diff --git a/lib/json-schema/validator.rb b/lib/json-schema/validator.rb
index dd27ac9a..0e029feb 100644
--- a/lib/json-schema/validator.rb
+++ b/lib/json-schema/validator.rb
@@ -145,6 +145,9 @@ def load_ref_schema(parent_schema,ref)
       end
 
       if Validator.schemas[uri.to_s].nil?
+        # After resolution against the parent schema this must be an absolute URI
+        message = 'Schema references must yield an absolute URI when resolved against the parent schema'
+        raise JSON::Schema::SchemaError.new(message) unless ['ftp', 'http', 'https'].include? uri.normalize.scheme
         schema = JSON::Schema.new(JSON::Validator.parse(open(uri.to_s.chomp('#')).read), uri, @options[:version])
         Validator.add_schema(schema)
         build_schemas(schema)
diff --git a/test/test_bad_schema_ref.rb b/test/test_bad_schema_ref.rb
index 0f02c4b2..7dc52b9f 100644
--- a/test/test_bad_schema_ref.rb
+++ b/test/test_bad_schema_ref.rb
@@ -12,30 +12,24 @@ def teardown
     WebMock.disable_net_connect!
   end
 
-  def test_bad_uri_ref
-    schema = {
+  def test_resolved_relative_refs
+    schema_1 = {
       "$schema" => "http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#",
       "type" => "array",
-      "items" => { "$ref" => "../google.json"}
+      "items" => { "$ref" => "/etc/passwd"}
     }
 
-    data = [1,2,3]
-    assert_raises(Errno::ENOENT) do
-      JSON::Validator.validate(schema,data)
-    end
-  end
-
-  def test_malicious_ref
-    schema = {
+    schema_2 = {
       "$schema" => "http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#",
       "type" => "array",
       "items" => { "$ref" => "../../../../../../../../../../../../etc/passwd"}
     }
 
     data = [1,2,3]
-    assert_raises(Errno::ENOENT) do
-      JSON::Validator.validate(schema,data)
-    end
+    message = 'Schema references must yield an absolute URI when resolved against the parent schema'
+
+    assert_error(schema_1, data, JSON::Schema::SchemaError, message)
+    assert_error(schema_2, data, JSON::Schema::SchemaError, message)
   end
 
   def test_bad_host_ref
diff --git a/test/test_helper.rb b/test/test_helper.rb
index 962eeb38..a28d0621 100644
--- a/test/test_helper.rb
+++ b/test/test_helper.rb
@@ -33,4 +33,11 @@ def refute_valid(schema, data, options = {})
     errors = JSON::Validator.fully_validate(schema, data, options)
     refute_equal([], errors, "#{data.inspect} should be invalid for schema:\n#{schema.inspect}")
   end
+
+  def assert_error(schema, data, error_class, message = nil)
+    error = assert_raises(error_class) do
+      JSON::Validator.validate!(schema, data)
+    end
+    assert_equal(error.message, message) unless message.nil?
+  end
 end