diff --git a/chaotic/chaotic/front/ref_resolver.py b/chaotic/chaotic/front/ref_resolver.py
index 8072e6c0813a..be600655b6c4 100644
--- a/chaotic/chaotic/front/ref_resolver.py
+++ b/chaotic/chaotic/front/ref_resolver.py
@@ -1,9 +1,6 @@
+import os
 import collections
-from typing import Any
-from typing import Dict
-from typing import List
-from typing import Optional
-from typing import Set
+from typing import Any, Dict, List, Optional, Set
 
 from chaotic import error
 from chaotic.front import types
@@ -38,6 +35,26 @@ def do_node(node: str):
     return sorted_nodes
 
 
+def normalize_ref(ref: str, base: str = None) -> str:
+    """
+    Normalizes a link, converting relative paths to canonical form.
+    If the link contains an anchor ("#/"):
+    - If the part before '#' is empty and base is specified, then base is used.
+    - Otherwise, the part of the path is normalized via os.path.normpath.
+    Examples:
+    "../role.yaml#/definitions/role" -> "role.yaml#/definitions/role"
+    "#/definitions/type" (with base="vfull") -> "vfull#/definitions/type"
+    """
+    if '#/' in ref:
+        file_path, fragment = ref.split('#', 1)
+        if not file_path and base:
+            file_path = base
+        else:
+            file_path = os.path.normpath(file_path)
+        return file_path + '#' + fragment
+    return os.path.normpath(ref)
+
+
 class RefResolver:
     def sort_schemas(
         self,
@@ -68,8 +85,9 @@ def visitor(
                 if cur_node.indirect:
                     indirect = True
 
-                if cur_node.ref not in schemas.schemas:
-                    ref = external_schemas.schemas.get(cur_node.ref)
+                norm_ref = normalize_ref(cur_node.ref, base=name.split('#')[0] if cur_node.ref.startswith('#') else None)
+                if norm_ref not in schemas.schemas:
+                    ref = external_schemas.schemas.get(norm_ref)
                     if ref:
                         cur_node = ref
                         is_external = True
@@ -77,10 +95,10 @@ def visitor(
                         known = '\n'.join([f'- {v}' for v in schemas.schemas.keys()])
                         known += '\n'.join([f'- {v}' for v in external_schemas.schemas.keys()])
                         raise Exception(
-                            f'$ref to unknown type "{cur_node.ref}", known refs:\n{known}',
+                            f'$ref to unknown type "{norm_ref}", known refs:\n{known}',
                         )
                 else:
-                    cur_node = schemas.schemas[cur_node.ref]
+                    cur_node = schemas.schemas[norm_ref]
                 if cur_node in seen:
                     # cycle is detected
                     # an exception will be raised later in sort_dfs()
@@ -91,7 +109,7 @@ def visitor(
                 local_schema.indirect = indirect
 
             if isinstance(parent, types.Array):
-                if name == local_schema.ref:
+                if name == normalize_ref(local_schema.ref, base=name.split('#')[0] if local_schema.ref.startswith('#') else None):
                     if indirect:
                         raise error.BaseError(
                             full_filepath=local_schema.source_location().filepath,
@@ -111,13 +129,14 @@ def visitor(
             )
             if not indirect:
                 if not is_external:
-                    # print(f'add {name} -> {local_schema.ref}')
-                    edges[name].append(local_schema.ref)
+                    if local_schema.ref.startswith('#'):
+                        edges[name].append(normalize_ref(local_schema.ref, base=name.split('#')[0]))
+                    else:
+                        edges[name].append(normalize_ref(local_schema.ref))
             else:
                 # skip indirect link
                 pass
 
-        # TODO: forbid non-schemas/ $refs
         for name, schema_item in schemas.schemas.items():
             visitor(schema_item, None)
             schema_item.visit_children(visitor)
diff --git a/chaotic/integration_tests/schemas/object/external_ref_with_relative_path.yaml b/chaotic/integration_tests/schemas/object/external_ref_with_relative_path.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..c124df3b1029
--- /dev/null
+++ b/chaotic/integration_tests/schemas/object/external_ref_with_relative_path.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+definitions:
+    ObjectWithExternalRefRelativePath:
+        type: object
+        properties:
+            empty:
+                $ref: '../object_empty.yaml#/definitions/ObjectEmpty'
+        additionalProperties: false
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/chaotic/tests/front/test_ref.py b/chaotic/tests/front/test_ref.py
index 1ab19cadc95e..6fd60752e6ca 100644
--- a/chaotic/tests/front/test_ref.py
+++ b/chaotic/tests/front/test_ref.py
@@ -201,3 +201,47 @@ def test_cycle():
         assert str(exc) == '$ref cycle: vfull#/definitions/type1, vfull#/definitions/type2'
     else:
         assert False
+
+def test_relative_path():
+    config = ParserConfig(erase_prefix='')
+    schemas = []
+
+    parser = SchemaParser(
+        config=config,
+        full_filepath='folder/full',
+        full_vfilepath='folder/vfull',
+    )
+    parser.parse_schema('/definitions/vfull', {'type': 'integer'})
+    schemas.append(parser.parsed_schemas())
+
+    parser = SchemaParser(
+        config=config,
+        full_filepath='folder/obj/full2',
+        full_vfilepath='folder/obj/vfull2',
+    )
+    parser.parse_schema('/definitions/vfull2', {
+        'type': 'object',
+        'properties': {
+            'test': {'$ref': '../vfull#/definitions/vfull'}
+        },
+        'additionalProperties': False,
+    })
+    schemas.append(parser.parsed_schemas())
+
+    rr = ref_resolver.RefResolver()
+    parsed_schemas = rr.sort_schemas(types.ParsedSchemas.merge(schemas))
+
+    assert parsed_schemas.schemas == {
+        'folder/vfull#/definitions/vfull': Integer(),
+        'folder/obj/vfull2#/definitions/vfull2': SchemaObject(
+            properties={
+                'test': Ref(
+                    ref='folder/obj/../vfull#/definitions/vfull',
+                    schema=Integer(),
+                    indirect=False,
+                    self_ref=False,
+                )
+            },
+            additionalProperties=False,
+        ),
+    }