diff --git a/modules/swagger-parser-v3/src/main/java/io/swagger/v3/parser/ResolverCache.java b/modules/swagger-parser-v3/src/main/java/io/swagger/v3/parser/ResolverCache.java
index f109157fa5..e24d849975 100644
--- a/modules/swagger-parser-v3/src/main/java/io/swagger/v3/parser/ResolverCache.java
+++ b/modules/swagger-parser-v3/src/main/java/io/swagger/v3/parser/ResolverCache.java
@@ -154,38 +154,38 @@ else if(rootPath != null) {
     private Object loadInternalRef(String ref) {
         Object result = null;
 
-        if(ref.startsWith("#/components/schemas")) {
-            result = getFromMap(ref, openApi.getComponents().getSchemas(), SCHEMAS_PATTERN);
-        }
-        else if(ref.startsWith("#/components/requestBodies")) {
-            result = getFromMap(ref, openApi.getComponents().getRequestBodies(), REQUEST_BODIES_PATTERN);
-        }
-        else if(ref.startsWith("#/components/examples")) {
-            result = getFromMap(ref, openApi.getComponents().getExamples(), EXAMPLES_PATTERN);
-        }
-        else if(ref.startsWith("#/components/responses")) {
-            result = getFromMap(ref, openApi.getComponents().getResponses(), RESPONSES_PATTERN);
-        }
-        else if(ref.startsWith("#/components/parameters")) {
-            result = getFromMap(ref, openApi.getComponents().getParameters(), PARAMETERS_PATTERN);
-        }
-        else if(ref.startsWith("#/components/links")) {
-            result = getFromMap(ref, openApi.getComponents().getLinks(), LINKS_PATTERN);
-        }
-        else if(ref.startsWith("#/components/headers")) {
-            result = getFromMap(ref, openApi.getComponents().getHeaders(), HEADERS_PATTERN);
-        }
-        else if(ref.startsWith("#/components/callbacks")) {
-            result = getFromMap(ref, openApi.getComponents().getCallbacks(), CALLBACKS_PATTERN);
-        }
-        else if(ref.startsWith("#/components/securitySchemes")) {
-            result = getFromMap(ref, openApi.getComponents().getSecuritySchemes(), SECURITY_SCHEMES);
-        }
-        else if(ref.startsWith("#/paths")) {
+        if (ref.startsWith("#/paths")) {
             result = getFromMap(ref, openApi.getPaths(), PATHS_PATTERN);
+        } else if (openApi.getComponents() != null){
+            if(ref.startsWith("#/components/schemas")) {
+                result = getFromMap(ref, openApi.getComponents().getSchemas(), SCHEMAS_PATTERN);
+            }
+            else if(ref.startsWith("#/components/requestBodies")) {
+                result = getFromMap(ref, openApi.getComponents().getRequestBodies(), REQUEST_BODIES_PATTERN);
+            }
+            else if(ref.startsWith("#/components/examples")) {
+                result = getFromMap(ref, openApi.getComponents().getExamples(), EXAMPLES_PATTERN);
+            }
+            else if(ref.startsWith("#/components/responses")) {
+                result = getFromMap(ref, openApi.getComponents().getResponses(), RESPONSES_PATTERN);
+            }
+            else if(ref.startsWith("#/components/parameters")) {
+                result = getFromMap(ref, openApi.getComponents().getParameters(), PARAMETERS_PATTERN);
+            }
+            else if(ref.startsWith("#/components/links")) {
+                result = getFromMap(ref, openApi.getComponents().getLinks(), LINKS_PATTERN);
+            }
+            else if(ref.startsWith("#/components/headers")) {
+                result = getFromMap(ref, openApi.getComponents().getHeaders(), HEADERS_PATTERN);
+            }
+            else if(ref.startsWith("#/components/callbacks")) {
+                result = getFromMap(ref, openApi.getComponents().getCallbacks(), CALLBACKS_PATTERN);
+            }
+            else if(ref.startsWith("#/components/securitySchemes")) {
+                result = getFromMap(ref, openApi.getComponents().getSecuritySchemes(), SECURITY_SCHEMES);
+            }
         }
 
-
         return result;
 
     }
diff --git a/modules/swagger-parser-v3/src/main/java/io/swagger/v3/parser/processors/ExternalRefProcessor.java b/modules/swagger-parser-v3/src/main/java/io/swagger/v3/parser/processors/ExternalRefProcessor.java
index 2e51151d1d..8f9edfd323 100644
--- a/modules/swagger-parser-v3/src/main/java/io/swagger/v3/parser/processors/ExternalRefProcessor.java
+++ b/modules/swagger-parser-v3/src/main/java/io/swagger/v3/parser/processors/ExternalRefProcessor.java
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package io.swagger.v3.parser.processors;
 
 
+import io.swagger.v3.oas.models.Components;
 import io.swagger.v3.oas.models.OpenAPI;
 import io.swagger.v3.oas.models.callbacks.Callback;
 import io.swagger.v3.oas.models.examples.Example;
@@ -51,6 +52,9 @@ public String processRefToExternalSchema(String $ref, RefFormat refFormat) {
         }
         String newRef;
 
+        if (openAPI.getComponents() == null) {
+            openAPI.setComponents(new Components());
+        }
         Map<String, Schema> schemas = openAPI.getComponents().getSchemas();
 
         if (schemas == null) {
@@ -131,6 +135,9 @@ public String processRefToExternalResponse(String $ref, RefFormat refFormat) {
         }
         String newRef;
 
+        if (openAPI.getComponents() == null) {
+            openAPI.setComponents(new Components());
+        }
         Map<String, ApiResponse> responses = openAPI.getComponents().getResponses();
 
         if (responses == null) {
@@ -186,6 +193,9 @@ public String processRefToExternalRequestBody(String $ref, RefFormat refFormat)
         }
         String newRef;
 
+        if (openAPI.getComponents() == null) {
+            openAPI.setComponents(new Components());
+        }
         Map<String, RequestBody> bodies = openAPI.getComponents().getRequestBodies();
 
         if (bodies == null) {
@@ -241,6 +251,9 @@ public String processRefToExternalHeader(String $ref, RefFormat refFormat) {
         }
         String newRef;
 
+        if (openAPI.getComponents() == null) {
+            openAPI.setComponents(new Components());
+        }
         Map<String, Header> headers = openAPI.getComponents().getHeaders();
 
         if (headers == null) {
@@ -296,6 +309,9 @@ public String processRefToExternalSecurityScheme(String $ref, RefFormat refForma
         }
         String newRef;
 
+        if (openAPI.getComponents() == null) {
+            openAPI.setComponents(new Components());
+        }
         Map<String, SecurityScheme> securitySchemeMap = openAPI.getComponents().getSecuritySchemes();
 
         if (securitySchemeMap == null) {
@@ -351,6 +367,9 @@ public String processRefToExternalLink(String $ref, RefFormat refFormat) {
         }
         String newRef;
 
+        if (openAPI.getComponents() == null) {
+            openAPI.setComponents(new Components());
+        }
         Map<String, Link> links = openAPI.getComponents().getLinks();
 
         if (links == null) {
@@ -406,6 +425,9 @@ public String processRefToExternalExample(String $ref, RefFormat refFormat) {
         }
         String newRef;
 
+        if (openAPI.getComponents() == null) {
+            openAPI.setComponents(new Components());
+        }
         Map<String, Example> examples = openAPI.getComponents().getExamples();
 
         if (examples == null) {
@@ -461,6 +483,9 @@ public String processRefToExternalParameter(String $ref, RefFormat refFormat) {
         }
         String newRef;
 
+        if (openAPI.getComponents() == null) {
+            openAPI.setComponents(new Components());
+        }
         Map<String, Parameter> parameters = openAPI.getComponents().getParameters();
 
         if (parameters == null) {
@@ -516,6 +541,9 @@ public String processRefToExternalCallback(String $ref, RefFormat refFormat) {
         }
         String newRef;
 
+        if (openAPI.getComponents() == null) {
+            openAPI.setComponents(new Components());
+        }
         Map<String, Callback> callbacks = openAPI.getComponents().getCallbacks();
 
         if (callbacks == null) {
diff --git a/modules/swagger-parser-v3/src/main/java/io/swagger/v3/parser/util/OpenAPIDeserializer.java b/modules/swagger-parser-v3/src/main/java/io/swagger/v3/parser/util/OpenAPIDeserializer.java
index de430f1988..b86e22adcd 100644
--- a/modules/swagger-parser-v3/src/main/java/io/swagger/v3/parser/util/OpenAPIDeserializer.java
+++ b/modules/swagger-parser-v3/src/main/java/io/swagger/v3/parser/util/OpenAPIDeserializer.java
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ public OpenAPI parseRoot(JsonNode node, ParseResult result) {
                 openAPI.setPaths(paths);
             }
 
-            obj = getObject("components", rootNode, true, location, result);
+            obj = getObject("components", rootNode, false, location, result);
             if (obj != null) {
                 Components components = getComponents(obj, "components", result);
                 openAPI.setComponents(components);
diff --git a/modules/swagger-parser-v3/src/test/java/io/swagger/v3/parser/test/OpenAPIResolverTest.java b/modules/swagger-parser-v3/src/test/java/io/swagger/v3/parser/test/OpenAPIResolverTest.java
index 304c8f117a..a90f8bd515 100644
--- a/modules/swagger-parser-v3/src/test/java/io/swagger/v3/parser/test/OpenAPIResolverTest.java
+++ b/modules/swagger-parser-v3/src/test/java/io/swagger/v3/parser/test/OpenAPIResolverTest.java
@@ -604,7 +604,17 @@ public void resolveComposedSchema(@Injectable final List<AuthorizationValue> aut
 
     }
 
-    @Test
+    public void referringSpecWithoutComponentsTag() throws Exception {
+        ParseOptions resolve = new ParseOptions();
+        resolve.setResolveFully(true);
+        final OpenAPI openAPI = new OpenAPIV3Parser().read("src/test/resources/ref-without-component/a.yaml", null, resolve);
+
+        Map<String, Schema> schemas = openAPI.getComponents().getSchemas();
+        Assert.assertEquals("Example value", schemas.get("CustomerType").getExample());
+    }
+
+
+
     public void testRefNameConflicts() throws Exception {
         ParseOptions options = new ParseOptions();
         options.setResolveFully(true);
@@ -617,6 +627,7 @@ public void testRefNameConflicts() throws Exception {
         AssertJUnit.assertEquals("referred", ((Schema) openAPI.getComponents().getSchemas().get("PersonObj_2").getProperties().get("location")).getExample());
     }
 
+
     private static int getDynamicPort() {
         return new Random().ints(50000, 60000).findFirst().getAsInt();
     }
diff --git a/modules/swagger-parser-v3/src/test/java/io/swagger/v3/parser/util/OpenAPIDeserializerTest.java b/modules/swagger-parser-v3/src/test/java/io/swagger/v3/parser/util/OpenAPIDeserializerTest.java
index d57fd136d7..aae9f2db8f 100644
--- a/modules/swagger-parser-v3/src/test/java/io/swagger/v3/parser/util/OpenAPIDeserializerTest.java
+++ b/modules/swagger-parser-v3/src/test/java/io/swagger/v3/parser/util/OpenAPIDeserializerTest.java
@@ -542,7 +542,6 @@ public void testAlmostEmpty(@Injectable List<AuthorizationValue> auths) {
 
         assertTrue(messages.contains("attribute info is missing"));
         assertTrue(messages.contains("attribute paths is missing"));
-        assertTrue(messages.contains("attribute components is missing"));
         assertTrue(messages.contains("attribute new is unexpected"));
     }
 
diff --git a/modules/swagger-parser-v3/src/test/resources/ref-without-component/a.yaml b/modules/swagger-parser-v3/src/test/resources/ref-without-component/a.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..efec250888
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/swagger-parser-v3/src/test/resources/ref-without-component/a.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+openapi: 3.0.0
+paths:
+  "/newPerson":
+    post:
+      summary: Create new person
+      description: Create new person
+      responses:
+        '200':
+          description: OK
+          content:
+            "*/*":
+              schema:
+                "$ref": "./src/test/resources/ref-without-component/b.yaml#/components/schemas/CustomerType"
diff --git a/modules/swagger-parser-v3/src/test/resources/ref-without-component/b.yaml b/modules/swagger-parser-v3/src/test/resources/ref-without-component/b.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4ca2604e6c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/swagger-parser-v3/src/test/resources/ref-without-component/b.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+openapi: 3.0.0
+components:
+  schemas:
+    CustomerType:
+      type: string
+      example: Example value