diff --git a/__tests__/__snapshots__/index.test.ts.snap b/__tests__/__snapshots__/index.test.ts.snap
index a0f20ffbf..18d23afde 100644
--- a/__tests__/__snapshots__/index.test.ts.snap
+++ b/__tests__/__snapshots__/index.test.ts.snap
@@ -39,7 +39,8 @@ Options
 
 Related commands
 
-  $ rdme openapi:convert    Convert a Swagger or Postman Collection to OpenAPI. 
+  $ rdme openapi:convert    Convert an API definition to OpenAPI and bundle any 
+                            external references.                                
   $ rdme openapi:inspect    Analyze an OpenAPI/Swagger definition for various   
                             OpenAPI and ReadMe feature usage.                   
   $ rdme openapi:reduce     Reduce an OpenAPI definition into a smaller subset. 
@@ -86,7 +87,8 @@ Options
 
 Related commands
 
-  $ rdme openapi:convert    Convert a Swagger or Postman Collection to OpenAPI. 
+  $ rdme openapi:convert    Convert an API definition to OpenAPI and bundle any 
+                            external references.                                
   $ rdme openapi:inspect    Analyze an OpenAPI/Swagger definition for various   
                             OpenAPI and ReadMe feature usage.                   
   $ rdme openapi:reduce     Reduce an OpenAPI definition into a smaller subset. 
@@ -133,7 +135,8 @@ Options
 
 Related commands
 
-  $ rdme openapi:convert    Convert a Swagger or Postman Collection to OpenAPI. 
+  $ rdme openapi:convert    Convert an API definition to OpenAPI and bundle any 
+                            external references.                                
   $ rdme openapi:inspect    Analyze an OpenAPI/Swagger definition for various   
                             OpenAPI and ReadMe feature usage.                   
   $ rdme openapi:reduce     Reduce an OpenAPI definition into a smaller subset. 
diff --git a/__tests__/cmds/openapi/convert.test.ts b/__tests__/cmds/openapi/convert.test.ts
index 6ec768720..dd1cf692b 100644
--- a/__tests__/cmds/openapi/convert.test.ts
+++ b/__tests__/cmds/openapi/convert.test.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import OpenAPIConvertCommand from '../../../src/cmds/openapi/convert.js';
 
 const convert = new OpenAPIConvertCommand();
 
-const successfulConversion = () => 'Your converted API definition has been saved to output.json!';
+const successfulConversion = () => 'Your API definition has been converted and bundled and saved to output.json!';
 
 describe('rdme openapi:convert', () => {
   describe('converting', () => {
@@ -41,13 +41,45 @@ describe('rdme openapi:convert', () => {
     it.each([['json'], ['yaml']])('should fail if given an OpenAPI 3.0 definition (format: %s)', async format => {
       const spec = require.resolve(`@readme/oas-examples/3.0/${format}/petstore.${format}`);
 
+      const consoleWarnSpy = vi.spyOn(console, 'warn').mockImplementation(() => {});
+
+      let reducedSpec;
+      fs.writeFileSync = vi.fn((fileName, data) => {
+        reducedSpec = JSON.parse(data as string);
+      });
+
+      prompts.inject(['output.json']);
+
       await expect(
         convert.run({
           spec,
         }),
-      ).rejects.toStrictEqual(
-        new Error("Sorry, this API definition is already an OpenAPI definition and doesn't need to be converted."),
+      ).resolves.toBe(successfulConversion());
+
+      expect(fs.writeFileSync).toHaveBeenCalledWith('output.json', expect.any(String));
+      expect(reducedSpec.tags).toHaveLength(3);
+      expect(Object.keys(reducedSpec.paths)).toStrictEqual([
+        '/pet',
+        '/pet/findByStatus',
+        '/pet/findByTags',
+        '/pet/{petId}',
+        '/pet/{petId}/uploadImage',
+        '/store/inventory',
+        '/store/order',
+        '/store/order/{orderId}',
+        '/user',
+        '/user/createWithArray',
+        '/user/createWithList',
+        '/user/login',
+        '/user/logout',
+        '/user/{username}',
+      ]);
+      expect(Object.keys(reducedSpec.paths['/pet/{petId}'])).toStrictEqual(['get', 'post', 'delete']);
+      expect(consoleWarnSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        '⚠️  Warning! The input file is already OpenAPI, so no conversion is necessary. Any external references will be bundled.',
       );
+
+      consoleWarnSpy.mockRestore();
     });
   });
 });
diff --git a/__tests__/lib/__snapshots__/commands.test.ts.snap b/__tests__/lib/__snapshots__/commands.test.ts.snap
index 4846239fd..769abe424 100644
--- a/__tests__/lib/__snapshots__/commands.test.ts.snap
+++ b/__tests__/lib/__snapshots__/commands.test.ts.snap
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ exports[`utils > #listByCategory > should list commands by category 1`] = `
         "name": "openapi",
       },
       {
-        "description": "Convert a Swagger or Postman Collection to OpenAPI.",
+        "description": "Convert an API definition to OpenAPI and bundle any external references.",
         "hidden": false,
         "name": "openapi:convert",
       },
diff --git a/__tests__/single-threaded/openapi/convert.test.ts b/__tests__/single-threaded/openapi/convert.test.ts
index 9d0c2f266..89f042293 100644
--- a/__tests__/single-threaded/openapi/convert.test.ts
+++ b/__tests__/single-threaded/openapi/convert.test.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import OpenAPIConvertCommand from '../../../src/cmds/openapi/convert.js';
 
 const convert = new OpenAPIConvertCommand();
 
-const successfulConversion = () => 'Your converted API definition has been saved to output.json!';
+const successfulConversion = () => 'Your API definition has been converted and bundled and saved to output.json!';
 
 describe('rdme openapi:convert (single-threaded)', () => {
   let testWorkingDir: string;
diff --git a/src/cmds/openapi/convert.ts b/src/cmds/openapi/convert.ts
index 1dfb3f6d3..b834afcd0 100644
--- a/src/cmds/openapi/convert.ts
+++ b/src/cmds/openapi/convert.ts
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ export default class OpenAPIConvertCommand extends Command {
 
     this.command = 'openapi:convert';
     this.usage = 'openapi:convert [file|url] [options]';
-    this.description = 'Convert a Swagger or Postman Collection to OpenAPI.';
+    this.description = 'Convert an API definition to OpenAPI and bundle any external references.';
     this.cmdCategory = CommandCategories.APIS;
 
     this.hiddenArgs = ['spec'];
@@ -58,7 +58,9 @@ export default class OpenAPIConvertCommand extends Command {
     const parsedPreparedSpec: OASDocument = JSON.parse(preparedSpec);
 
     if (specType === 'OpenAPI') {
-      throw new Error("Sorry, this API definition is already an OpenAPI definition and doesn't need to be converted.");
+      Command.warn(
+        'The input file is already OpenAPI, so no conversion is necessary. Any external references will be bundled.',
+      );
     }
 
     prompts.override({
@@ -69,7 +71,7 @@ export default class OpenAPIConvertCommand extends Command {
       {
         type: 'text',
         name: 'outputPath',
-        message: 'Enter the path to save your converted API definition to:',
+        message: 'Enter the path to save your converted/bundled API definition to:',
         initial: () => {
           const extension = path.extname(specPath);
           return `${path.basename(specPath).split(extension)[0]}.openapi${extension}`;
@@ -78,12 +80,14 @@ export default class OpenAPIConvertCommand extends Command {
       },
     ]);
 
-    Command.debug(`saving converted spec to ${promptResults.outputPath}`);
+    Command.debug(`saving converted/bundled spec to ${promptResults.outputPath}`);
 
     fs.writeFileSync(promptResults.outputPath, JSON.stringify(parsedPreparedSpec, null, 2));
 
-    Command.debug('converted spec saved');
+    Command.debug('converted/bundled spec saved');
 
-    return Promise.resolve(chalk.green(`Your converted API definition has been saved to ${promptResults.outputPath}!`));
+    return Promise.resolve(
+      chalk.green(`Your API definition has been converted and bundled and saved to ${promptResults.outputPath}!`),
+    );
   }
 }