diff --git a/inspirehep/dojson/hep/fields/bd90x99x.py b/inspirehep/dojson/hep/fields/bd90x99x.py
index f6fffcbeef..d9ec9b2345 100644
--- a/inspirehep/dojson/hep/fields/bd90x99x.py
+++ b/inspirehep/dojson/hep/fields/bd90x99x.py
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ def get_value(value):
         mapping = [
             ('o', rb.set_number),
             ('m', rb.add_misc),
-            ('x', rb.add_raw_reference),
+            ('x', partial(rb.add_raw_reference, source='dojson')),
             ('1', rb.set_texkey),
             ('u', rb.add_url),
             ('r', rb.add_report_number),
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ def get_value(value):
             ('h', rb.add_author),
             ('e', partial(rb.add_author, role='ed.'))
         ]
+
         for field, method in mapping:
             for element in force_force_list(value.get(field)):
                 if element:
diff --git a/inspirehep/modules/records/jsonschemas/records/elements/reference.json b/inspirehep/modules/records/jsonschemas/records/elements/reference.json
index c57f19bc0c..de77208f41 100644
--- a/inspirehep/modules/records/jsonschemas/records/elements/reference.json
+++ b/inspirehep/modules/records/jsonschemas/records/elements/reference.json
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 {
-    "description": "An article or thesis or book or...",
+    "description": "record-like Schema for a Publication's reference",
     "title": "Reference",
     "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/schema#",
     "type": "object",
@@ -20,9 +20,13 @@
                     "value": {
                         "type": "string"
                     },
-                    "serialization": {
+                    "source": {
                         "type": "string",
-                        "description": "E.g. refextract, text, JATS, Elsevier, BibTeX..."
+                        "description": "E.g. refextract, JATS, Elsevier"
+                    },
+                    "format": {
+                        "type": "string",
+                        "description": "E.g. text, json, xml, bibtex"
                     }
                 }
             }
diff --git a/inspirehep/modules/references/processors.py b/inspirehep/modules/references/processors.py
index ae23bffdaf..de73e14132 100644
--- a/inspirehep/modules/references/processors.py
+++ b/inspirehep/modules/references/processors.py
@@ -92,11 +92,13 @@ def add_misc(self, misc):
         self._ensure_field('misc', [])
         self.obj['misc'].append(misc)
 
-    def add_raw_reference(self, raw_reference, serialization='text'):
+    def add_raw_reference(self, raw_reference, source='reference_builder',
+                          ref_format='text'):
         self._ensure_field('raw_reference', [])
         self.obj['raw_reference'].append({
             'value': raw_reference,
-            'serialization': serialization})
+            'source': source,
+            'format': ref_format})
 
     def set_year(self, year):
         try:
diff --git a/tests/unit/references/test_processors.py b/tests/unit/references/test_processors.py
index 16f6fd6f00..e4f1835978 100644
--- a/tests/unit/references/test_processors.py
+++ b/tests/unit/references/test_processors.py
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ def test_reference_builder_no_uids():
     rb.set_number('1')
     rb.set_texkey('book')
     rb.add_title('Awesome Paper')
-    rb.add_raw_reference('[1] Awesome Paper')
+    rb.add_raw_reference('[1] Awesome Paper', 'arXiv')
     rb.add_misc('misc 0')
     rb.add_misc('misc 1')
     rb.add_author('Cox, Brian')
@@ -53,8 +53,10 @@ def test_reference_builder_no_uids():
         'texkey': 'book',
         'titles': [{'title': 'Awesome Paper'}],
         'raw_reference': [
-            {'value': '[1] Awesome Paper', 'serialization': 'text'},
-            {'value': 'BAD PUBNOTE', 'serialization': 'text'}
+            {'value': '[1] Awesome Paper', 'format': 'text',
+             'source': 'arXiv'},
+            {'value': 'BAD PUBNOTE', 'format': 'text',
+             'source': 'reference_builder'}
         ],
         'misc': ['misc 0', 'misc 1'],
         'authors': [{'full_name': 'Cox, Brian'},