diff --git a/src/Microsoft.OpenApi/Models/References/OpenApiSchemaReference.cs b/src/Microsoft.OpenApi/Models/References/OpenApiSchemaReference.cs
index ad8f5e88e..adb3a5162 100644
--- a/src/Microsoft.OpenApi/Models/References/OpenApiSchemaReference.cs
+++ b/src/Microsoft.OpenApi/Models/References/OpenApiSchemaReference.cs
@@ -14,28 +14,68 @@ namespace Microsoft.OpenApi.Models.References
     /// </summary>
     public class OpenApiSchemaReference : OpenApiSchema
     {
-        internal OpenApiSchema _target;
+        #nullable enable
+        private OpenApiSchema? _target;
         private readonly OpenApiReference _reference;
-        private string _description;
-        private JsonNode _default;
-        private JsonNode _example;
-        private IList<JsonNode> _examples;
+        private string? _description;
+        private JsonNode? _default;
+        private JsonNode? _example;
+        private IList<JsonNode>? _examples;
+        private bool? _nullable;
+        private IDictionary<string, OpenApiSchema>? _properties;
+        private string? _title;
+        private string? _schema;
+        private string? _comment;
+        private string? _id;
+        private string? _dynamicRef;
+        private string? _dynamicAnchor;
+        private IDictionary<string, bool>? _vocabulary;
+        private IDictionary<string, OpenApiSchema>? _definitions;
+        private decimal? _v31ExclusiveMaximum;
+        private decimal? _v31ExclusiveMinimum;
+        private bool? _unEvaluatedProperties;
+        private JsonSchemaType? _type;
+        private string? _const;
+        private string? _format;
+        private decimal? _maximum;
+        private bool? _exclusiveMaximum;
+        private decimal? _minimum;
+        private bool? _exclusiveMinimum;
+        private int? _maxLength;
+        private int? _minLength;
+        private string? _pattern;
+        private decimal? _multipleOf;
+        private bool? _readOnly;
+        private bool? _writeOnly;
+        private IList<OpenApiSchema>? _allOf;
+        private IList<OpenApiSchema>? _oneOf;
+        private IList<OpenApiSchema>? _anyOf;
+        private OpenApiSchema? _not;
+        private ISet<string>? _required;
+        private OpenApiSchema _items;
+        private int? _maxItems;
+        private int? _minItems;
+        private bool? _uniqueItems;
+        private IDictionary<string, OpenApiSchema>? _patternProperties;
+        private int? _maxProperties;
+        private int? _minProperties;
+        private bool? _additionalPropertiesAllowed;
+        private OpenApiSchema? _additionalProperties;
+        private OpenApiDiscriminator? _discriminator;
+        private OpenApiExternalDocs? _externalDocs;
+        private bool? _deprecated;
+        private OpenApiXml? _xml;
+        private IDictionary<string, IOpenApiExtension>? _extensions;
+        private bool? _unevaluatedProperties;
+        private IList<JsonNode>? _enum;
 
-        #nullable enable
-        private OpenApiSchema? _targetProxy;
+        private OpenApiSchema? Target
         #nullable restore
-
-        private OpenApiSchema Target
         {
             get
             {
                 _target ??= Reference.HostDocument?.ResolveReferenceTo<OpenApiSchema>(_reference);
-                if (_targetProxy is null)
-                {
-                    _targetProxy = new OpenApiSchema(_target);
-                    if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(_description)) _targetProxy.Description = _description;
-                }
-                return _targetProxy;
+                return _target;
             }
         }
 
@@ -76,33 +116,33 @@ internal OpenApiSchemaReference(OpenApiSchema target, string referenceId)
         }
 
         /// <inheritdoc/>
-        public override string Title { get => Target.Title; set => Target.Title = value; }
+        public override string Title { get => string.IsNullOrEmpty(_title) ? Target.Title : _title; set => _title = value; }
         /// <inheritdoc/>
-        public override string Schema { get => Target.Schema; set => Target.Schema = value; }
+        public override string Schema { get => string.IsNullOrEmpty(_schema) ? Target.Schema : _schema; set => _schema = value; }
         /// <inheritdoc/>
-        public override string Id { get => Target.Id; set => Target.Id = value; }
+        public override string Id { get => string.IsNullOrEmpty(_id) ? Target.Id : _id; set => _id = value; }
         /// <inheritdoc/>
-        public override string Comment { get => Target.Comment; set => Target.Comment = value; }
+        public override string Comment { get => string.IsNullOrEmpty(_comment) ? Target.Comment : _comment; set => _comment = value; }
         /// <inheritdoc/>
-        public override IDictionary<string, bool> Vocabulary { get => Target.Vocabulary; set => Target.Vocabulary = value; }
+        public override IDictionary<string, bool> Vocabulary { get => _vocabulary is not null ? _vocabulary : Target.Vocabulary; set => _vocabulary = value; }
         /// <inheritdoc/>
-        public override string DynamicRef { get => Target.DynamicRef; set => Target.DynamicRef = value; }
+        public override string DynamicRef { get => string.IsNullOrEmpty(_dynamicRef) ? Target.DynamicRef : _dynamicRef; set => _dynamicRef = value; }
         /// <inheritdoc/>
-        public override string DynamicAnchor { get => Target.DynamicAnchor; set => Target.DynamicAnchor = value; }
+        public override string DynamicAnchor { get => string.IsNullOrEmpty(_dynamicAnchor) ? Target.DynamicAnchor : _dynamicAnchor; set => _dynamicAnchor = value; }
         /// <inheritdoc/>
-        public override IDictionary<string, OpenApiSchema> Definitions { get => Target.Definitions; set => Target.Definitions = value; }
+        public override IDictionary<string, OpenApiSchema> Definitions { get => _definitions is not null ? _definitions : Target.Definitions; set => _definitions = value; }
         /// <inheritdoc/>
-        public override decimal? V31ExclusiveMaximum { get => Target.V31ExclusiveMaximum; set => Target.V31ExclusiveMaximum = value; }
+        public override decimal? V31ExclusiveMaximum { get => _v31ExclusiveMaximum is not null ? _v31ExclusiveMaximum.Value : Target.V31ExclusiveMaximum; set => _v31ExclusiveMaximum = value; }
         /// <inheritdoc/>
-        public override decimal? V31ExclusiveMinimum { get => Target.V31ExclusiveMinimum; set => Target.V31ExclusiveMinimum = value; }
+        public override decimal? V31ExclusiveMinimum { get => _v31ExclusiveMinimum is not null ? _v31ExclusiveMinimum.Value : Target.V31ExclusiveMinimum; set => _v31ExclusiveMinimum = value; }
         /// <inheritdoc/>
-        public override bool UnEvaluatedProperties { get => Target.UnEvaluatedProperties; set => Target.UnEvaluatedProperties = value; }
+        public override bool UnEvaluatedProperties { get => _unEvaluatedProperties is not null ? _unEvaluatedProperties.Value : Target.UnEvaluatedProperties; set => _unEvaluatedProperties = value; }
         /// <inheritdoc/>
-        public override JsonSchemaType? Type { get => Target.Type; set => Target.Type = value; }
+        public override JsonSchemaType? Type { get => _type is not null ? _type.Value : Target.Type; set => _type = value; }
         /// <inheritdoc/>
-        public override string Const { get => Target.Const; set => Target.Const = value; }
+        public override string Const { get => string.IsNullOrEmpty(_const) ? Target.Const : _const; set => _const = value; }
         /// <inheritdoc/>
-        public override string Format { get => Target.Format; set => Target.Format = value; }
+        public override string Format { get => string.IsNullOrEmpty(_format) ? Target.Format : _format; set => _format = value; }
         /// <inheritdoc/>
         public override string Description
         {
@@ -110,89 +150,89 @@ public override string Description
             set => _description = value;
         }
         /// <inheritdoc/>
-        public override decimal? Maximum { get => Target.Maximum; set => Target.Maximum = value; }
+        public override decimal? Maximum { get => _maximum is not null ? _maximum : Target.Maximum; set => _maximum = value; }
         /// <inheritdoc/>
-        public override bool? ExclusiveMaximum { get => Target.ExclusiveMaximum; set => Target.ExclusiveMaximum = value; }
+        public override bool? ExclusiveMaximum { get => _exclusiveMaximum is not null ? _exclusiveMaximum : Target.ExclusiveMaximum; set => _exclusiveMaximum = value; }
         /// <inheritdoc/>
-        public override decimal? Minimum { get => Target.Minimum; set => Target.Minimum = value; }
+        public override decimal? Minimum { get => _minimum is not null ? _minimum : Target.Minimum; set => _minimum = value; }
         /// <inheritdoc/>
-        public override bool? ExclusiveMinimum { get => Target.ExclusiveMinimum; set => Target.ExclusiveMinimum = value; }
+        public override bool? ExclusiveMinimum { get => _exclusiveMinimum is not null ? _exclusiveMinimum : Target.ExclusiveMinimum; set => _exclusiveMinimum = value; }
         /// <inheritdoc/>
-        public override int? MaxLength { get => Target.MaxLength; set => Target.MaxLength = value; }
+        public override int? MaxLength { get => _maxLength is not null ? _maxLength : Target.MaxLength; set => _maxLength = value; }
         /// <inheritdoc/>
-        public override int? MinLength { get => Target.MinLength; set => Target.MinLength = value; }
+        public override int? MinLength { get => _minLength is not null ? _minLength : Target.MinLength; set => _minLength = value; }
         /// <inheritdoc/>
-        public override string Pattern { get => Target.Pattern; set => Target.Pattern = value; }
+        public override string Pattern { get => string.IsNullOrEmpty(_pattern) ? Target.Pattern : _pattern; set => _pattern = value; }
         /// <inheritdoc/>
-        public override decimal? MultipleOf { get => Target.MultipleOf; set => Target.MultipleOf = value; }
+        public override decimal? MultipleOf { get => _multipleOf is not null ? _multipleOf : Target.MultipleOf; set => _multipleOf = value; }
         /// <inheritdoc/>
         public override JsonNode Default 
         { 
-            get => _default ??= Target.Default; 
+            get => _default ??= Target.Default; //TODO normalize like other properties
             set => _default = value; 
         }
         /// <inheritdoc/>
-        public override bool ReadOnly { get => Target.ReadOnly; set => Target.ReadOnly = value; }
+        public override bool ReadOnly { get => _readOnly is not null ? _readOnly.Value : Target.ReadOnly; set => _readOnly = value; }
         /// <inheritdoc/>
-        public override bool WriteOnly { get => Target.WriteOnly; set => Target.WriteOnly = value; }
+        public override bool WriteOnly { get => _writeOnly is not null ? _writeOnly.Value : Target.WriteOnly; set => _writeOnly = value; }
         /// <inheritdoc/>
-        public override IList<OpenApiSchema> AllOf { get => Target.AllOf; set => Target.AllOf = value; }
+        public override IList<OpenApiSchema> AllOf { get => _allOf is not null ? _allOf : Target.AllOf; set => _allOf = value; }
         /// <inheritdoc/>
-        public override IList<OpenApiSchema> OneOf { get => Target.OneOf; set => Target.OneOf = value; }
+        public override IList<OpenApiSchema> OneOf { get => _oneOf is not null ? _oneOf : Target.OneOf; set => _oneOf = value; }
         /// <inheritdoc/>
-        public override IList<OpenApiSchema> AnyOf { get => Target.AnyOf; set => Target.AnyOf = value; }
+        public override IList<OpenApiSchema> AnyOf { get => _anyOf is not null ? _anyOf : Target.AnyOf; set => _anyOf = value; }
         /// <inheritdoc/>
-        public override OpenApiSchema Not { get => Target.Not; set => Target.Not = value; }
+        public override OpenApiSchema Not { get => _not is not null ? _not : Target.Not; set => _not = value; }
         /// <inheritdoc/>
-        public override ISet<string> Required { get => Target.Required; set => Target.Required = value; }
+        public override ISet<string> Required { get => _required is not null ? _required : Target.Required; set => _required = value; }
         /// <inheritdoc/>
-        public override OpenApiSchema Items { get => Target.Items; set => Target.Items = value; }
+        public override OpenApiSchema Items { get => _items is not null ? _items : Target.Items; set => _items = value; }
         /// <inheritdoc/>
-        public override int? MaxItems { get => Target.MaxItems; set => Target.MaxItems = value; }
+        public override int? MaxItems { get => _maxItems is not null ? _maxItems : Target.MaxItems; set => _maxItems = value; }
         /// <inheritdoc/>
-        public override int? MinItems { get => Target.MinItems; set => Target.MinItems = value; }
+        public override int? MinItems { get => _minItems is not null ? _minItems : Target.MinItems; set => _minItems = value; }
         /// <inheritdoc/>
-        public override bool? UniqueItems { get => Target.UniqueItems; set => Target.UniqueItems = value; }
+        public override bool? UniqueItems { get => _uniqueItems is not null ? _uniqueItems : Target.UniqueItems; set => _uniqueItems = value; }
         /// <inheritdoc/>
-        public override IDictionary<string, OpenApiSchema> Properties { get => Target.Properties; set => Target.Properties = value; }
+        public override IDictionary<string, OpenApiSchema> Properties { get => _properties is not null ? _properties : Target.Properties ; set => _properties = value; }
         /// <inheritdoc/>
-        public override IDictionary<string, OpenApiSchema> PatternProperties { get => Target.PatternProperties; set => Target.PatternProperties = value; }
+        public override IDictionary<string, OpenApiSchema> PatternProperties { get => _patternProperties is not null ? _patternProperties : Target.PatternProperties; set => _patternProperties = value; }
         /// <inheritdoc/>
-        public override int? MaxProperties { get => Target.MaxProperties; set => Target.MaxProperties = value; }
+        public override int? MaxProperties { get => _maxProperties is not null ? _maxProperties : Target.MaxProperties; set => _maxProperties = value; }
         /// <inheritdoc/>
-        public override int? MinProperties { get => Target.MinProperties; set => Target.MinProperties = value; }
+        public override int? MinProperties { get => _minProperties is not null ? _minProperties : Target.MinProperties; set => _minProperties = value; }
         /// <inheritdoc/>
-        public override bool AdditionalPropertiesAllowed { get => Target.AdditionalPropertiesAllowed; set => Target.AdditionalPropertiesAllowed = value; }
+        public override bool AdditionalPropertiesAllowed { get => _additionalPropertiesAllowed is not null ? _additionalPropertiesAllowed.Value : Target.AdditionalPropertiesAllowed; set => _additionalPropertiesAllowed = value; }
         /// <inheritdoc/>
-        public override OpenApiSchema AdditionalProperties { get => Target.AdditionalProperties; set => Target.AdditionalProperties = value; }
+        public override OpenApiSchema AdditionalProperties { get => _additionalProperties is not null ? _additionalProperties : Target.AdditionalProperties; set => _additionalProperties = value; }
         /// <inheritdoc/>
-        public override OpenApiDiscriminator Discriminator { get => Target.Discriminator; set => Target.Discriminator = value; }
+        public override OpenApiDiscriminator Discriminator { get => _discriminator is not null ? _discriminator : Target.Discriminator; set => _discriminator = value; }
         /// <inheritdoc/>
         public override JsonNode Example 
         { 
-            get => _example ??= Target.Example; 
+            get => _example ??= Target.Example; //TODO normalize like other properties
             set => _example = value; 
         }
         /// <inheritdoc/>
         public override IList<JsonNode> Examples 
         { 
-            get => _examples ??= Target.Examples; 
+            get => _examples ??= Target.Examples; //TODO normalize like other properties
             set => Target.Examples = value; 
         }
         /// <inheritdoc/>
-        public override IList<JsonNode> Enum { get => Target.Enum; set => Target.Enum = value; }
+        public override IList<JsonNode> Enum { get => _enum is not null ? _enum : Target.Enum; set => _enum = value; }
         /// <inheritdoc/>
-        public override bool Nullable { get => Target.Nullable; set => Target.Nullable = value; }
+        public override bool Nullable { get => _nullable is null ? Target.Nullable : _nullable.Value; set => _nullable = value; }
         /// <inheritdoc/>
-        public override bool UnevaluatedProperties { get => Target.UnevaluatedProperties; set => Target.UnevaluatedProperties = value; }
+        public override bool UnevaluatedProperties { get => _unevaluatedProperties is not null ? _unevaluatedProperties.Value : Target.UnevaluatedProperties; set => _unevaluatedProperties = value; }
         /// <inheritdoc/>
-        public override OpenApiExternalDocs ExternalDocs { get => Target.ExternalDocs; set => Target.ExternalDocs = value; }
+        public override OpenApiExternalDocs ExternalDocs { get => _externalDocs is not null ? _externalDocs : Target.ExternalDocs; set => _externalDocs = value; }
         /// <inheritdoc/>
-        public override bool Deprecated { get => Target.Deprecated; set => Target.Deprecated = value; }
+        public override bool Deprecated { get => _deprecated is not null ? _deprecated.Value : Target.Deprecated; set => _deprecated = value; }
         /// <inheritdoc/>
-        public override OpenApiXml Xml { get => Target.Xml; set => Target.Xml = value; }
+        public override OpenApiXml Xml { get => _xml is not null ? _xml : Target.Xml; set => _xml = value; }
         /// <inheritdoc/>
-        public override IDictionary<string, IOpenApiExtension> Extensions { get => Target.Extensions; set => Target.Extensions = value; }
+        public override IDictionary<string, IOpenApiExtension> Extensions { get => _extensions is not null ? _extensions : Target.Extensions; set => _extensions = value; }
 
         /// <inheritdoc/>
         public override void SerializeAsV31(IOpenApiWriter writer)
@@ -240,7 +280,6 @@ public override void SerializeAsV2(IOpenApiWriter writer)
             if (!writer.GetSettings().ShouldInlineReference(_reference))
             {
                 _reference.SerializeAsV2(writer);
-                return;
             }
             else
             {