diff --git a/connexion/spec.py b/connexion/spec.py
index 40fe46d70..83322b1c4 100644
--- a/connexion/spec.py
+++ b/connexion/spec.py
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ def enforce_string_keys(obj):
         return OpenAPISpecification(spec, base_uri=base_uri)
 
     def clone(self):
-        return type(self)(copy.deepcopy(self._raw_spec))
+        return type(self)(copy.deepcopy(self._spec))
 
     @classmethod
     def load(cls, spec, *, arguments=None):
diff --git a/tests/test_api.py b/tests/test_api.py
index 818be5896..dd8523efd 100644
--- a/tests/test_api.py
+++ b/tests/test_api.py
@@ -201,6 +201,9 @@ def test_relative_refs(relative_refs, spec):
     spec_path = relative_refs / spec
     specification = Specification.load(spec_path)
     assert "$ref" not in specification.raw
+    # clone specification
+    specification_clone = specification.clone()
+    assert "$ref" not in specification_clone.raw
 
 
 @pytest.fixture