diff --git a/src/utils.js b/src/utils.js
index 22f08e1863..0db3ca7e77 100644
--- a/src/utils.js
+++ b/src/utils.js
@@ -424,7 +424,7 @@ export function optionsList(schema) {
 
 function findSchemaDefinition($ref, definitions = {}) {
   // Extract and use the referenced definition if we have it.
-  const match = /^#\/definitions\/(.*)$/.exec($ref);
+  const match = /^#(?:\/definitions)?\/(.*)$/.exec($ref);
   if (match && match[1]) {
     const parts = match[1].split("/");
     let current = definitions;
diff --git a/test/mocha.opts b/test/mocha.opts
index cf80ee74bc..afbeee1278 100644
--- a/test/mocha.opts
+++ b/test/mocha.opts
@@ -1 +1,3 @@
 --timeout 5000
+--compilers js:babel-register
+--require ./test/setup-jsdom.js
diff --git a/test/utils_test.js b/test/utils_test.js
index 5acfcc229d..cb421bfd0c 100644
--- a/test/utils_test.js
+++ b/test/utils_test.js
@@ -607,6 +607,22 @@ describe("utils", () => {
       expect(retrieveSchema(schema, definitions)).eql(address);
     });
 
+    it("should 'resolve' a schema which contains definitions not in `#/definitions`", () => {
+      const schema = { $ref: "#/components/schemas/address" };
+      const address = {
+        type: "object",
+        properties: {
+          street_address: { type: "string" },
+          city: { type: "string" },
+          state: { type: "string" },
+        },
+        required: ["street_address", "city", "state"],
+      };
+      const definitions = { components: { schemas: { address } } };
+
+      expect(retrieveSchema(schema, definitions)).eql(address);
+    });
+
     it("should 'resolve' escaped JSON Pointers", () => {
       const schema = { $ref: "#/definitions/a~0complex~1name" };
       const address = { type: "string" };