diff --git a/Sources/Enums.swift b/Sources/Enums.swift
index cc24f7c..6c957da 100644
--- a/Sources/Enums.swift
+++ b/Sources/Enums.swift
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ public enum DataType: String {
     case boolean = "boolean"
     case file = "file"
     case allOf = "allOf"
+    case pointer = "pointer"
     case any = "any"
 }
 
diff --git a/Sources/Items.swift b/Sources/Items.swift
index 07971a2..0aabdcb 100644
--- a/Sources/Items.swift
+++ b/Sources/Items.swift
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ indirect enum ItemsBuilder: Builder {
             self = .array(builder: try ArrayItemBuilder(map: map))
         case .boolean:
             self = .boolean(builder: metadata)
-        case .enumeration, .object, .allOf, .file, .any:
+        case .enumeration, .object, .allOf, .pointer, .file, .any:
             throw DecodingError()
         }
     }
diff --git a/Sources/Metadata.swift b/Sources/Metadata.swift
index 646667b..26f119f 100644
--- a/Sources/Metadata.swift
+++ b/Sources/Metadata.swift
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@ struct MetadataBuilder: Builder {
     init(map: Map) throws {
         if let typeString: String = try? map.value("type"), let mappedType = DataType(rawValue: typeString) {
             type = mappedType
+        } else if map.JSON["$ref"] != nil {
+            type = .pointer
         } else if map.JSON["items"] != nil {
             // Implicit array
             type = .array
diff --git a/Sources/Schema.swift b/Sources/Schema.swift
index 88a7b7a..a5c4a7b 100644
--- a/Sources/Schema.swift
+++ b/Sources/Schema.swift
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import ObjectMapper
 
 /// Schemas are used to define the types used in body parameters. They are more expressive than Items.
 public enum Schema {
-    indirect case structure(Structure<Schema>)
+    indirect case structure(metadata: Metadata, structure: Structure<Schema>)
     indirect case object(ObjectSchema)
     indirect case array(ArraySchema)
     indirect case allOf(AllOfSchema)
@@ -19,9 +19,9 @@ enum SchemaBuilder: Builder {
 
     typealias Building = Schema
 
+    indirect case pointer(MetadataBuilder, Pointer<SchemaBuilder>)
     indirect case object(ObjectSchemaBuilder)
     indirect case array(ArraySchemaBuilder)
-    indirect case pointer(Pointer<SchemaBuilder>)
     indirect case allOf(AllOfSchemaBuilder)
     case string(metadata: MetadataBuilder, format: StringFormat?)
     case number(metadata: MetadataBuilder, format: NumberFormat?)
@@ -32,15 +32,10 @@ enum SchemaBuilder: Builder {
     case any(metadata: MetadataBuilder)
 
     public init(map: Map) throws {
-        // Check if a reference
-        if let pointer = try? Pointer<SchemaBuilder>(map: map) {
-            self = .pointer(pointer)
-            return
-        }
-
-        // Map according to the type:
         let metadata = try MetadataBuilder(map: map)
         switch metadata.type {
+        case .pointer:
+            self = .pointer(metadata, try Pointer<SchemaBuilder>(map: map))
         case .object:
             self = .object(try ObjectSchemaBuilder(map: map))
         case .array:
@@ -66,14 +61,15 @@ enum SchemaBuilder: Builder {
 
     func build(_ swagger: SwaggerBuilder) throws -> Schema {
         switch self {
+        case .pointer(let metadataBuilder, let pointer):
+            let structure = try SchemaBuilder.resolve(swagger, pointer: pointer)
+            return .structure(metadata: try metadataBuilder.build(swagger), structure: structure)
         case .object(let builder):
             return .object(try builder.build(swagger))
         case .array(let builder):
             return .array(try builder.build(swagger))
         case .allOf(let builder):
             return .allOf(try builder.build(swagger))
-        case .pointer(let pointer):
-            return .structure(try SchemaBuilder.resolve(swagger, pointer: pointer))
         case .string(let metadataBuilder, let format):
             return .string(metadata: try metadataBuilder.build(swagger), format: format)
         case .number(let metadataBuilder, let format):
diff --git a/Tests/SwaggerParserTests/Fixtures/test_pointer_metadata.json b/Tests/SwaggerParserTests/Fixtures/test_pointer_metadata.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4e56ee6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/SwaggerParserTests/Fixtures/test_pointer_metadata.json
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+{
+  "swagger": "2.0",
+  "info": {
+    "title": "",
+    "description": "",
+    "version": "1.0.0"
+  },
+  "host": "api.test.com",
+  "schemes": ["https"],
+  "produces": ["application/json"],
+  "paths": {},
+  "definitions": {
+    "Foo": {
+      "properties": {
+        "bar": {
+          "$ref": "#/definitions/Bar",
+          "description": "A nullable reference to Bar.",
+          "x-nullable": true
+        }
+      }
+    },
+    "Bar": {
+      "properties": {
+        "baz": {
+          "type" : "string"
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/Tests/SwaggerParserTests/StructureSchemaTests.swift b/Tests/SwaggerParserTests/StructureSchemaTests.swift
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c576639
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/SwaggerParserTests/StructureSchemaTests.swift
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+import XCTest
+@testable import SwaggerParser
+
+class StructureSchemaTests: XCTestCase {
+    func testPointerMetadata() throws {
+        let jsonString = try fixture(named: "test_pointer_metadata.json")
+        let swagger = try Swagger(JSONString: jsonString)
+        
+        guard
+            let fooDefinition = swagger.definitions.first(where: { $0.name == "Foo" }),
+            case .object(let foo) = fooDefinition.structure else
+        {
+            return XCTFail("Foo is not an object schema.")
+        }
+        
+        guard
+            let barProperty = foo.properties["bar"],
+            case .structure(let metadata, let barReference) = barProperty,
+            case .object(let bar) = barReference.structure else
+        {
+            return XCTFail("Bar property is not a reference to an object schema.")
+        }
+        
+        guard
+            let bazProperty = bar.properties["baz"],
+            case .string = bazProperty else
+        {
+            return XCTFail("Baz property is not a string.")
+        }
+        
+        XCTAssertEqual(metadata.description, "A nullable reference to Bar.")
+        XCTAssertTrue(metadata.nullable)
+    }
+}
+
diff --git a/Tests/SwaggerParserTests/TestHelpers.swift b/Tests/SwaggerParserTests/TestHelpers.swift
index d85b3ab..dcc77fd 100644
--- a/Tests/SwaggerParserTests/TestHelpers.swift
+++ b/Tests/SwaggerParserTests/TestHelpers.swift
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ func getBaseAndChildSchemas(withDefinition definition: Structure<Schema>) throws
         switch subschema {
         case .object(let childSchema):
             child = childSchema
-        case .structure(let structure):
+        case .structure(_, let structure):
             guard case .object(let baseSchema) = structure.structure else {
                 throw GetBaseAndChildSchemasError.badSubschemaType(subschema)
             }
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ func validate(that parameter: Parameter, named parameterName: String, isAnObject
         return XCTFail("\(parameterName) is not a .body.")
     }
     
-    guard case .structure(let structure) = schema else {
+    guard case .structure(_, let structure) = schema else {
         return XCTFail("\(parameterName)'s schema is not a .structure.")
     }
     
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ func validate(that childSchema: Schema, named childName: String, withProperties
     
     guard
         let childsParent = childAllOf.subschemas.first,
-        case .structure(let childsParentStructure) = childsParent,
+        case .structure(_, let childsParentStructure) = childsParent,
         childsParentStructure.name == parentName,
         case .object(let childsParentSchema) = childsParentStructure.structure else
     {