diff --git a/src/JsonSchema/Constraints/CollectionConstraint.php b/src/JsonSchema/Constraints/CollectionConstraint.php
index 18f0efd9..af009d91 100644
--- a/src/JsonSchema/Constraints/CollectionConstraint.php
+++ b/src/JsonSchema/Constraints/CollectionConstraint.php
@@ -64,6 +64,10 @@ public function check(&$value, $schema = null, JsonPointer $path = null, $i = nu
      */
     protected function validateItems(&$value, $schema = null, JsonPointer $path = null, $i = null)
     {
+        if (is_array($schema->items) && array_key_exists('$ref', $schema->items)) {
+            $schema->items = $this->factory->getSchemaStorage()->resolveRefSchema((object) $schema->items);
+        }
+
         if (is_object($schema->items)) {
             // just one type definition for the whole array