diff --git a/internal/flatten/replace/replace.go b/internal/flatten/replace/replace.go
index 93677f9..dd9efcb 100644
--- a/internal/flatten/replace/replace.go
+++ b/internal/flatten/replace/replace.go
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ func UpdateRef(sp interface{}, key string, ref spec.Ref) error {
 		debugLog("rewriting holder for %T", refable)
 		_, entry, pvalue, erp := getParentFromKey(sp, key)
 		if erp != nil {
-			return err
+			return erp
 		}
 		switch container := pvalue.(type) {
 		case spec.Definitions:
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ func UpdateRefWithSchema(sp *spec.Swagger, key string, sch *spec.Schema) error {
 	case spec.Schema:
 		_, entry, pvalue, erp := getParentFromKey(sp, key)
 		if erp != nil {
-			return err
+			return erp
 		}
 		switch container := pvalue.(type) {
 		case spec.Definitions: