diff --git a/src/openapi/ref_or.rs b/src/openapi/ref_or.rs
index 778efaa..81d4ae4 100644
--- a/src/openapi/ref_or.rs
+++ b/src/openapi/ref_or.rs
@@ -104,6 +104,9 @@ pub struct Ref {
     #[serde(rename = "$ref")]
     target: String,
 
+    #[serde(default, skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
+    description: Option<String>,
+
     /// YAML fields we want to pass through blindly.
     #[serde(flatten)]
     unknown_fields: BTreeMap<String, Value>,
@@ -111,9 +114,10 @@ pub struct Ref {
 
 impl Ref {
     /// Construct a ref pointing to `target`.
-    pub(crate) fn new<S: Into<String>>(target: S) -> Ref {
+    pub(crate) fn new<S: Into<String>>(target: S, description: Option<String>) -> Ref {
         Ref {
             target: target.into(),
+            description,
             unknown_fields: Default::default(),
         }
     }
@@ -124,7 +128,7 @@ impl Transpile for Ref {
 
     fn transpile(&self, _scope: &Scope) -> anyhow::Result<Self::Output> {
         if !self.unknown_fields.is_empty() {
-            return Err(format_err!("`$ref:` must not have any sibling values"));
+            return Err(format_err!("`$ref:` no unknown sibling values allowed"));
         }
 
         Ok(self.clone())
@@ -139,6 +143,9 @@ pub struct InterfaceRef {
     #[serde(rename = "$interface")]
     target: String,
 
+    #[serde(default, skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
+    description: Option<String>,
+
     /// YAML fields we want to pass through blindly.
     #[serde(flatten)]
     unknown_fields: BTreeMap<String, Value>,
@@ -151,7 +158,9 @@ impl Transpile for InterfaceRef {
     fn transpile(&self, scope: &Scope) -> anyhow::Result<Self::Output> {
         // This type is defined by us, so let's enforce this rule.
         if !self.unknown_fields.is_empty() {
-            return Err(format_err!("`$include:` must not have any sibling values"));
+            return Err(format_err!(
+                "`$interface:` no unknown sibling values allowed"
+            ));
         }
 
         // Figure out which interface variant to use.
@@ -171,10 +180,13 @@ impl Transpile for InterfaceRef {
         };
 
         // Build our ref.
-        Ok(Ref::new(format!(
-            "#/components/schemas/{}{}",
-            &self.target[..fragment_pos],
-            variety.to_schema_suffix_str()
-        )))
+        Ok(Ref::new(
+            format!(
+                "#/components/schemas/{}{}",
+                &self.target[..fragment_pos],
+                variety.to_schema_suffix_str()
+            ),
+            self.description.clone(),
+        ))
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/openapi/schema.rs b/src/openapi/schema.rs
index 12ffc92..bebef6e 100644
--- a/src/openapi/schema.rs
+++ b/src/openapi/schema.rs
@@ -73,7 +73,8 @@ impl Nullable for Schema {
 fn allowing_null_turns_refs_into_oneof() {
     use super::ref_or::Ref;
 
-    let schema = RefOr::<BasicSchema>::Ref(Ref::new("#/components/schemas/widget"));
+    let schema =
+        RefOr::<BasicSchema>::Ref(Ref::new("#/components/schemas/widget", None));
     assert_eq!(
         schema.allowing_null(),
         RefOr::Value(BasicSchema::OneOf(OneOf::new(