diff --git a/apisprout.go b/apisprout.go
index 44fc633..ac60488 100644
--- a/apisprout.go
+++ b/apisprout.go
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ var (
 
 type RefreshableRouter struct {
 	router *openapi3filter.Router
+	uri    string
 }
 
 func (rr *RefreshableRouter) Set(router *openapi3filter.Router) {
@@ -167,10 +168,34 @@ func addParameter(flags *pflag.FlagSet, name, short string, def interface{}, des
 	viper.BindPFlag(name, flags.Lookup(name))
 }
 
+func getTypedExampleValue(rr *RefreshableRouter, example *openapi3.ExampleRef) (interface{}, error) {
+
+	if example == nil || example.Value == nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("nil example")
+	}
+
+	if example.Value.ExternalValue != "" {
+		if strings.HasPrefix(example.Value.ExternalValue, "http") {
+			resp, err := http.Get(example.Value.ExternalValue)
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, err
+			}
+			//noinspection GoUnhandledErrorResult
+			defer resp.Body.Close()
+			return ioutil.ReadAll(resp.Body)
+		} else if !strings.HasPrefix(rr.uri, "http") {
+			return ioutil.ReadFile(filepath.Join(filepath.Dir(rr.uri), example.Value.ExternalValue))
+		}
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("external value %q not supported for uri %q", example.Value.ExternalValue, rr.uri)
+	}
+
+	return example.Value.Value, nil
+}
+
 // getTypedExample will return an example from a given media type, if such an
 // example exists. If multiple examples are given, then one is selected at
 // random unless an "example" item exists in the Prefer header
-func getTypedExample(mt *openapi3.MediaType, prefer map[string]string) (interface{}, error) {
+func getTypedExample(rr *RefreshableRouter, mt *openapi3.MediaType, prefer map[string]string) (interface{}, error) {
 	if mt.Example != nil {
 		return mt.Example, nil
 	}
@@ -181,7 +206,7 @@ func getTypedExample(mt *openapi3.MediaType, prefer map[string]string) (interfac
 		if mapContainsKey(prefer, "example") {
 			preferredExample = prefer["example"]
 			if _, ok := mt.Examples[preferredExample]; ok {
-				return mt.Examples[preferredExample].Value.Value, nil
+				return getTypedExampleValue(rr, mt.Examples[preferredExample])
 			}
 		}
 
@@ -193,7 +218,7 @@ func getTypedExample(mt *openapi3.MediaType, prefer map[string]string) (interfac
 
 		if len(keys) > 0 {
 			selected := keys[rand.Intn(len(keys))]
-			return mt.Examples[selected].Value.Value, nil
+			return getTypedExampleValue(rr, mt.Examples[selected])
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -207,7 +232,7 @@ func getTypedExample(mt *openapi3.MediaType, prefer map[string]string) (interfac
 
 // getExample tries to return an example for a given operation.
 // Using the Prefer http header, the consumer can specify the type of response they want.
-func getExample(negotiator *ContentNegotiator, prefer map[string]string, op *openapi3.Operation) (int, string, map[string]*openapi3.HeaderRef, interface{}, error) {
+func getExample(rr *RefreshableRouter, negotiator *ContentNegotiator, prefer map[string]string, op *openapi3.Operation) (int, string, map[string]*openapi3.HeaderRef, interface{}, error) {
 	var responses []string
 	var blankHeaders = make(map[string]*openapi3.HeaderRef)
 
@@ -257,7 +282,7 @@ func getExample(negotiator *ContentNegotiator, prefer map[string]string, op *ope
 				continue
 			}
 
-			example, err := getTypedExample(content, prefer)
+			example, err := getTypedExample(rr, content, prefer)
 			if err == nil {
 				return status, mt, response.Value.Headers, example, nil
 			}
@@ -532,7 +557,7 @@ var handler = func(rr *RefreshableRouter) http.Handler {
 
 		prefer := parsePreferHeader(req.Header.Get("Prefer"))
 
-		status, mediatype, headers, example, err := getExample(negotiator, prefer, route.Operation)
+		status, mediatype, headers, example, err := getExample(rr, negotiator, prefer, route.Operation)
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Printf("%s => Missing example", info)
 			w.WriteHeader(http.StatusTeapot)
@@ -604,6 +629,7 @@ func server(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 	rr := NewRefreshableRouter()
 
 	uri := args[0]
+	rr.uri = uri
 
 	var err error
 	var data []byte