diff --git a/src/jesse_state.erl b/src/jesse_state.erl
index dfd37cf..87a3efe 100644
--- a/src/jesse_state.erl
+++ b/src/jesse_state.erl
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
         , get_allowed_errors/1
         , get_current_path/1
         , get_current_schema/1
+        , get_original_schema/1
         , get_default_schema_ver/1
         , get_error_handler/1
         , get_error_list/1
@@ -35,11 +36,17 @@
         , set_allowed_errors/2
         , set_current_schema/2
         , set_error_list/2
+        , find_schema/2
         ]).
 
 -export_type([ state/0
              ]).
 
+%% Includes
+-include("jesse_schema_validator.hrl").
+
+-define(schema_loader_fun, fun jesse_database:read/1).
+
 %% Internal datastructures
 -record( state
        , { original_schema    :: jesse:json_term()
@@ -49,14 +56,12 @@
          , error_list         :: list()
          , error_handler      :: fun((#state{}) -> list() | no_return())
          , default_schema_ver :: atom()
+         , schema_loader_fun  :: fun((binary()) -> {ok, jesse:json_term()} | jesse:json_term() | ?not_found)
          }
        ).
 
 -opaque state() :: #state{}.
 
-%% Includes
--include("jesse_schema_validator.hrl").
-
 %%% API
 %% @doc Adds `Property' to the `current_path' in `State'.
 -spec add_to_path(State :: state(), Property :: binary()) -> state().
@@ -79,6 +84,11 @@ get_current_path(#state{current_path = CurrentPath}) ->
 get_current_schema(#state{current_schema = CurrentSchema}) ->
   CurrentSchema.
 
+%% @doc Getter for `original_schema'.
+-spec get_original_schema(State :: state()) -> jesse:json_term().
+get_original_schema(#state{original_schema = OriginalSchema}) ->
+  OriginalSchema.
+
 %% @doc Getter for `default_schema_ver'.
 -spec get_default_schema_ver(State :: state()) -> binary().
 get_default_schema_ver(#state{default_schema_ver = SchemaVer}) ->
@@ -113,6 +123,10 @@ new(JsonSchema, Options) ->
                                         , Options
                                         , ?default_schema_ver
                                         ),
+  LoaderFun = proplists:get_value( schema_loader_fun
+                                 , Options
+                                 , ?schema_loader_fun
+                                 ),
   #state{ current_schema     = JsonSchema
         , current_path       = []
         , original_schema    = JsonSchema
@@ -120,6 +134,7 @@ new(JsonSchema, Options) ->
         , error_list         = []
         , error_handler      = ErrorHandler
         , default_schema_ver = DefaultSchemaVer
+        , schema_loader_fun  = LoaderFun
         }.
 
 %% @doc Removes the last element from `current_path' in `State'.
@@ -146,6 +161,20 @@ set_current_schema(State, NewSchema) ->
 set_error_list(State, ErrorList) ->
   State#state{error_list = ErrorList}.
 
+%% @doc Find a schema based on URI
+-spec find_schema(State :: state(), SchemaURI :: binary()) -> jesse:json_term() | ?not_found.
+find_schema(#state{schema_loader_fun=LoaderFun}, SchemaURI) ->
+  try LoaderFun(SchemaURI) of
+      {ok, Schema} -> Schema;
+      Schema ->
+        case jesse_lib:is_json_object(Schema) of
+          true -> Schema;
+          false -> ?not_found
+        end
+  catch
+    _:_ -> ?not_found
+  end.
+
 %%% Local Variables:
 %%% erlang-indent-level: 2
 %%% End:
diff --git a/src/jesse_validator_draft3.erl b/src/jesse_validator_draft3.erl
index 8938caa..37b6d78 100644
--- a/src/jesse_validator_draft3.erl
+++ b/src/jesse_validator_draft3.erl
@@ -185,6 +185,9 @@ check_value(Value, [{?DISALLOW, Disallow} | Attrs], State) ->
 check_value(Value, [{?EXTENDS, Extends} | Attrs], State) ->
   NewState = check_extends(Value, Extends, State),
   check_value(Value, Attrs, NewState);
+check_value(Value, [{?_REF, RefSchemaURI} | Attrs], State) ->
+  NewState = check_ref(Value, RefSchemaURI, State),
+  check_value(Value, Attrs, NewState);
 check_value(_Value, [], State) ->
   State;
 check_value(Value, [_Attr | Attrs], State) ->
@@ -861,6 +864,35 @@ check_extends_array(Value, Extends, State) ->
              , Extends
              ).
 
+%% @private
+check_ref(Value, <<"#", LocalPath/binary>> = RefSchemaURI, State) ->
+  Keys = binary:split(LocalPath, <<"/">>, ['global']),
+  OriginalSchema = jesse_state:get_original_schema(State),
+
+  case local_schema(OriginalSchema, Keys) of
+    ?not_found -> handle_schema_invalid({'schema_unsupported', RefSchemaURI}, State);
+    LocalSchema -> check_ref_schema(Value, LocalSchema, State)
+  end;
+check_ref(Value, RefSchemaURI, State) ->
+  case jesse_state:find_schema(State, RefSchemaURI) of
+    ?not_found -> handle_schema_invalid({'schema_unsupported', RefSchemaURI}, State);
+    RefSchema -> check_ref_schema(Value, RefSchema, State)
+  end.
+
+%% @private
+check_ref_schema(Value, RefSchema, State) ->
+  TmpState = check_value(Value, unwrap(RefSchema), set_current_schema(State, RefSchema)),
+  set_current_schema(TmpState, get_current_schema(State)).
+
+local_schema(Schema, []) -> Schema;
+local_schema(Schema, [<<>> | Keys]) -> local_schema(Schema, Keys);
+local_schema(Schema, [Key | Keys]) ->
+  SubSchema = get_value(Key, Schema),
+  case jesse_lib:is_json_object(SubSchema) of
+    true -> local_schema(SubSchema, Keys);
+    false -> ?not_found
+  end.
+
 %%=============================================================================
 %% @doc Returns `true' if given values (instance) are equal, otherwise `false'
 %% is returned.
diff --git a/test/jesse_tests_draft3_SUITE.erl b/test/jesse_tests_draft3_SUITE.erl
index 995daa7..7c2d4ed 100644
--- a/test/jesse_tests_draft3_SUITE.erl
+++ b/test/jesse_tests_draft3_SUITE.erl
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@
         , pattern/1
         , patternProperties/1
         , properties/1
-        %% , ref/1
+        , ref/1
         , required/1
         , type/1
         , uniqueItems/1
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ all() ->
   , pattern
   , patternProperties
   , properties
-  %% , ref
+  , ref
   , required
   , type
   , uniqueItems
@@ -177,11 +177,10 @@ properties(Config) ->
   Specs = ?config(Key, Config),
   ok    = run_tests(Specs).
 
-%% not implemented yet
-%% ref(Config) ->
-%%   Key   = "ref",
-%%   Specs = ?config(Key, Config),
-%%   ok    = run_tests(Specs).
+ref(Config) ->
+  Key   = "ref",
+  Specs = ?config(Key, Config),
+  ok    = run_tests(Specs).
 
 required(Config) ->
   Key   = "required",