diff --git a/src/Microsoft.OpenApi.Readers/OpenApiReaderSettings.cs b/src/Microsoft.OpenApi.Readers/OpenApiReaderSettings.cs
index 5d251802..e337fbb3 100644
--- a/src/Microsoft.OpenApi.Readers/OpenApiReaderSettings.cs
+++ b/src/Microsoft.OpenApi.Readers/OpenApiReaderSettings.cs
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 using Microsoft.OpenApi.Interfaces;
 using Microsoft.OpenApi.MicrosoftExtensions;
 using Microsoft.OpenApi.Readers.Interface;
+using Microsoft.OpenApi.Services;
 using Microsoft.OpenApi.Validations;
 using System;
 using System.Collections.Generic;
@@ -81,6 +82,11 @@ public class OpenApiReaderSettings
         /// </summary>
         public bool LeaveStreamOpen { get; set; }
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Yolo
+        /// </summary>
+        public OpenApiWorkspace Workspace { get; set; } = new();
+
         /// <summary>
         /// Adds parsers for Microsoft OpenAPI extensions:
         /// - <see cref="OpenApiPagingExtension"/>
diff --git a/src/Microsoft.OpenApi.Readers/OpenApiStreamReader.cs b/src/Microsoft.OpenApi.Readers/OpenApiStreamReader.cs
index c6c8add2..e334e232 100644
--- a/src/Microsoft.OpenApi.Readers/OpenApiStreamReader.cs
+++ b/src/Microsoft.OpenApi.Readers/OpenApiStreamReader.cs
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 using Microsoft.OpenApi.Interfaces;
 using Microsoft.OpenApi.Models;
 using Microsoft.OpenApi.Readers.Interface;
+using Microsoft.OpenApi.Services;
 
 namespace Microsoft.OpenApi.Readers
 {
@@ -18,14 +19,23 @@ namespace Microsoft.OpenApi.Readers
     public class OpenApiStreamReader : IOpenApiReader<Stream, OpenApiDiagnostic>
     {
         private readonly OpenApiReaderSettings _settings;
+        private string _reference;
 
         /// <summary>
         /// Create stream reader with custom settings if desired.
         /// </summary>
         /// <param name="settings"></param>
-        public OpenApiStreamReader(OpenApiReaderSettings settings = null)
+        public OpenApiStreamReader(OpenApiReaderSettings settings = null) : this(settings, null) { }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Create stream reader with custom settings if desired.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="settings"></param>
+        /// <param name="reference"></param>
+        public OpenApiStreamReader(OpenApiReaderSettings settings = null, string reference = null)
         {
             _settings = settings ?? new OpenApiReaderSettings();
+            _reference = reference;
 
             if((_settings.ReferenceResolution == ReferenceResolutionSetting.ResolveAllReferences || _settings.LoadExternalRefs)
                 && _settings.BaseUrl == null)
@@ -43,7 +53,7 @@ public OpenApiStreamReader(OpenApiReaderSettings settings = null)
         public OpenApiDocument Read(Stream input, out OpenApiDiagnostic diagnostic)
         {
             using var reader = new StreamReader(input, Encoding.UTF8, true, 4096, _settings.LeaveStreamOpen);
-            return new OpenApiTextReaderReader(_settings).Read(reader, out diagnostic);
+            return new OpenApiTextReaderReader(_settings, _reference).Read(reader, out diagnostic);
         }
 
         /// <summary>
@@ -71,7 +81,7 @@ public async Task<ReadResult> ReadAsync(Stream input, CancellationToken cancella
             }
 
             using var reader = new StreamReader(bufferedStream, Encoding.UTF8, true, bufferSize, _settings.LeaveStreamOpen);
-            return await new OpenApiTextReaderReader(_settings).ReadAsync(reader, cancellationToken);
+            return await new OpenApiTextReaderReader(_settings, _reference).ReadAsync(reader, cancellationToken);
         }
 
         /// <summary>
@@ -84,7 +94,7 @@ public async Task<ReadResult> ReadAsync(Stream input, CancellationToken cancella
         public T ReadFragment<T>(Stream input, OpenApiSpecVersion version, out OpenApiDiagnostic diagnostic) where T : IOpenApiReferenceable
         {
             using var reader = new StreamReader(input, Encoding.UTF8, true, 4096, _settings.LeaveStreamOpen);
-            return new OpenApiTextReaderReader(_settings).ReadFragment<T>(reader, version, out diagnostic);
+            return new OpenApiTextReaderReader(_settings, _reference).ReadFragment<T>(reader, version, out diagnostic);
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/Microsoft.OpenApi.Readers/OpenApiStringReader.cs b/src/Microsoft.OpenApi.Readers/OpenApiStringReader.cs
index 1a694f25..51eb7f75 100644
--- a/src/Microsoft.OpenApi.Readers/OpenApiStringReader.cs
+++ b/src/Microsoft.OpenApi.Readers/OpenApiStringReader.cs
@@ -14,14 +14,23 @@ namespace Microsoft.OpenApi.Readers
     public class OpenApiStringReader : IOpenApiReader<string, OpenApiDiagnostic>
     {
         private readonly OpenApiReaderSettings _settings;
+        private string _reference;
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Create stream reader with custom settings if desired.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="settings"></param>
+        public OpenApiStringReader(OpenApiReaderSettings settings = null) : this(settings, null) { }
 
         /// <summary>
         /// Constructor tha allows reader to use non-default settings
         /// </summary>
         /// <param name="settings"></param>
-        public OpenApiStringReader(OpenApiReaderSettings settings = null)
+        /// <param name="reference"></param>
+        public OpenApiStringReader(OpenApiReaderSettings settings = null, string reference = null)
         {
             _settings = settings ?? new OpenApiReaderSettings();
+            _reference = reference;
         }
 
         /// <summary>
@@ -30,7 +39,7 @@ public OpenApiStringReader(OpenApiReaderSettings settings = null)
         public OpenApiDocument Read(string input, out OpenApiDiagnostic diagnostic)
         {
             using var reader = new StringReader(input);
-            return new OpenApiTextReaderReader(_settings).Read(reader, out diagnostic);
+            return new OpenApiTextReaderReader(_settings, _reference).Read(reader, out diagnostic);
         }
 
         /// <summary>
@@ -39,7 +48,7 @@ public OpenApiDocument Read(string input, out OpenApiDiagnostic diagnostic)
         public T ReadFragment<T>(string input, OpenApiSpecVersion version, out OpenApiDiagnostic diagnostic) where T : IOpenApiElement
         {
             using var reader = new StringReader(input);
-            return new OpenApiTextReaderReader(_settings).ReadFragment<T>(reader, version, out diagnostic);
+            return new OpenApiTextReaderReader(_settings, _reference).ReadFragment<T>(reader, version, out diagnostic);
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/Microsoft.OpenApi.Readers/OpenApiTextReaderReader.cs b/src/Microsoft.OpenApi.Readers/OpenApiTextReaderReader.cs
index dff20fc7..a491866b 100644
--- a/src/Microsoft.OpenApi.Readers/OpenApiTextReaderReader.cs
+++ b/src/Microsoft.OpenApi.Readers/OpenApiTextReaderReader.cs
@@ -19,14 +19,17 @@ namespace Microsoft.OpenApi.Readers
     public class OpenApiTextReaderReader : IOpenApiReader<TextReader, OpenApiDiagnostic>
     {
         private readonly OpenApiReaderSettings _settings;
+        private string _reference;
 
         /// <summary>
         /// Create stream reader with custom settings if desired.
         /// </summary>
         /// <param name="settings"></param>
-        public OpenApiTextReaderReader(OpenApiReaderSettings settings = null)
+        /// <param name="reference"></param>
+        public OpenApiTextReaderReader(OpenApiReaderSettings settings = null, string reference = null)
         {
             _settings = settings ?? new OpenApiReaderSettings();
+            _reference = reference;
         }
 
         /// <summary>
@@ -51,7 +54,7 @@ public OpenApiDocument Read(TextReader input, out OpenApiDiagnostic diagnostic)
                 return new();
             }
 
-            return new OpenApiYamlDocumentReader(this._settings).Read(yamlDocument, out diagnostic);
+            return new OpenApiYamlDocumentReader(this._settings, _reference).Read(yamlDocument, out diagnostic);
         }
 
         /// <summary>
@@ -80,7 +83,7 @@ public async Task<ReadResult> ReadAsync(TextReader input, CancellationToken canc
                 };
             }
 
-            return await new OpenApiYamlDocumentReader(this._settings).ReadAsync(yamlDocument, cancellationToken);
+            return await new OpenApiYamlDocumentReader(this._settings, _reference).ReadAsync(yamlDocument, cancellationToken);
         }
 
         /// <summary>
@@ -106,7 +109,7 @@ public async Task<ReadResult> ReadAsync(TextReader input, CancellationToken canc
                 return default;
             }
 
-            return new OpenApiYamlDocumentReader(this._settings).ReadFragment<T>(yamlDocument, version, out diagnostic);
+            return new OpenApiYamlDocumentReader(this._settings, _reference).ReadFragment<T>(yamlDocument, version, out diagnostic);
         }
 
         /// <summary>
diff --git a/src/Microsoft.OpenApi.Readers/OpenApiYamlDocumentReader.cs b/src/Microsoft.OpenApi.Readers/OpenApiYamlDocumentReader.cs
index af9ebcad..2fccd9aa 100644
--- a/src/Microsoft.OpenApi.Readers/OpenApiYamlDocumentReader.cs
+++ b/src/Microsoft.OpenApi.Readers/OpenApiYamlDocumentReader.cs
@@ -24,14 +24,23 @@ namespace Microsoft.OpenApi.Readers
     internal class OpenApiYamlDocumentReader : IOpenApiReader<YamlDocument, OpenApiDiagnostic>
     {
         private readonly OpenApiReaderSettings _settings;
+        private readonly string _reference;
 
         /// <summary>
         /// Create stream reader with custom settings if desired.
         /// </summary>
         /// <param name="settings"></param>
-        public OpenApiYamlDocumentReader(OpenApiReaderSettings settings = null)
+        public OpenApiYamlDocumentReader(OpenApiReaderSettings settings = null) : this(settings, null) { }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Create stream reader with custom settings if desired.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="settings"></param>
+        /// <param name="reference"></param>
+        public OpenApiYamlDocumentReader(OpenApiReaderSettings settings = null, string reference = null)
         {
             _settings = settings ?? new OpenApiReaderSettings();
+            _reference = reference;
         }
 
         /// <summary>
@@ -102,7 +111,7 @@ public async Task<ReadResult> ReadAsync(YamlDocument input, CancellationToken ca
 
                 if (_settings.LoadExternalRefs)
                 {
-                    var diagnosticExternalRefs = await LoadExternalRefsAsync(document, cancellationToken);
+                    var diagnosticExternalRefs = await LoadExternalRefsAsync(document, _reference, cancellationToken);
                     // Merge diagnostics of external reference
                     if (diagnosticExternalRefs != null)
                     {
@@ -139,15 +148,15 @@ public async Task<ReadResult> ReadAsync(YamlDocument input, CancellationToken ca
             };
         }
 
-        private Task<OpenApiDiagnostic> LoadExternalRefsAsync(OpenApiDocument document, CancellationToken cancellationToken = default)
+        private Task<OpenApiDiagnostic> LoadExternalRefsAsync(OpenApiDocument document, string reference = null, CancellationToken cancellationToken = default)
         {
             // Create workspace for all documents to live in.
-            var openApiWorkSpace = new OpenApiWorkspace();
+            var openApiWorkSpace = _settings.Workspace;
 
             // Load this root document into the workspace
             var streamLoader = new DefaultStreamLoader(_settings.BaseUrl);
             var workspaceLoader = new OpenApiWorkspaceLoader(openApiWorkSpace, _settings.CustomExternalLoader ?? streamLoader, _settings);
-            return workspaceLoader.LoadAsync(new() { ExternalResource = "/" }, document, null, cancellationToken);
+            return workspaceLoader.LoadAsync(new() { ExternalResource = reference ?? "/" }, document, null, cancellationToken);
         }
 
         private void ResolveReferences(OpenApiDiagnostic diagnostic, OpenApiDocument document)
diff --git a/src/Microsoft.OpenApi.Readers/Services/OpenApiWorkspaceLoader.cs b/src/Microsoft.OpenApi.Readers/Services/OpenApiWorkspaceLoader.cs
index c2d1cfe3..8c925608 100644
--- a/src/Microsoft.OpenApi.Readers/Services/OpenApiWorkspaceLoader.cs
+++ b/src/Microsoft.OpenApi.Readers/Services/OpenApiWorkspaceLoader.cs
@@ -22,6 +22,11 @@ public OpenApiWorkspaceLoader(OpenApiWorkspace workspace, IStreamLoader loader,
 
         internal async Task<OpenApiDiagnostic> LoadAsync(OpenApiReference reference, OpenApiDocument document, OpenApiDiagnostic diagnostic = null, CancellationToken cancellationToken = default)
         {
+            if (_workspace.Contains(reference.ExternalResource))
+            {
+                return diagnostic;
+            }
+
             _workspace.AddDocument(reference.ExternalResource, document);
             document.Workspace = _workspace;
 
@@ -30,8 +35,6 @@ internal async Task<OpenApiDiagnostic> LoadAsync(OpenApiReference reference, Ope
             var collectorWalker = new OpenApiWalker(referenceCollector);
             collectorWalker.Walk(document);
 
-            var reader = new OpenApiStreamReader(_readerSettings);
-
             if (diagnostic is null)
             {
                 diagnostic = new();
@@ -43,6 +46,7 @@ internal async Task<OpenApiDiagnostic> LoadAsync(OpenApiReference reference, Ope
                 // If not already in workspace, load it and process references
                 if (!_workspace.Contains(item.ExternalResource))
                 {
+                    var reader = new OpenApiStreamReader(_readerSettings, item.ExternalResource);
                     var input = await _loader.LoadAsync(new(item.ExternalResource, UriKind.RelativeOrAbsolute));
                     var result = await reader.ReadAsync(input, cancellationToken);
                     // Merge diagnostics