diff --git a/HISTORY.md b/HISTORY.md
index 2f07e48..3fdeb44 100644
--- a/HISTORY.md
+++ b/HISTORY.md
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ https://github.com/josdejong/jsoneditor
 
 ## not yet released, version 5.1.1
 
+- Fixed #257: Improving error messages for enum errors failed when the
+  schema contains references.
 - Fixed #255: Removed wrong console warning about the option `search`.
 - Fixed error thrown when option `search` is false (see #256). Thanks @MiroHibler.
 
diff --git a/docs/api.md b/docs/api.md
index 226cf75..0295fc4 100644
--- a/docs/api.md
+++ b/docs/api.md
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ Constructs a new JSONEditor.
 
   ```js
   var options = {
-    ajv: Ajv({ allErrors: true })
+    ajv: Ajv({ allErrors: true, verbose: true })
   }
   ```
 
diff --git a/src/js/JSONEditor.js b/src/js/JSONEditor.js
index a09c779..5e68532 100644
--- a/src/js/JSONEditor.js
+++ b/src/js/JSONEditor.js
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@ JSONEditor.prototype.setSchema = function (schema) {
     var ajv;
     try {
       // grab ajv from options if provided, else create a new instance
-      ajv = this.options.ajv || Ajv({ allErrors: true });
+      ajv = this.options.ajv || Ajv({ allErrors: true, verbose: true });
 
     }
     catch (err) {
diff --git a/src/js/textmode.js b/src/js/textmode.js
index 6a9b061..8e8de00 100644
--- a/src/js/textmode.js
+++ b/src/js/textmode.js
@@ -405,11 +405,9 @@ textmode.validate = function () {
   if (doValidate && this.validateSchema) {
     var valid = this.validateSchema(json);
     if (!valid) {
-      var schema = this.options.schema;
-      errors = this.validateSchema.errors
-          .map(function (error) {
-            return util.improveSchemaError(schema, error);
-          });
+      errors = this.validateSchema.errors.map(function (error) {
+        return util.improveSchemaError(error);
+      });
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/src/js/treemode.js b/src/js/treemode.js
index 0614d8d..3f759fa 100644
--- a/src/js/treemode.js
+++ b/src/js/treemode.js
@@ -372,12 +372,10 @@ treemode.validate = function () {
   if (this.validateSchema) {
     var valid = this.validateSchema(root.getValue());
     if (!valid) {
-      var schema = this.options.schema;
-
       // apply all new errors
       schemaErrors = this.validateSchema.errors
           .map(function (error) {
-            return util.improveSchemaError(schema, error);
+            return util.improveSchemaError(error);
           })
           .map(function findNode (error) {
             return {
diff --git a/src/js/util.js b/src/js/util.js
index a762cd1..fed7030 100644
--- a/src/js/util.js
+++ b/src/js/util.js
@@ -660,34 +660,14 @@ exports.parsePath = function parsePath(jsonPath) {
   return [prop].concat(parsePath(remainder))
 };
 
-/**
- * Retrieve a part of the schema
- * @param {Object} schema
- * @param {string} schemaPath   A path like "#/properties/gender/enum"
- * @return {Object} Returns the found part of the schema, or undefined when not found.
- */
-exports.getFromSchema = function (schema, schemaPath) {
-  var path = schemaPath.split('/');
-  path.shift(); // remove the first #
-
-  var obj = schema;
-  var prop;
-  while (prop = path.shift()) {
-    obj = obj[prop];
-  }
-
-  return obj;
-};
-
 /**
  * Improve the error message of a JSON schema error
- * @param {Object} schema
  * @param {Object} error
  * @return {Object} The error
  */
-exports.improveSchemaError = function (schema, error) {
-  if (error.keyword === 'enum') {
-    var enums = exports.getFromSchema(schema, error.schemaPath);
+exports.improveSchemaError = function (error) {
+  if (error.keyword === 'enum' && Array.isArray(error.schema)) {
+    var enums = error.schema;
     if (enums) {
       enums = enums.map(function (value) {
         return JSON.stringify(value);