diff --git a/src/JsonSchema/RefResolver.php b/src/JsonSchema/RefResolver.php
index 4786a331..cd96beb7 100644
--- a/src/JsonSchema/RefResolver.php
+++ b/src/JsonSchema/RefResolver.php
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 
 namespace JsonSchema;
 
+use JsonSchema\Exception\JsonDecodingException;
 use JsonSchema\Uri\Retrievers\UriRetrieverInterface;
 use JsonSchema\Uri\UriRetriever;
 
@@ -96,7 +97,7 @@ public function getUriRetriever()
     public function resolve($schema, $sourceUri = null)
     {
         if (self::$depth > self::$maxDepth) {
-            return;
+            throw new JsonDecodingException(JSON_ERROR_DEPTH);
         }
         ++self::$depth;
 
diff --git a/tests/JsonSchema/Tests/RefResolverTest.php b/tests/JsonSchema/Tests/RefResolverTest.php
index 66bdb223..45ba7150 100644
--- a/tests/JsonSchema/Tests/RefResolverTest.php
+++ b/tests/JsonSchema/Tests/RefResolverTest.php
@@ -334,4 +334,25 @@ public function testFetchRef()
 
         $this->assertEquals($jsonSchema, $resolver->fetchRef($ref, $sourceUri));
     }
+
+    /**
+     * @expectedException \JsonSchema\Exception\JsonDecodingException
+     */
+    public function testMaxDepthExceeded()
+    {
+        // stub schema
+        $jsonSchema = new \stdClass;
+        $jsonSchema->id = 'stub';
+        $jsonSchema->additionalItems = 'stub';
+
+        // mock retriever
+        $retriever = $this->getMock('JsonSchema\Uri\UriRetriever', array('retrieve'));
+        $retriever->expects($this->any())->method('retrieve')->will($this->returnValue($jsonSchema));
+
+        // stub resolver
+        \JsonSchema\RefResolver::$maxDepth = 0;
+        $resolver = new \JsonSchema\RefResolver($retriever);
+
+        $resolver->resolve($jsonSchema);
+    }
 }