diff --git a/lib/json-api-vanilla/parser.rb b/lib/json-api-vanilla/parser.rb
index 3bb8a50..9f41111 100644
--- a/lib/json-api-vanilla/parser.rb
+++ b/lib/json-api-vanilla/parser.rb
@@ -72,6 +72,9 @@ def self.build(hash)
       obj = objects[[o_hash['type'], o_hash['id']]]
       if o_hash['relationships']
         o_hash['relationships'].each do |key, value|
+          # Instantiate ref initially
+          ref = nil
+
           if value['data']
             data = value['data']
             if data.is_a?(Array)
@@ -96,7 +99,6 @@ def self.build(hash)
             end
           end
 
-          ref = ref || Object.new
           set_key(obj, key, ref, original_keys)
 
           rel_links[ref] = value['links']
diff --git a/lib/json-api-vanilla/version.rb b/lib/json-api-vanilla/version.rb
index 6cf3754..e8228e3 100644
--- a/lib/json-api-vanilla/version.rb
+++ b/lib/json-api-vanilla/version.rb
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 module JSON
   module Api
     module Vanilla
-      VERSION = '1.0.2'
+      VERSION = '1.0.3'
     end
   end
 end