diff --git a/encoding/openapi/build.go b/encoding/openapi/build.go
index 252dfc736..c35846282 100644
--- a/encoding/openapi/build.go
+++ b/encoding/openapi/build.go
@@ -378,7 +378,7 @@ func (b *builder) value(v cue.Value, f typeFunc) (isRef bool) {
 			default:
 				a := appendSplit(nil, cue.OrOp, v)
 				for i, v := range a {
-					if _, r := v.Reference(); len(r) == 0 {
+					if _, r := v.ReferencePath(); len(r.Selectors()) == 0 {
 						a[i] = v.Eval()
 					}
 				}
@@ -750,7 +750,7 @@ func (b *builder) object(v cue.Value) {
 		b.setSingle("properties", (*ast.StructLit)(properties), false)
 	}
 
-	if t, ok := v.Elem(); ok &&
+	if t := v.LookupPath(cue.MakePath(cue.AnyString)); t.Exists() &&
 		(b.core == nil || b.core.items == nil) && b.checkCycle(t) {
 		schema := b.schema(nil, cue.AnyString, t)
 		if len(schema.Elts) > 0 {
@@ -852,7 +852,7 @@ func (b *builder) array(v cue.Value) {
 	}
 
 	if !hasMax || int64(len(items)) < maxLength {
-		if typ, ok := v.Elem(); ok && b.checkCycle(typ) {
+		if typ := v.LookupPath(cue.MakePath(cue.AnyIndex)); typ.Exists() && b.checkCycle(typ) {
 			var core *builder
 			if b.core != nil {
 				core = b.core.items
diff --git a/encoding/openapi/crd.go b/encoding/openapi/crd.go
index 79826d177..9c9e2634f 100644
--- a/encoding/openapi/crd.go
+++ b/encoding/openapi/crd.go
@@ -113,8 +113,8 @@ func (b *builder) buildCore(v cue.Value) {
 	defer b.popNode()
 
 	if !b.ctx.expandRefs {
-		_, r := v.Reference()
-		if len(r) > 0 {
+		_, r := v.ReferencePath()
+		if len(r.Selectors()) > 0 {
 			return
 		}
 	}
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ func (b *builder) buildCore(v cue.Value) {
 
 		switch b.kind {
 		case cue.StructKind:
-			if typ, ok := v.Elem(); ok {
+			if typ := v.LookupPath(cue.MakePath(cue.AnyString)); typ.Exists() {
 				if !b.checkCycle(typ) {
 					return
 				}
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ func (b *builder) buildCore(v cue.Value) {
 			b.buildCoreStruct(v)
 
 		case cue.ListKind:
-			if typ, ok := v.Elem(); ok {
+			if typ := v.LookupPath(cue.MakePath(cue.AnyIndex)); typ.Exists() {
 				if !b.checkCycle(typ) {
 					return
 				}