100644
--- a/schemas/v3.1/schema.yaml
+++ b/schemas/v3.1/schema.yaml
@@ -219,6 +219,7 @@ $defs:
 
   path-item-or-reference:
     if:
+      type: object
       required:
         - $ref
     then:
@@ -418,6 +419,7 @@ $defs:
 
   parameter-or-reference:
     if:
+      type: object
       required:
         - $ref
     then:
@@ -442,6 +444,7 @@ $defs:
 
   request-body-or-reference:
     if:
+      type: object
       required:
         - $ref
     then:
@@ -547,6 +550,7 @@ $defs:
 
   response-or-reference:
     if:
+      type: object
       required:
         - $ref
     then:
@@ -562,6 +566,7 @@ $defs:
 
   callbacks-or-reference:
     if:
+      type: object
       required:
         - $ref
     then:
@@ -585,6 +590,7 @@ $defs:
 
   example-or-reference:
     if:
+      type: object
       required:
         - $ref
     then:
@@ -616,6 +622,7 @@ $defs:
 
   link-or-reference:
     if:
+      type: object
       required:
         - $ref
     then:
@@ -662,6 +669,7 @@ $defs:
 
   header-or-reference:
     if:
+      type: object
       required:
         - $ref
     then:
@@ -807,6 +815,7 @@ $defs:
 
   security-scheme-or-reference:
     if:
+      type: object
       required:
         - $ref
     then: