diff --git a/datamodel/document_config.go b/datamodel/document_config.go
index e29c78f..4efe85c 100644
--- a/datamodel/document_config.go
+++ b/datamodel/document_config.go
@@ -24,6 +24,10 @@ type DocumentConfiguration struct {
 
 	// AllowRemoteReferences will allow the index to lookup remote references. This is disabled by default.
 	AllowRemoteReferences bool
+
+	// AvoidIndexBuild will avoid building the index. This is disabled by default, only use if you are sure you don't need it.
+	// This is useful for developers building out models that should be indexed later on.
+	AvoidIndexBuild bool
 }
 
 func NewOpenDocumentConfiguration() *DocumentConfiguration {
diff --git a/datamodel/low/v3/create_document.go b/datamodel/low/v3/create_document.go
index 9b6724c..f8465fe 100644
--- a/datamodel/low/v3/create_document.go
+++ b/datamodel/low/v3/create_document.go
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ func createDocument(info *datamodel.SpecInfo, config *datamodel.DocumentConfigur
 		BasePath:          cwd,
 		AllowFileLookup:   config.AllowFileReferences,
 		AllowRemoteLookup: config.AllowRemoteReferences,
+		AvoidBuildIndex:   config.AvoidIndexBuild,
 	})
 	doc.Index = idx
 
diff --git a/index/index_model.go b/index/index_model.go
index ddb811b..a1e6a83 100644
--- a/index/index_model.go
+++ b/index/index_model.go
@@ -76,6 +76,13 @@ type SpecIndexConfig struct {
 	// a breakglass to be used to prevent loops, checking the tree before recursing down.
 	ParentIndex *SpecIndex
 
+	// If set to true, the index will not be built out, which means only the foundational elements will be
+	// parsed and added to the index. This is useful to avoid building out an index if the specification is
+	// broken up into references and you want it fully resolved.
+	//
+	// Use the `BuildIndex()` method on the index to build it out once resolved/ready.
+	AvoidBuildIndex bool
+
 	// private fields
 	seenRemoteSources *syncmap.Map
 	remoteLock        *sync.Mutex
diff --git a/index/spec_index.go b/index/spec_index.go
index 6a2fd00..22e3451 100644
--- a/index/spec_index.go
+++ b/index/spec_index.go
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ func NewSpecIndexWithConfig(rootNode *yaml.Node, config *SpecIndexConfig) *SpecI
 		return index
 	}
 	boostrapIndexCollections(rootNode, index)
-	return createNewIndex(rootNode, index)
+	return createNewIndex(rootNode, index, config.AvoidBuildIndex)
 }
 
 // NewSpecIndex will create a new index of an OpenAPI or Swagger spec. It's not resolved or converted into anything
@@ -55,10 +55,10 @@ func NewSpecIndex(rootNode *yaml.Node) *SpecIndex {
 	index := new(SpecIndex)
 	index.config = CreateOpenAPIIndexConfig()
 	boostrapIndexCollections(rootNode, index)
-	return createNewIndex(rootNode, index)
+	return createNewIndex(rootNode, index, false)
 }
 
-func createNewIndex(rootNode *yaml.Node, index *SpecIndex) *SpecIndex {
+func createNewIndex(rootNode *yaml.Node, index *SpecIndex, avoidBuildOut bool) *SpecIndex {
 	// there is no node! return an empty index.
 	if rootNode == nil {
 		return index
@@ -82,6 +82,23 @@ func createNewIndex(rootNode *yaml.Node, index *SpecIndex) *SpecIndex {
 	index.ExtractExternalDocuments(index.root)
 	index.GetPathCount()
 
+	// build out the index.
+	if !avoidBuildOut {
+		index.BuildIndex()
+	}
+
+	// do a copy!
+	index.config.seenRemoteSources.Range(func(k, v any) bool {
+		index.seenRemoteSources[k.(string)] = v.(*yaml.Node)
+		return true
+	})
+	return index
+}
+
+// BuildIndex will run all of the count operations required to build up maps of everything. It's what makes the index
+// useful for looking up things, the count operations are all run in parallel and then the final calculations are run
+// the index is ready.
+func (index *SpecIndex) BuildIndex() {
 	countFuncs := []func() int{
 		index.GetOperationCount,
 		index.GetComponentSchemaCount,
@@ -111,13 +128,6 @@ func createNewIndex(rootNode *yaml.Node, index *SpecIndex) *SpecIndex {
 	index.GetInlineDuplicateParamCount()
 	index.GetAllDescriptionsCount()
 	index.GetTotalTagsCount()
-
-	// do a copy!
-	index.config.seenRemoteSources.Range(func(k, v any) bool {
-		index.seenRemoteSources[k.(string)] = v.(*yaml.Node)
-		return true
-	})
-	return index
 }
 
 // GetRootNode returns document root node.