diff --git a/jsonschema.py b/jsonschema.py
index c4d87fbf3..2f4dab5a2 100644
--- a/jsonschema.py
+++ b/jsonschema.py
@@ -1114,6 +1114,7 @@ def __init__(
     ):
         self.base_uri = base_uri
         self.resolution_scope = base_uri
+        # This attribute is not used, it is for backwards compatibility
         self.referrer = referrer
         self.cache_remote = cache_remote
         self.handlers = dict(handlers)
@@ -1123,6 +1124,7 @@ def __init__(
             for id, validator in iteritems(meta_schemas)
         )
         self.store.update(store)
+        self.store[base_uri] = referrer
 
     @classmethod
     def from_schema(cls, schema, *args, **kwargs):
@@ -1157,24 +1159,23 @@ def resolving(self, ref):
 
         full_uri = urlparse.urljoin(self.resolution_scope, ref)
         uri, fragment = urlparse.urldefrag(full_uri)
+        if not uri:
+            uri = self.base_uri
 
         if uri in self.store:
             document = self.store[uri]
-        elif not uri or uri == self.base_uri:
-            document = self.referrer
         else:
             try:
                 document = self.resolve_remote(uri)
             except Exception as exc:
                 raise RefResolutionError(exc)
 
-        old_base_uri, old_referrer = self.base_uri, self.referrer
-        self.base_uri, self.referrer = uri, document
+        old_base_uri, self.base_uri = self.base_uri, uri
         try:
             with self.in_scope(uri):
                 yield self.resolve_fragment(document, fragment)
         finally:
-            self.base_uri, self.referrer = old_base_uri, old_referrer
+            self.base_uri = old_base_uri
 
     def resolve_fragment(self, document, fragment):
         """
diff --git a/tests.py b/tests.py
index ec44f1232..7d7d9dc10 100644
--- a/tests.py
+++ b/tests.py
@@ -859,6 +859,14 @@ def test_it_resolves_local_refs(self):
         with self.resolver.resolving(ref) as resolved:
             self.assertEqual(resolved, self.referrer["properties"]["foo"])
 
+    def test_it_resolves_local_refs_with_id(self):
+        schema = {"id": "/bar/schema#", "a": {"foo": "bar"}}
+        resolver = RefResolver.from_schema(schema)
+        with resolver.resolving("#/a") as resolved:
+            self.assertEqual(resolved, schema["a"])
+        with resolver.resolving("/bar/schema#/a") as resolved:
+            self.assertEqual(resolved, schema["a"])
+
     def test_it_retrieves_stored_refs(self):
         with self.resolver.resolving(self.stored_uri) as resolved:
             self.assertIs(resolved, self.stored_schema)
@@ -893,13 +901,23 @@ def test_it_can_construct_a_base_uri_from_a_schema(self):
         schema = {"id" : "foo"}
         resolver = RefResolver.from_schema(schema)
         self.assertEqual(resolver.base_uri, "foo")
-        self.assertEqual(resolver.referrer, schema)
+        with resolver.resolving("") as resolved:
+            self.assertEqual(resolved, schema)
+        with resolver.resolving("#") as resolved:
+            self.assertEqual(resolved, schema)
+        with resolver.resolving("foo") as resolved:
+            self.assertEqual(resolved, schema)
+        with resolver.resolving("foo#") as resolved:
+            self.assertEqual(resolved, schema)
 
     def test_it_can_construct_a_base_uri_from_a_schema_without_id(self):
         schema = {}
         resolver = RefResolver.from_schema(schema)
         self.assertEqual(resolver.base_uri, "")
-        self.assertEqual(resolver.referrer, schema)
+        with resolver.resolving("") as resolved:
+            self.assertEqual(resolved, schema)
+        with resolver.resolving("#") as resolved:
+            self.assertEqual(resolved, schema)
 
     def test_custom_uri_scheme_handlers(self):
         schema = {"foo": "bar"}