diff --git a/openapi_core/components.py b/openapi_core/components.py
index 978aef2f..39a955a8 100644
--- a/openapi_core/components.py
+++ b/openapi_core/components.py
@@ -24,10 +24,10 @@ def __init__(self, dereferencer, schemas_registry):
     def create(self, components_spec):
         components_deref = self.dereferencer.dereference(components_spec)
 
-        schemas_spec = components_deref.get('schemas', [])
-        responses_spec = components_deref.get('responses', [])
-        parameters_spec = components_deref.get('parameters', [])
-        request_bodies_spec = components_deref.get('request_bodies', [])
+        schemas_spec = components_deref.get('schemas', {})
+        responses_spec = components_deref.get('responses', {})
+        parameters_spec = components_deref.get('parameters', {})
+        request_bodies_spec = components_deref.get('request_bodies', {})
 
         schemas = self.schemas_generator.generate(schemas_spec)
         responses = self._generate_response(responses_spec)
diff --git a/openapi_core/specs.py b/openapi_core/specs.py
index 4edf5e4d..906ff2e2 100644
--- a/openapi_core/specs.py
+++ b/openapi_core/specs.py
@@ -77,10 +77,10 @@ def create(self, spec_dict, spec_url=''):
 
         spec_dict_deref = self.dereferencer.dereference(spec_dict)
 
-        info_spec = spec_dict_deref.get('info', [])
+        info_spec = spec_dict_deref.get('info', {})
         servers_spec = spec_dict_deref.get('servers', [])
-        paths = spec_dict_deref.get('paths', [])
-        components_spec = spec_dict_deref.get('components', [])
+        paths = spec_dict_deref.get('paths', {})
+        components_spec = spec_dict_deref.get('components', {})
 
         info = self.info_factory.create(info_spec)
         servers = self.servers_generator.generate(servers_spec)