diff --git a/__tests__/__fixtures__/relative-ref-oas/components/external-components.json b/__tests__/__fixtures__/relative-ref-oas/components/external-components.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0a87758ce
--- /dev/null
+++ b/__tests__/__fixtures__/relative-ref-oas/components/external-components.json
@@ -0,0 +1,179 @@
+{
+  "requestBodies": {
+    "Pet": {
+      "content": {
+        "application/json": {
+          "schema": {
+            "$ref": "#/schemas/Pet"
+          }
+        },
+        "application/xml": {
+          "schema": {
+            "$ref": "#/schemas/Pet"
+          }
+        }
+      },
+      "description": "Pet object that needs to be added to the store",
+      "required": true
+    }
+  },
+  "schemas": {
+    "Order": {
+      "type": "object",
+      "properties": {
+        "id": {
+          "type": "integer",
+          "format": "int64"
+        },
+        "petId": {
+          "type": "integer",
+          "format": "int64"
+        },
+        "quantity": {
+          "type": "integer",
+          "format": "int32"
+        },
+        "shipDate": {
+          "type": "string",
+          "format": "date-time"
+        },
+        "status": {
+          "type": "string",
+          "description": "Order Status",
+          "enum": [
+            "placed",
+            "approved",
+            "delivered"
+          ]
+        },
+        "complete": {
+          "type": "boolean",
+          "default": false
+        }
+      },
+      "xml": {
+        "name": "Order"
+      }
+    },
+    "Category": {
+      "type": "object",
+      "properties": {
+        "id": {
+          "type": "integer",
+          "format": "int64"
+        },
+        "name": {
+          "type": "string"
+        }
+      },
+      "xml": {
+        "name": "Category"
+      }
+    },
+    "User": {
+      "type": "object",
+      "properties": {
+        "id": {
+          "type": "integer",
+          "format": "int64"
+        },
+        "username": {
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        "firstName": {
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        "lastName": {
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        "email": {
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        "password": {
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        "phone": {
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        "userStatus": {
+          "type": "integer",
+          "format": "int32",
+          "description": "User Status"
+        }
+      },
+      "xml": {
+        "name": "User"
+      }
+    },
+    "Tag": {
+      "type": "object",
+      "properties": {
+        "id": {
+          "type": "integer",
+          "format": "int64"
+        },
+        "name": {
+          "type": "string"
+        }
+      },
+      "xml": {
+        "name": "Tag"
+      }
+    },
+    "Pet": {
+      "type": "object",
+      "required": [
+        "name",
+        "photoUrls"
+      ],
+      "properties": {
+        "id": {
+          "type": "integer",
+          "format": "int64",
+          "default": 40,
+          "example": 25
+        },
+        "category": {
+          "$ref": "#/schemas/Category"
+        },
+        "name": {
+          "type": "string",
+          "example": "doggie"
+        },
+        "photoUrls": {
+          "type": "array",
+          "xml": {
+            "name": "photoUrl",
+            "wrapped": true
+          },
+          "items": {
+            "type": "string",
+            "example": "https://example.com/photo.png"
+          }
+        },
+        "tags": {
+          "type": "array",
+          "xml": {
+            "name": "tag",
+            "wrapped": true
+          },
+          "items": {
+            "$ref": "#/schemas/Tag"
+          }
+        },
+        "status": {
+          "type": "string",
+          "description": "pet status in the store",
+          "enum": [
+            "available",
+            "pending",
+            "sold"
+          ]
+        }
+      },
+      "xml": {
+        "name": "Pet"
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/__tests__/__fixtures__/relative-ref-oas/petstore.json b/__tests__/__fixtures__/relative-ref-oas/petstore.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a060f83f6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/__tests__/__fixtures__/relative-ref-oas/petstore.json
@@ -0,0 +1,132 @@
+{
+  "openapi": "3.0.0",
+  "info": {
+    "version": "1.0.0",
+    "title": "Example petstore to demo our handling of external $ref pointers"
+  },
+  "servers": [
+    {
+      "url": "http://petstore.swagger.io/v2"
+    }
+  ],
+  "paths": {
+    "/pet": {
+      "post": {
+        "tags": ["pet"],
+        "summary": "Add a new pet to the store",
+        "description": "",
+        "operationId": "addPet",
+        "requestBody": {
+          "$ref": "components/external-components.json#/requestBodies/Pet"
+        },
+        "responses": {
+          "405": {
+            "description": "Invalid input"
+          }
+        },
+        "security": [
+          {
+            "petstore_auth": ["write:pets", "read:pets"]
+          }
+        ]
+      },
+      "put": {
+        "tags": ["pet"],
+        "summary": "Update an existing pet",
+        "description": "",
+        "operationId": "updatePet",
+        "requestBody": {
+          "$ref": "components/external-components.json#/requestBodies/Pet"
+        },
+        "responses": {
+          "400": {
+            "description": "Invalid ID supplied"
+          },
+          "404": {
+            "description": "Pet not found"
+          },
+          "405": {
+            "description": "Validation exception"
+          }
+        },
+        "security": [
+          {
+            "petstore_auth": ["write:pets", "read:pets"]
+          }
+        ]
+      }
+    },
+    "/pet/{petId}": {
+      "get": {
+        "tags": ["pet"],
+        "summary": "Find pet by ID",
+        "description": "Returns a single pet",
+        "operationId": "getPetById",
+        "parameters": [
+          {
+            "name": "petId",
+            "in": "path",
+            "description": "ID of pet to return",
+            "required": true,
+            "schema": {
+              "type": "integer",
+              "format": "int64"
+            }
+          }
+        ],
+        "responses": {
+          "200": {
+            "description": "successful operation",
+            "content": {
+              "application/xml": {
+                "schema": {
+                  "$ref": "components/external-components.json#/schemas/Pet"
+                }
+              },
+              "application/json": {
+                "schema": {
+                  "$ref": "components/external-components.json#/schemas/Pet"
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          },
+          "400": {
+            "description": "Invalid ID supplied"
+          },
+          "404": {
+            "description": "Pet not found"
+          },
+          "default": {
+            "description": "successful response"
+          }
+        },
+        "security": [
+          {
+            "api_key": []
+          }
+        ]
+      }
+    }
+  },
+  "components": {
+    "securitySchemes": {
+      "petstore_auth": {
+        "type": "oauth2",
+        "flows": {
+          "implicit": {
+            "authorizationUrl": "http://petstore.swagger.io/oauth/dialog",
+            "scopes": {
+              "write:pets": "modify pets in your account",
+              "read:pets": "read your pets"
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      },
+      "api_key": {
+        "type": "apiKey",
+        "name": "api_key",
+        "in": "header"
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/__tests__/__snapshots__/index.test.js.snap b/__tests__/__snapshots__/index.test.js.snap
index 6422ad648..cde9d198f 100644
--- a/__tests__/__snapshots__/index.test.js.snap
+++ b/__tests__/__snapshots__/index.test.js.snap
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ Options
   --id string        Unique identifier for your API definition. Use this if you're re-uploading an 
                      existing API definition                                                       
   --version string   Project version                                                               
+  --workdir string   Directory as working directory                                                
   -h, --help         Display this usage guide                                                      
 
 Related commands
@@ -183,6 +184,7 @@ Options
   --id string        Unique identifier for your API definition. Use this if you're re-uploading an 
                      existing API definition                                                       
   --version string   Project version                                                               
+  --workdir string   Directory as working directory                                                
   -h, --help         Display this usage guide                                                      
 
 Related commands
@@ -206,6 +208,7 @@ Options
   --id string        Unique identifier for your API definition. Use this if you're re-uploading an 
                      existing API definition                                                       
   --version string   Project version                                                               
+  --workdir string   Directory as working directory                                                
   -h, --help         Display this usage guide                                                      
 
 Related commands
diff --git a/__tests__/cmds/__snapshots__/openapi.test.js.snap b/__tests__/cmds/__snapshots__/openapi.test.js.snap
index 2cdff9232..2f7ebc6ac 100644
--- a/__tests__/cmds/__snapshots__/openapi.test.js.snap
+++ b/__tests__/cmds/__snapshots__/openapi.test.js.snap
@@ -249,3 +249,239 @@ Object {
   ],
 }
 `;
+
+exports[`rdme openapi should use specified workdir and upload the expected content 1`] = `
+Object {
+  "components": Object {
+    "securitySchemes": Object {
+      "api_key": Object {
+        "in": "header",
+        "name": "api_key",
+        "type": "apiKey",
+      },
+      "petstore_auth": Object {
+        "flows": Object {
+          "implicit": Object {
+            "authorizationUrl": "http://petstore.swagger.io/oauth/dialog",
+            "scopes": Object {
+              "read:pets": "read your pets",
+              "write:pets": "modify pets in your account",
+            },
+          },
+        },
+        "type": "oauth2",
+      },
+    },
+  },
+  "info": Object {
+    "title": "Example petstore to demo our handling of external $ref pointers",
+    "version": "1.0.0",
+  },
+  "openapi": "3.0.0",
+  "paths": Object {
+    "/pet": Object {
+      "post": Object {
+        "description": "",
+        "operationId": "addPet",
+        "requestBody": Object {
+          "$ref": "#/paths/~1pet/put/requestBody",
+        },
+        "responses": Object {
+          "405": Object {
+            "description": "Invalid input",
+          },
+        },
+        "security": Array [
+          Object {
+            "petstore_auth": Array [
+              "write:pets",
+              "read:pets",
+            ],
+          },
+        ],
+        "summary": "Add a new pet to the store",
+        "tags": Array [
+          "pet",
+        ],
+      },
+      "put": Object {
+        "description": "",
+        "operationId": "updatePet",
+        "requestBody": Object {
+          "content": Object {
+            "application/json": Object {
+              "schema": Object {
+                "$ref": "#/paths/~1pet~1%7BpetId%7D/get/responses/200/content/application~1xml/schema",
+              },
+            },
+            "application/xml": Object {
+              "schema": Object {
+                "$ref": "#/paths/~1pet~1%7BpetId%7D/get/responses/200/content/application~1xml/schema",
+              },
+            },
+          },
+          "description": "Pet object that needs to be added to the store",
+          "required": true,
+        },
+        "responses": Object {
+          "400": Object {
+            "description": "Invalid ID supplied",
+          },
+          "404": Object {
+            "description": "Pet not found",
+          },
+          "405": Object {
+            "description": "Validation exception",
+          },
+        },
+        "security": Array [
+          Object {
+            "petstore_auth": Array [
+              "write:pets",
+              "read:pets",
+            ],
+          },
+        ],
+        "summary": "Update an existing pet",
+        "tags": Array [
+          "pet",
+        ],
+      },
+    },
+    "/pet/{petId}": Object {
+      "get": Object {
+        "description": "Returns a single pet",
+        "operationId": "getPetById",
+        "parameters": Array [
+          Object {
+            "description": "ID of pet to return",
+            "in": "path",
+            "name": "petId",
+            "required": true,
+            "schema": Object {
+              "format": "int64",
+              "type": "integer",
+            },
+          },
+        ],
+        "responses": Object {
+          "200": Object {
+            "content": Object {
+              "application/json": Object {
+                "schema": Object {
+                  "$ref": "#/paths/~1pet~1%7BpetId%7D/get/responses/200/content/application~1xml/schema",
+                },
+              },
+              "application/xml": Object {
+                "schema": Object {
+                  "properties": Object {
+                    "category": Object {
+                      "properties": Object {
+                        "id": Object {
+                          "format": "int64",
+                          "type": "integer",
+                        },
+                        "name": Object {
+                          "type": "string",
+                        },
+                      },
+                      "type": "object",
+                      "xml": Object {
+                        "name": "Category",
+                      },
+                    },
+                    "id": Object {
+                      "default": 40,
+                      "example": 25,
+                      "format": "int64",
+                      "type": "integer",
+                    },
+                    "name": Object {
+                      "example": "doggie",
+                      "type": "string",
+                    },
+                    "photoUrls": Object {
+                      "items": Object {
+                        "example": "https://example.com/photo.png",
+                        "type": "string",
+                      },
+                      "type": "array",
+                      "xml": Object {
+                        "name": "photoUrl",
+                        "wrapped": true,
+                      },
+                    },
+                    "status": Object {
+                      "description": "pet status in the store",
+                      "enum": Array [
+                        "available",
+                        "pending",
+                        "sold",
+                      ],
+                      "type": "string",
+                    },
+                    "tags": Object {
+                      "items": Object {
+                        "properties": Object {
+                          "id": Object {
+                            "format": "int64",
+                            "type": "integer",
+                          },
+                          "name": Object {
+                            "type": "string",
+                          },
+                        },
+                        "type": "object",
+                        "xml": Object {
+                          "name": "Tag",
+                        },
+                      },
+                      "type": "array",
+                      "xml": Object {
+                        "name": "tag",
+                        "wrapped": true,
+                      },
+                    },
+                  },
+                  "required": Array [
+                    "name",
+                    "photoUrls",
+                  ],
+                  "type": "object",
+                  "xml": Object {
+                    "name": "Pet",
+                  },
+                },
+              },
+            },
+            "description": "successful operation",
+          },
+          "400": Object {
+            "description": "Invalid ID supplied",
+          },
+          "404": Object {
+            "description": "Pet not found",
+          },
+          "default": Object {
+            "description": "successful response",
+          },
+        },
+        "security": Array [
+          Object {
+            "api_key": Array [],
+          },
+        ],
+        "summary": "Find pet by ID",
+        "tags": Array [
+          "pet",
+        ],
+      },
+    },
+  },
+  "servers": Array [
+    Object {
+      "url": "http://petstore.swagger.io/v2",
+    },
+  ],
+}
+`;
diff --git a/__tests__/cmds/openapi.test.js b/__tests__/cmds/openapi.test.js
index 37c70ebe7..b959d9951 100644
--- a/__tests__/cmds/openapi.test.js
+++ b/__tests__/cmds/openapi.test.js
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ const successfulUpdate = [
   ...successfulMessageBase,
 ].join('\n');
 
+const testWorkingDir = process.cwd();
+
 jest.mock('../../src/lib/prompts');
 
 const getCommandOutput = () => {
@@ -52,6 +54,8 @@ describe('rdme openapi', () => {
     console.warn.mockRestore();
 
     nock.cleanAll();
+
+    process.chdir(testWorkingDir);
   });
 
   describe('upload', () => {
@@ -282,6 +286,40 @@ describe('rdme openapi', () => {
     return mock.done();
   });
 
+  it('should use specified workdir and upload the expected content', async () => {
+    let requestBody = null;
+    const mock = getApiNock()
+      .get('/api/v1/api-specification')
+      .basicAuth({ user: key })
+      .reply(200, [])
+      .get(`/api/v1/version/${version}`)
+      .basicAuth({ user: key })
+      .reply(200, { version: '1.0.0' })
+      .post('/api/v1/api-specification', body => {
+        requestBody = body.substring(body.indexOf('{'), body.lastIndexOf('}') + 1);
+        requestBody = JSON.parse(requestBody);
+
+        return body.match('form-data; name="spec"');
+      })
+      .basicAuth({ user: key })
+      .reply(201, { _id: 1 }, { location: exampleRefLocation });
+
+    await expect(
+      openapi.run({
+        spec: 'petstore.json',
+        key,
+        version,
+        workdir: './__tests__/__fixtures__/relative-ref-oas',
+      })
+    ).resolves.toBe(successfulUpload);
+
+    expect(console.info).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(0);
+
+    expect(requestBody).toMatchSnapshot();
+
+    return mock.done();
+  });
+
   describe('error handling', () => {
     it('should error if no api key provided', () => {
       return expect(
diff --git a/__tests__/cmds/validate.test.js b/__tests__/cmds/validate.test.js
index dfaa4cb0f..fc53bd6ed 100644
--- a/__tests__/cmds/validate.test.js
+++ b/__tests__/cmds/validate.test.js
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ const fs = require('fs');
 const chalk = require('chalk');
 const Command = require('../../src/cmds/validate');
 
+const testWorkingDir = process.cwd();
+
 const validate = new Command();
 
 const getCommandOutput = () => {
@@ -15,6 +17,8 @@ describe('rdme validate', () => {
 
   afterEach(() => {
     console.info.mockRestore();
+
+    process.chdir(testWorkingDir);
   });
 
   it.each([
@@ -51,6 +55,15 @@ describe('rdme validate', () => {
     fs.unlinkSync('./swagger.json');
   });
 
+  it('should use specified workdir', async () => {
+    await expect(
+      validate.run({
+        spec: 'petstore.json',
+        workdir: './__tests__/__fixtures__/relative-ref-oas',
+      })
+    ).resolves.toBe(chalk.green('petstore.json is a valid OpenAPI API definition!'));
+  });
+
   describe('error handling', () => {
     it('should throw an error if an invalid OpenAPI 3.0 definition is supplied', () => {
       return expect(validate.run({ spec: './__tests__/__fixtures__/invalid-oas.json' })).rejects.toThrow(
diff --git a/src/cmds/openapi.js b/src/cmds/openapi.js
index 91352f764..a63cd8375 100644
--- a/src/cmds/openapi.js
+++ b/src/cmds/openapi.js
@@ -48,11 +48,16 @@ module.exports = class OpenAPICommand {
         type: String,
         defaultOption: true,
       },
+      {
+        name: 'workdir',
+        type: String,
+        description: 'Directory as working directory',
+      },
     ];
   }
 
   async run(opts) {
-    const { spec, version } = opts;
+    const { spec, version, workdir } = opts;
     let { key, id } = opts;
     let selectedVersion;
     let isUpdate;
@@ -60,6 +65,10 @@ module.exports = class OpenAPICommand {
     debug(`command: ${this.command}`);
     debug(`opts: ${JSON.stringify(opts)}`);
 
+    if (workdir) {
+      process.chdir(workdir);
+    }
+
     if (!key && opts.token) {
       console.warn(
         chalk.yellow('⚠️  Warning! The `--token` option has been deprecated. Please use `--key` and `--id` instead.')
diff --git a/src/cmds/validate.js b/src/cmds/validate.js
index 74e900744..3ee22d2a5 100644
--- a/src/cmds/validate.js
+++ b/src/cmds/validate.js
@@ -18,11 +18,20 @@ module.exports = class ValidateCommand {
         type: String,
         defaultOption: true,
       },
+      {
+        name: 'workdir',
+        type: String,
+        description: 'Directory as working directory',
+      },
     ];
   }
 
   async run(opts) {
-    const { spec } = opts;
+    const { spec, workdir } = opts;
+
+    if (workdir) {
+      process.chdir(workdir);
+    }
 
     debug(`command: ${this.command}`);
     debug(`opts: ${JSON.stringify(opts)}`);