diff --git a/index/circular_reference_result.go b/index/circular_reference_result.go
index 95270b7..a710d6a 100644
--- a/index/circular_reference_result.go
+++ b/index/circular_reference_result.go
@@ -9,15 +9,21 @@ type CircularReferenceResult struct {
 	LoopIndex           int
 	LoopPoint           *Reference
 	IsPolymorphicResult bool // if this result comes from a polymorphic loop.
+	IsInfiniteLoop      bool // if all the definitions in the reference loop are marked as required, this is an infinite circular reference, thus is not allowed.
 }
 
 func (c *CircularReferenceResult) GenerateJourneyPath() string {
 	buf := strings.Builder{}
 	for i, ref := range c.Journey {
-		buf.WriteString(ref.Name)
-		if i+1 < len(c.Journey) {
+		if i > 0 {
 			buf.WriteString(" -> ")
 		}
+
+		buf.WriteString(ref.Name)
+		// buf.WriteString(" (")
+		// buf.WriteString(ref.Definition)
+		// buf.WriteString(")")
 	}
+
 	return buf.String()
 }
diff --git a/index/spec_index.go b/index/spec_index.go
index 341f19c..8e5779d 100644
--- a/index/spec_index.go
+++ b/index/spec_index.go
@@ -35,16 +35,17 @@ const (
 // Reference is a wrapper around *yaml.Node results to make things more manageable when performing
 // algorithms on data models. the *yaml.Node def is just a bit too low level for tracking state.
 type Reference struct {
-	Definition     string
-	Name           string
-	Node           *yaml.Node
-	ParentNode     *yaml.Node
-	Resolved       bool
-	Circular       bool
-	Seen           bool
-	IsRemote       bool
-	RemoteLocation string
-	Path           string // this won't always be available.
+	Definition            string
+	Name                  string
+	Node                  *yaml.Node
+	ParentNode            *yaml.Node
+	Resolved              bool
+	Circular              bool
+	Seen                  bool
+	IsRemote              bool
+	RemoteLocation        string
+	Path                  string              // this won't always be available.
+	RequiredRefProperties map[string][]string // definition names (eg, #/definitions/One) to a list of required properties on this definition which reference that definition
 }
 
 // ReferenceMapped is a helper struct for mapped references put into sequence (we lose the key)
@@ -1614,10 +1615,12 @@ func (index *SpecIndex) FindComponent(componentId string, parent *yaml.Node) *Re
 		return nil
 	}
 
+	// FIXME: This is a potential security hole, and needs to be made optional (see log4j fiasco)
 	remoteLookup := func(id string) (*yaml.Node, *yaml.Node, error) {
 		return index.lookupRemoteReference(id)
 	}
 
+	// FIXME: As above
 	fileLookup := func(id string) (*yaml.Node, *yaml.Node, error) {
 		return index.lookupFileReference(id)
 	}
@@ -1698,18 +1701,93 @@ func (index *SpecIndex) extractDefinitionsAndSchemas(schemasNode *yaml.Node, pat
 			name = schema.Value
 			continue
 		}
+
 		def := fmt.Sprintf("%s%s", pathPrefix, name)
 		ref := &Reference{
-			Definition: def,
-			Name:       name,
-			Node:       schema,
-			Path:       fmt.Sprintf("$.components.schemas.%s", name),
-			ParentNode: schemasNode,
+			Definition:            def,
+			Name:                  name,
+			Node:                  schema,
+			Path:                  fmt.Sprintf("$.components.schemas.%s", name),
+			ParentNode:            schemasNode,
+			RequiredRefProperties: index.extractDefinitionRequiredRefProperties(schemasNode, map[string][]string{}),
 		}
 		index.allSchemas[def] = ref
 	}
 }
 
+// extractDefinitionRequiredRefProperties goes through the direct properties of a schema and extracts the map of required definitions from within it
+func (index *SpecIndex) extractDefinitionRequiredRefProperties(schemaNode *yaml.Node, reqRefProps map[string][]string) map[string][]string {
+	if schemaNode == nil {
+		return reqRefProps
+	}
+
+	_, requiredSeqNode := utils.FindKeyNode("required", schemaNode.Content)
+	if requiredSeqNode == nil {
+		return reqRefProps
+	}
+
+	_, propertiesMapNode := utils.FindKeyNode("properties", schemaNode.Content)
+	if propertiesMapNode == nil {
+		// TODO: Log a warning on the resolver, because if you have required properties, but no actual properties, something is wrong
+		return reqRefProps
+	}
+
+	name := ""
+	for i, param := range propertiesMapNode.Content {
+		if i%2 == 0 {
+			name = param.Value
+			continue
+		}
+
+		_, paramPropertiesMapNode := utils.FindKeyNode("properties", param.Content)
+		if paramPropertiesMapNode != nil {
+			reqRefProps = index.extractDefinitionRequiredRefProperties(param, reqRefProps)
+		}
+
+		for _, key := range []string{"allOf", "oneOf", "anyOf"} {
+			_, ofNode := utils.FindKeyNode(key, param.Content)
+			if ofNode != nil {
+				for _, ofNodeItem := range ofNode.Content {
+					reqRefProps = index.extractRequiredReferenceProperties(ofNodeItem, name, reqRefProps)
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	for _, requiredPropertyNode := range requiredSeqNode.Content {
+		_, requiredPropDefNode := utils.FindKeyNode(requiredPropertyNode.Value, propertiesMapNode.Content)
+		if requiredPropDefNode == nil {
+			continue
+		}
+
+		reqRefProps = index.extractRequiredReferenceProperties(requiredPropDefNode, requiredPropertyNode.Value, reqRefProps)
+	}
+
+	return reqRefProps
+}
+
+// extractRequiredReferenceProperties returns a map of definition names to the property or properties which reference it within a node
+func (index *SpecIndex) extractRequiredReferenceProperties(requiredPropDefNode *yaml.Node, propName string, reqRefProps map[string][]string) map[string][]string {
+	isRef, _, defPath := utils.IsNodeRefValue(requiredPropDefNode)
+	if !isRef {
+		_, defItems := utils.FindKeyNode("items", requiredPropDefNode.Content)
+		if defItems != nil {
+			isRef, _, defPath = utils.IsNodeRefValue(defItems)
+		}
+	}
+
+	if /* still */ !isRef {
+		return reqRefProps
+	}
+
+	if _, ok := reqRefProps[defPath]; !ok {
+		reqRefProps[defPath] = []string{}
+	}
+	reqRefProps[defPath] = append(reqRefProps[defPath], propName)
+
+	return reqRefProps
+}
+
 func (index *SpecIndex) extractComponentParameters(paramsNode *yaml.Node, pathPrefix string) {
 	var name string
 	for i, param := range paramsNode.Content {
@@ -1899,11 +1977,13 @@ func (index *SpecIndex) FindComponentInRoot(componentId string) *Reference {
 		res, _ := path.Find(index.root)
 		if len(res) == 1 {
 			ref := &Reference{
-				Definition: componentId,
-				Name:       name,
-				Node:       res[0],
-				Path:       friendlySearch,
+				Definition:            componentId,
+				Name:                  name,
+				Node:                  res[0],
+				Path:                  friendlySearch,
+				RequiredRefProperties: index.extractDefinitionRequiredRefProperties(res[0], map[string][]string{}),
 			}
+
 			return ref
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/resolver/resolver.go b/resolver/resolver.go
index 6f37c68..ddd45b3 100644
--- a/resolver/resolver.go
+++ b/resolver/resolver.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ package resolver
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+
 	"github.com/pb33f/libopenapi/index"
 	"github.com/pb33f/libopenapi/utils"
 	"gopkg.in/yaml.v3"
@@ -87,7 +88,6 @@ func (resolver *Resolver) GetNonPolymorphicCircularErrors() []*index.CircularRef
 // re-organize the node tree. Make sure you have copied your original tree before running this (if you want to preserve
 // original data)
 func (resolver *Resolver) Resolve() []*ResolvingError {
-
 	mapped := resolver.specIndex.GetMappedReferencesSequenced()
 	mappedIndex := resolver.specIndex.GetMappedReferences()
 
@@ -98,7 +98,6 @@ func (resolver *Resolver) Resolve() []*ResolvingError {
 	}
 
 	schemas := resolver.specIndex.GetAllSchemas()
-
 	for s, schemaRef := range schemas {
 		if mappedIndex[s] == nil {
 			seenReferences := make(map[string]bool)
@@ -118,8 +117,13 @@ func (resolver *Resolver) Resolve() []*ResolvingError {
 	}
 
 	for _, circRef := range resolver.circularReferences {
+		// If the circular reference is not required, we can ignore it, as it's a terminable loop rather than an infinite one
+		if !circRef.IsInfiniteLoop {
+			continue
+		}
+
 		resolver.resolvingErrors = append(resolver.resolvingErrors, &ResolvingError{
-			ErrorRef: fmt.Errorf("Circular reference detected: %s", circRef.Start.Name),
+			ErrorRef: fmt.Errorf("Infinite circular reference detected: %s", circRef.Start.Name),
 			Node:     circRef.LoopPoint.Node,
 			Path:     circRef.GenerateJourneyPath(),
 		})
@@ -130,7 +134,6 @@ func (resolver *Resolver) Resolve() []*ResolvingError {
 
 // CheckForCircularReferences Check for circular references, without resolving, a non-destructive run.
 func (resolver *Resolver) CheckForCircularReferences() []*ResolvingError {
-
 	mapped := resolver.specIndex.GetMappedReferencesSequenced()
 	mappedIndex := resolver.specIndex.GetMappedReferences()
 	for _, ref := range mapped {
@@ -138,6 +141,7 @@ func (resolver *Resolver) CheckForCircularReferences() []*ResolvingError {
 		var journey []*index.Reference
 		resolver.VisitReference(ref.Reference, seenReferences, journey, false)
 	}
+
 	schemas := resolver.specIndex.GetAllSchemas()
 	for s, schemaRef := range schemas {
 		if mappedIndex[s] == nil {
@@ -146,9 +150,15 @@ func (resolver *Resolver) CheckForCircularReferences() []*ResolvingError {
 			resolver.VisitReference(schemaRef, seenReferences, journey, false)
 		}
 	}
+
 	for _, circRef := range resolver.circularReferences {
+		// If the circular reference is not required, we can ignore it, as it's a terminable loop rather than an infinite one
+		if !circRef.IsInfiniteLoop {
+			continue
+		}
+
 		resolver.resolvingErrors = append(resolver.resolvingErrors, &ResolvingError{
-			ErrorRef:          fmt.Errorf("Circular reference detected: %s", circRef.Start.Name),
+			ErrorRef:          fmt.Errorf("Infinite circular reference detected: %s", circRef.Start.Name),
 			Node:              circRef.LoopPoint.Node,
 			Path:              circRef.GenerateJourneyPath(),
 			CircularReference: circRef,
@@ -161,7 +171,6 @@ func (resolver *Resolver) CheckForCircularReferences() []*ResolvingError {
 
 // VisitReference will visit a reference as part of a journey and will return resolved nodes.
 func (resolver *Resolver) VisitReference(ref *index.Reference, seen map[string]bool, journey []*index.Reference, resolve bool) []*yaml.Node {
-
 	if ref.Resolved || ref.Seen {
 		return ref.Node.Content
 	}
@@ -173,34 +182,32 @@ func (resolver *Resolver) VisitReference(ref *index.Reference, seen map[string]b
 
 	seen[ref.Definition] = true
 	for _, r := range relatives {
-
 		// check if we have seen this on the journey before, if so! it's circular
 		skip := false
 		for i, j := range journey {
 			if j.Definition == r.Definition {
-
 				foundDup := resolver.specIndex.GetMappedReferences()[r.Definition]
 
 				var circRef *index.CircularReferenceResult
 				if !foundDup.Circular {
-
 					loop := append(journey, foundDup)
+
 					circRef = &index.CircularReferenceResult{
-						Journey:   loop,
-						Start:     foundDup,
-						LoopIndex: i,
-						LoopPoint: foundDup,
+						Journey:        loop,
+						Start:          foundDup,
+						LoopIndex:      i,
+						LoopPoint:      foundDup,
+						IsInfiniteLoop: resolver.isInfiniteCircularDependency(foundDup, nil),
 					}
+					resolver.circularReferences = append(resolver.circularReferences, circRef)
 
 					foundDup.Seen = true
 					foundDup.Circular = true
-					resolver.circularReferences = append(resolver.circularReferences, circRef)
-
 				}
 				skip = true
-
 			}
 		}
+
 		if !skip {
 			original := resolver.specIndex.GetMappedReferences()[r.Definition]
 			resolved := resolver.VisitReference(original, seen, journey, resolve)
@@ -217,6 +224,30 @@ func (resolver *Resolver) VisitReference(ref *index.Reference, seen map[string]b
 	return ref.Node.Content
 }
 
+func (resolver *Resolver) isInfiniteCircularDependency(ref *index.Reference, initialRef *index.Reference) bool {
+	if ref == nil {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	for refDefinition := range ref.RequiredRefProperties {
+		r := resolver.specIndex.GetMappedReferences()[refDefinition]
+		if initialRef != nil && initialRef.Definition == r.Definition {
+			return true
+		}
+
+		ir := initialRef
+		if ir == nil {
+			ir = ref
+		}
+
+		if resolver.isInfiniteCircularDependency(r, ir) {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+
+	return false
+}
+
 func (resolver *Resolver) extractRelatives(node *yaml.Node,
 	foundRelatives map[string]bool,
 	journey []*index.Reference, resolve bool) []*index.Reference {
diff --git a/utils/utils.go b/utils/utils.go
index 395579d..da028b2 100644
--- a/utils/utils.go
+++ b/utils/utils.go
@@ -3,12 +3,13 @@ package utils
 import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
-	"github.com/vmware-labs/yaml-jsonpath/pkg/yamlpath"
-	"gopkg.in/yaml.v3"
 	"net/url"
 	"regexp"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
+
+	"github.com/vmware-labs/yaml-jsonpath/pkg/yamlpath"
+	"gopkg.in/yaml.v3"
 )
 
 type Case int8
@@ -402,15 +403,50 @@ func IsNodeRefValue(node *yaml.Node) (bool, *yaml.Node, string) {
 	return false, nil, ""
 }
 
+// IsPropertyNodeRequired will check if a node is required within circular references
+func IsPropertyNodeRequired(node *yaml.Node, propertyName string) bool {
+	_, requiredSeqNode := FindKeyNode("required", node.Content)
+	if requiredSeqNode == nil {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	_, propertiesMapNode := FindKeyNode("properties", node.Content)
+	if propertiesMapNode == nil {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	for _, requiredPropertyNode := range requiredSeqNode.Content {
+		_, requiredPropDefNode := FindKeyNode(requiredPropertyNode.Value, propertiesMapNode.Content)
+		if requiredPropDefNode == nil {
+			continue
+		}
+
+		isRef, _, defPath := IsNodeRefValue(requiredPropDefNode)
+		if isRef && defPath == propertyName {
+			return true
+		}
+
+		_, defItems := FindKeyNode("items", requiredPropDefNode.Content)
+		if defItems == nil {
+			continue
+		}
+
+		isRef, _, defPath = IsNodeRefValue(defItems)
+		if isRef && defPath == propertyName {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+
+	return false
+}
+
 // FixContext will clean up a JSONpath string to be correctly traversable.
 func FixContext(context string) string {
-
 	tokens := strings.Split(context, ".")
 	var cleaned = []string{}
+
 	for i, t := range tokens {
-
 		if v, err := strconv.Atoi(t); err == nil {
-
 			if v < 200 { // codes start here
 				if cleaned[i-1] != "" {
 					cleaned[i-1] += fmt.Sprintf("[%v]", t)
@@ -421,8 +457,8 @@ func FixContext(context string) string {
 			continue
 		}
 		cleaned = append(cleaned, strings.ReplaceAll(t, "(root)", "$"))
-
 	}
+
 	return strings.Join(cleaned, ".")
 }