diff --git a/packages/spec-parser/path/to/spec.json b/packages/spec-parser/path/to/spec.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..de0462fdf94
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/spec-parser/path/to/spec.json
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+{
+  "paths": {}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/spec-parser/test/specParser.test.ts b/packages/spec-parser/test/specParser.test.ts
index a2269ca28a3..d44d60eb9d7 100644
--- a/packages/spec-parser/test/specParser.test.ts
+++ b/packages/spec-parser/test/specParser.test.ts
@@ -386,7 +386,12 @@ describe("SpecParser", () => {
       } as OpenAPIV3.Document;
       const specPath = "path/to/spec";
       const specParser = new SpecParser(spec as any);
+      sinon.stub(specParser.parser, "parse").resolves(spec as any);
+      sinon.stub(specParser.parser, "dereference").resolves(spec as any);
       const validateStub = sinon.stub(specParser.parser, "validate").resolves(spec as any);
+      sinon
+        .stub(specParser.parser.$refs, "paths")
+        .returns(["localPath", "https://petstore3.swagger.io/api/v3/openapi.json"]);
       const result = await specParser.validate();
 
       expect(result.errors[0].type).equal(ErrorType.RemoteRefNotSupported);