diff --git a/rest_framework/schemas/openapi.py b/rest_framework/schemas/openapi.py
index 5e9d59f8b..24bc3f6bf 100644
--- a/rest_framework/schemas/openapi.py
+++ b/rest_framework/schemas/openapi.py
@@ -128,6 +128,7 @@ class AutoSchema(ViewInspector):
         self._tags = tags
         self.operation_id_base = operation_id_base
         self.component_name = component_name
+        self.components = {}
         super().__init__()
 
     request_media_types = []
@@ -195,19 +196,17 @@ class AutoSchema(ViewInspector):
         request_serializer = self.get_request_serializer(path, method)
         response_serializer = self.get_response_serializer(path, method)
 
-        components = {}
-
         if isinstance(request_serializer, serializers.Serializer):
             component_name = self.get_component_name(request_serializer)
             content = self.map_serializer(request_serializer)
-            components.setdefault(component_name, content)
+            self.components.setdefault(component_name, content)
 
         if isinstance(response_serializer, serializers.Serializer):
             component_name = self.get_component_name(response_serializer)
             content = self.map_serializer(response_serializer)
-            components.setdefault(component_name, content)
+            self.components.setdefault(component_name, content)
 
-        return components
+        return self.components
 
     def _to_camel_case(self, snake_str):
         components = snake_str.split('_')
@@ -547,7 +546,9 @@ class AutoSchema(ViewInspector):
         if required:
             result['required'] = required
 
-        return result
+        component_name = self.get_component_name(serializer=serializer)
+        self.components[component_name] = result
+        return self._get_reference(serializer)
 
     def map_field_validators(self, field, schema):
         """
diff --git a/tests/schemas/test_openapi.py b/tests/schemas/test_openapi.py
index daa035a3f..ed3cb4d81 100644
--- a/tests/schemas/test_openapi.py
+++ b/tests/schemas/test_openapi.py
@@ -95,18 +95,20 @@ class TestFieldMapping(TestCase):
 
         inspector = AutoSchema()
 
-        data = inspector.map_serializer(ItemSerializer())
+        inspector.map_serializer(ItemSerializer())
+        data = inspector.components['Item']
         assert isinstance(data['properties']['text']['description'], str), "description must be str"
 
     def test_boolean_default_field(self):
-        class Serializer(serializers.Serializer):
+        class BooleanTestSerializer(serializers.Serializer):
             default_true = serializers.BooleanField(default=True)
             default_false = serializers.BooleanField(default=False)
             without_default = serializers.BooleanField()
 
         inspector = AutoSchema()
 
-        data = inspector.map_serializer(Serializer())
+        inspector.map_serializer(BooleanTestSerializer())
+        data = inspector.components['BooleanTest']
         assert data['properties']['default_true']['default'] is True, "default must be true"
         assert data['properties']['default_false']['default'] is False, "default must be false"
         assert 'default' not in data['properties']['without_default'], "default must not be defined"
@@ -116,7 +118,7 @@ class TestFieldMapping(TestCase):
             rw_field = models.CharField(null=True)
             ro_field = models.CharField(null=True)
 
-        class Serializer(serializers.ModelSerializer):
+        class NullableSerializer(serializers.ModelSerializer):
             class Meta:
                 model = Model
                 fields = ["rw_field", "ro_field"]
@@ -124,7 +126,8 @@ class TestFieldMapping(TestCase):
 
         inspector = AutoSchema()
 
-        data = inspector.map_serializer(Serializer())
+        inspector.map_serializer(NullableSerializer())
+        data = inspector.components['Nullable']
         assert data['properties']['rw_field']['nullable'], "rw_field nullable must be true"
         assert data['properties']['ro_field']['nullable'], "ro_field nullable must be true"
         assert data['properties']['ro_field']['readOnly'], "ro_field read_only must be true"
@@ -368,8 +371,10 @@ class TestOperationIntrospection(TestCase):
         assert sorted(schema['required']) == ['nested', 'text']
         assert sorted(list(schema['properties'].keys())) == ['nested', 'text']
         assert schema['properties']['nested']['type'] == 'object'
-        assert list(schema['properties']['nested']['properties'].keys()) == ['number']
-        assert schema['properties']['nested']['required'] == ['number']
+        assert schema['properties']['nested']['$ref'] == '#/components/schemas/Nested'
+        nested_schema = components['Nested']
+        assert list(nested_schema['properties'].keys()) == ['number']
+        assert nested_schema['required'] == ['number']
 
     def test_list_response_body_generation(self):
         """Test that an array schema is returned for list views."""