diff --git a/datamodel/low/extraction_functions.go b/datamodel/low/extraction_functions.go
index acf4a82..4268213 100644
--- a/datamodel/low/extraction_functions.go
+++ b/datamodel/low/extraction_functions.go
@@ -110,18 +110,12 @@ func LocateRefNodeWithContext(ctx context.Context, root *yaml.Node, idx *index.S
 					} else {
 						if specPath != "" {
 							var abs string
-							// multi file ref, looking for the root.
-							if filepath.Base(specPath) == "root.yaml" && explodedRefValue[0] == "" {
+							if explodedRefValue[0] == "" {
 								abs = specPath
 							} else {
-								if explodedRefValue[0] == "" {
-									abs = specPath
-								} else {
-									abs, _ = filepath.Abs(filepath.Join(filepath.Dir(specPath), explodedRefValue[0]))
-								}
+								abs, _ = filepath.Abs(filepath.Join(filepath.Dir(specPath), explodedRefValue[0]))
 							}
 							rv = fmt.Sprintf("%s#%s", abs, explodedRefValue[1])
-
 						} else {
 
 							// check for a config baseURL and use that if it exists.