diff --git a/index/extract_refs.go b/index/extract_refs.go
index 9e6c7e6..5508b68 100644
--- a/index/extract_refs.go
+++ b/index/extract_refs.go
@@ -609,19 +609,6 @@ func (index *SpecIndex) ExtractComponentsFromRefs(refs []*Reference) []*Referenc
 
 	var refsToCheck []*Reference
 	for _, ref := range refs {
-
-		// check reference for backslashes (hah yeah seen this too!)
-		if strings.Contains(ref.Definition, "\\\\") {
-			_, path := utils.ConvertComponentIdIntoFriendlyPathSearch(ref.Definition)
-			indexError := &IndexingError{
-				Err:  fmt.Errorf("component '%s' contains a backslash '\\'. It's not valid", ref.Definition),
-				Node: ref.Node,
-				Path: path,
-			}
-			index.refErrors = append(index.refErrors, indexError)
-			continue
-
-		}
 		refsToCheck = append(refsToCheck, ref)
 	}
 	mappedRefsInSequence := make([]*ReferenceMapped, len(refsToCheck))
diff --git a/index/resolver.go b/index/resolver.go
index 1d45ef0..d37bd0c 100644
--- a/index/resolver.go
+++ b/index/resolver.go
@@ -514,32 +514,30 @@ func (resolver *Resolver) extractRelatives(ref *Reference, node, parent *yaml.No
 						if strings.HasPrefix(exp[0], "http") {
 							fullDef = value
 						} else {
-							if filepath.IsAbs(exp[0]) {
-								fullDef = value
+
+							if strings.HasPrefix(ref.FullDefinition, "http") {
+
+								// split the http URI into parts
+								httpExp := strings.Split(ref.FullDefinition, "#/")
+
+								u, _ := url.Parse(httpExp[0])
+								abs, _ := filepath.Abs(utils.CheckPathOverlap(filepath.Dir(u.Path), exp[0], string(filepath.Separator)))
+								u.Path = utils.ReplaceWindowsDriveWithLinuxPath(abs)
+								u.Fragment = ""
+								fullDef = fmt.Sprintf("%s#/%s", u.String(), exp[1])
+
 							} else {
-								if strings.HasPrefix(ref.FullDefinition, "http") {
 
-									// split the http URI into parts
-									httpExp := strings.Split(ref.FullDefinition, "#/")
+								// split the referring ref full def into parts
+								fileDef := strings.Split(ref.FullDefinition, "#/")
 
-									u, _ := url.Parse(httpExp[0])
-									abs, _ := filepath.Abs(utils.CheckPathOverlap(filepath.Dir(u.Path), exp[0], string(filepath.Separator)))
-									u.Path = utils.ReplaceWindowsDriveWithLinuxPath(abs)
-									u.Fragment = ""
-									fullDef = fmt.Sprintf("%s#/%s", u.String(), exp[1])
+								// extract the location of the ref and build a full def path.
+								abs, _ := filepath.Abs(utils.CheckPathOverlap(filepath.Dir(fileDef[0]), exp[0], string(filepath.Separator)))
+								//abs = utils.ReplaceWindowsDriveWithLinuxPath(abs)
+								fullDef = fmt.Sprintf("%s#/%s", abs, exp[1])
 
-								} else {
-
-									// split the referring ref full def into parts
-									fileDef := strings.Split(ref.FullDefinition, "#/")
-
-									// extract the location of the ref and build a full def path.
-									abs, _ := filepath.Abs(utils.CheckPathOverlap(filepath.Dir(fileDef[0]), exp[0], string(filepath.Separator)))
-									//abs = utils.ReplaceWindowsDriveWithLinuxPath(abs)
-									fullDef = fmt.Sprintf("%s#/%s", abs, exp[1])
-
-								}
 							}
+
 						}
 					} else {
 						// local component, full def is based on passed in ref
@@ -568,24 +566,21 @@ func (resolver *Resolver) extractRelatives(ref *Reference, node, parent *yaml.No
 					if strings.HasPrefix(value, "http") {
 						fullDef = value
 					} else {
-						if filepath.IsAbs(value) {
-							fullDef = value
+
+						// split the full def into parts
+						fileDef := strings.Split(ref.FullDefinition, "#/")
+
+						// is the file def a http link?
+						if strings.HasPrefix(fileDef[0], "http") {
+							u, _ := url.Parse(fileDef[0])
+							path, _ := filepath.Abs(utils.CheckPathOverlap(filepath.Dir(u.Path), exp[0], string(filepath.Separator)))
+							u.Path = utils.ReplaceWindowsDriveWithLinuxPath(path)
+							fullDef = u.String()
+
 						} else {
-
-							// split the full def into parts
-							fileDef := strings.Split(ref.FullDefinition, "#/")
-
-							// is the file def a http link?
-							if strings.HasPrefix(fileDef[0], "http") {
-								u, _ := url.Parse(fileDef[0])
-								path, _ := filepath.Abs(utils.CheckPathOverlap(filepath.Dir(u.Path), exp[0], string(filepath.Separator)))
-								u.Path = utils.ReplaceWindowsDriveWithLinuxPath(path)
-								fullDef = u.String()
-
-							} else {
-								fullDef, _ = filepath.Abs(utils.CheckPathOverlap(filepath.Dir(fileDef[0]), exp[0], string(filepath.Separator)))
-							}
+							fullDef, _ = filepath.Abs(utils.CheckPathOverlap(filepath.Dir(fileDef[0]), exp[0], string(filepath.Separator)))
 						}
+
 					}
 				}
 
@@ -691,24 +686,22 @@ func (resolver *Resolver) extractRelatives(ref *Reference, node, parent *yaml.No
 										if strings.HasPrefix(l, "http") {
 											def = l
 										} else {
-											if filepath.IsAbs(l) {
-												def = l
-											} else {
-												// check if were dealing with a remote file
-												if strings.HasPrefix(ref.FullDefinition, "http") {
 
-													// split the url.
-													u, _ := url.Parse(ref.FullDefinition)
-													abs, _ := filepath.Abs(filepath.Join(filepath.Dir(u.Path), l))
-													u.Path = utils.ReplaceWindowsDriveWithLinuxPath(abs)
-													u.Fragment = ""
-													def = u.String()
-												} else {
-													lookupRef := strings.Split(ref.FullDefinition, "#/")
-													abs, _ := filepath.Abs(filepath.Join(filepath.Dir(lookupRef[0]), l))
-													def = abs
-												}
+											// check if were dealing with a remote file
+											if strings.HasPrefix(ref.FullDefinition, "http") {
+
+												// split the url.
+												u, _ := url.Parse(ref.FullDefinition)
+												abs, _ := filepath.Abs(filepath.Join(filepath.Dir(u.Path), l))
+												u.Path = utils.ReplaceWindowsDriveWithLinuxPath(abs)
+												u.Fragment = ""
+												def = u.String()
+											} else {
+												lookupRef := strings.Split(ref.FullDefinition, "#/")
+												abs, _ := filepath.Abs(filepath.Join(filepath.Dir(lookupRef[0]), l))
+												def = abs
 											}
+
 										}
 									}
 
@@ -814,24 +807,22 @@ func (resolver *Resolver) extractRelatives(ref *Reference, node, parent *yaml.No
 										if strings.HasPrefix(l, "http") {
 											def = l
 										} else {
-											if filepath.IsAbs(l) {
-												def = l
-											} else {
-												// check if were dealing with a remote file
-												if strings.HasPrefix(ref.FullDefinition, "http") {
 
-													// split the url.
-													u, _ := url.Parse(ref.FullDefinition)
-													abs, _ := filepath.Abs(utils.CheckPathOverlap(filepath.Dir(u.Path), l, string(filepath.Separator)))
-													u.Path = utils.ReplaceWindowsDriveWithLinuxPath(abs)
-													u.Fragment = ""
-													def = u.String()
-												} else {
-													lookupRef := strings.Split(ref.FullDefinition, "#/")
-													abs, _ := filepath.Abs(utils.CheckPathOverlap(filepath.Dir(lookupRef[0]), l, string(filepath.Separator)))
-													def = abs
-												}
+											// check if were dealing with a remote file
+											if strings.HasPrefix(ref.FullDefinition, "http") {
+
+												// split the url.
+												u, _ := url.Parse(ref.FullDefinition)
+												abs, _ := filepath.Abs(utils.CheckPathOverlap(filepath.Dir(u.Path), l, string(filepath.Separator)))
+												u.Path = utils.ReplaceWindowsDriveWithLinuxPath(abs)
+												u.Fragment = ""
+												def = u.String()
+											} else {
+												lookupRef := strings.Split(ref.FullDefinition, "#/")
+												abs, _ := filepath.Abs(utils.CheckPathOverlap(filepath.Dir(lookupRef[0]), l, string(filepath.Separator)))
+												def = abs
 											}
+
 										}
 									}
 
diff --git a/utils/windows_drive_test.go b/utils/windows_drive_test.go
index fcaa45e..01e9387 100644
--- a/utils/windows_drive_test.go
+++ b/utils/windows_drive_test.go
@@ -1,88 +1,88 @@
 package utils
 
 import (
-    "os"
-    "runtime"
-    "testing"
+	"os"
+	"runtime"
+	"testing"
 )
 
 func TestReplaceWindowsDriveWithLinuxPath(t *testing.T) {
-    path := `C:\Users\pb33f\go\src\github.com\pb33f\libopenapi\utils\windows_drive_test.go`
-    expected := `/Users/pb33f/go/src/github.com/pb33f/libopenapi/utils/windows_drive_test.go`
-    result := ReplaceWindowsDriveWithLinuxPath(path)
-    if result != expected {
-        t.Errorf("Expected %s, got %s", expected, result)
-    }
+	path := `C:\Users\pb33f\go\src\github.com\pb33f\libopenapi\utils\windows_drive_test.go`
+	expected := `/Users/pb33f/go/src/github.com/pb33f/libopenapi/utils/windows_drive_test.go`
+	result := ReplaceWindowsDriveWithLinuxPath(path)
+	if result != expected {
+		t.Errorf("Expected %s, got %s", expected, result)
+	}
 
-    path = `/do/not/replace/this/path`
-    expected = `/do/not/replace/this/path`
-    result = ReplaceWindowsDriveWithLinuxPath(path)
-    if result != expected {
-        t.Errorf("Expected %s, got %s", expected, result)
-    }
+	path = `/do/not/replace/this/path`
+	expected = `/do/not/replace/this/path`
+	result = ReplaceWindowsDriveWithLinuxPath(path)
+	if result != expected {
+		t.Errorf("Expected %s, got %s", expected, result)
+	}
 }
 
 func TestCheckPathOverlap(t *testing.T) {
-    if runtime.GOOS == "windows" {
-        pathA := `C:\Users\pb33f`
-        pathB := `pb33f\files\thing.yaml`
-        expected := `C:\Users\pb33f\files\thing.yaml`
-        result := CheckPathOverlap(pathA, pathB, string(os.PathSeparator))
-        if result != expected {
-            t.Errorf("Expected %s, got %s", expected, result)
-        }
-    } else {
-        pathA := `/Users/pb33f`
-        pathB := `pb33f/files/thing.yaml`
-        expected := `/Users/pb33f/files/thing.yaml`
-        result := CheckPathOverlap(pathA, pathB, string(os.PathSeparator))
-        if result != expected {
-            t.Errorf("Expected %s, got %s", expected, result)
-        }
-    }
+	if runtime.GOOS == "windows" {
+		pathA := `C:\Users\pb33f`
+		pathB := `pb33f\files\thing.yaml`
+		expected := `C:\Users\pb33f\files\thing.yaml`
+		result := CheckPathOverlap(pathA, pathB, string(os.PathSeparator))
+		if result != expected {
+			t.Errorf("Expected %s, got %s", expected, result)
+		}
+	} else {
+		pathA := `/Users/pb33f`
+		pathB := `pb33f/files/thing.yaml`
+		expected := `/Users/pb33f/files/thing.yaml`
+		result := CheckPathOverlap(pathA, pathB, string(os.PathSeparator))
+		if result != expected {
+			t.Errorf("Expected %s, got %s", expected, result)
+		}
+	}
 }
 
 func TestCheckPathOverlap_CheckSlash(t *testing.T) {
-    pathA := `/Users/pb33f`
-    pathB := `Users/pb33f\files\thing.yaml`
+	pathA := `/Users/pb33f`
+	pathB := `Users/pb33f\files\thing.yaml`
 
-    if runtime.GOOS != "windows" {
-        expected := `/Users/pb33f/files\thing.yaml`
-        result := CheckPathOverlap(pathA, pathB, `\`)
-        if result != expected {
-            t.Errorf("Expected %s, got %s", expected, result)
-        }
-    } else {
-        expected := `\Users\pb33f\files\thing.yaml`
-        result := CheckPathOverlap(pathA, pathB, `\`)
-        if result != expected {
-            t.Errorf("Expected %s, got %s", expected, result)
-        }
-    }
+	if runtime.GOOS != "windows" {
+		expected := `/Users/pb33f/files\thing.yaml`
+		result := CheckPathOverlap(pathA, pathB, `\`)
+		if result != expected {
+			t.Errorf("Expected %s, got %s", expected, result)
+		}
+	} else {
+		expected := `\Users\pb33f\files\thing.yaml`
+		result := CheckPathOverlap(pathA, pathB, `\`)
+		if result != expected {
+			t.Errorf("Expected %s, got %s", expected, result)
+		}
+	}
 }
 
 func TestCheckPathOverlap_VariationA(t *testing.T) {
-    pathA := `/Users/pb33f`
-    pathB := `pb33f/files/thing.yaml`
-    expected := `/Users/pb33f/files/thing.yaml`
-    if runtime.GOOS == "windows" {
-        expected = `\Users\pb33f\files\thing.yaml`
-    }
-    result := CheckPathOverlap(pathA, pathB, `/`)
-    if result != expected {
-        t.Errorf("Expected %s, got %s", expected, result)
-    }
+	pathA := `/Users/pb33f`
+	pathB := `pb33f/files/thing.yaml`
+	expected := `/Users/pb33f/files/thing.yaml`
+	if runtime.GOOS == "windows" {
+		expected = `\Users\pb33f\files\thing.yaml`
+	}
+	result := CheckPathOverlap(pathA, pathB, `/`)
+	if result != expected {
+		t.Errorf("Expected %s, got %s", expected, result)
+	}
 }
 
 func TestCheckPathOverlap_VariationB(t *testing.T) {
-    pathA := `somewhere/pb33f`
-    pathB := `pb33f/files/thing.yaml`
-    expected := `somewhere/pb33f/files/thing.yaml`
-    if runtime.GOOS == "windows" {
-        expected = `somewhere\pb33f\files\thing.yaml`
-    }
-    result := CheckPathOverlap(pathA, pathB, `/`)
-    if result != expected {
-        t.Errorf("Expected %s, got %s", expected, result)
-    }
+	pathA := `somewhere/pb33f`
+	pathB := `pb33f/files/thing.yaml`
+	expected := `somewhere/pb33f/files/thing.yaml`
+	if runtime.GOOS == "windows" {
+		expected = `somewhere\pb33f\files\thing.yaml`
+	}
+	result := CheckPathOverlap(pathA, pathB, `/`)
+	if result != expected {
+		t.Errorf("Expected %s, got %s", expected, result)
+	}
 }