diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index a08d4cd..5b5f909 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 ## unreleased
 
+- CLI: Fix YAML output to keep quotes for $ref values (#230)
+
 ## [1.33.4] - 2026-06-19
 
 - CLI: add yamlCompat option for YAML 1.1
diff --git a/test/_split/snap.yaml b/test/_split/snap.yaml
index 08db034..270746f 100644
--- a/test/_split/snap.yaml
+++ b/test/_split/snap.yaml
@@ -5,11 +5,11 @@ info:
   description: A compact version of the Train Travel API
 paths:
   /stations/{station_id}:
-    $ref: paths/stations_{station_id}.yaml
+    $ref: 'paths/stations_{station_id}.yaml'
 components:
   schemas:
     Station:
-      $ref: components/schemas/Station.yaml
+      $ref: 'components/schemas/Station.yaml'
   parameters:
     StationId:
-      $ref: components/parameters/StationId.yaml
+      $ref: 'components/parameters/StationId.yaml'
diff --git a/test/_split/snap_station.yaml b/test/_split/snap_station.yaml
index 5a0fd87..f75df38 100644
--- a/test/_split/snap_station.yaml
+++ b/test/_split/snap_station.yaml
@@ -2,13 +2,13 @@ get:
   summary: Get station information
   operationId: getStation
   parameters:
-    - $ref: ../components/parameters/StationId.yaml
+    - $ref: '../components/parameters/StationId.yaml'
   responses:
     '200':
       description: Successful operation
       content:
         application/json:
           schema:
-            $ref: ../components/schemas/Station.yaml
+            $ref: '../components/schemas/Station.yaml'
     '404':
       description: Station not found
diff --git a/test/util-file.test.js b/test/util-file.test.js
index 7322551..247962e 100644
--- a/test/util-file.test.js
+++ b/test/util-file.test.js
@@ -772,6 +772,53 @@ describe('openapi-format CLI file tests', () => {
 
       expect(result).toContain("$ref: '#/components/schemas/Example'");
     });
+
+    test('should stringify external $ref values with quotes in YAML output', async () => {
+      const obj = {
+        paths: {
+          '/some/path': {
+            get: {
+              parameters: [
+                {
+                  $ref: './util/headers.yaml#/components/parameters/requestId'
+                }
+              ]
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      };
+
+      const result = await stringify(obj, {format: 'yaml'});
+
+      expect(result).toContain(
+        "$ref: './util/headers.yaml#/components/parameters/requestId'"
+      );
+    });
+
+    test('should stringify external $ref values with the configured double quote style', async () => {
+      const obj = {
+        paths: {
+          '/some/path': {
+            get: {
+              parameters: [
+                {
+                  $ref: './util/headers.yaml#/components/parameters/requestId'
+                }
+              ]
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      };
+
+      const result = await stringify(obj, {
+        format: 'yaml',
+        yamlQuoteStyle: 'double'
+      });
+
+      expect(result).toContain(
+        '$ref: "./util/headers.yaml#/components/parameters/requestId"'
+      );
+    });
   });
 
   describe('analyzeOpenApi function', () => {
diff --git a/test/yaml-path-ref-quotes/input.yaml b/test/yaml-path-ref-quotes/input.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5b36fc6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/yaml-path-ref-quotes/input.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+openapi: 3.0.3
+info:
+  title: API
+  version: 1.0.0
+paths:
+  /some/path:
+    get:
+      operationId: someOperation
+      tags:
+        - some-rest-controller
+      parameters:
+        - $ref: "./util/headers.yaml#/components/parameters/requestId"
+        - $ref: './util/headers.yaml#/components/parameters/correlationId'
+        - $ref: ./util/headers.yaml#/components/parameters/authorization
diff --git a/test/yaml-path-ref-quotes/options.yaml b/test/yaml-path-ref-quotes/options.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a66a8cd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/yaml-path-ref-quotes/options.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+verbose: true
+output: output.yaml
+bundle: false
+no-sort: true
diff --git a/test/yaml-path-ref-quotes/output.yaml b/test/yaml-path-ref-quotes/output.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8554f74
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/yaml-path-ref-quotes/output.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+openapi: 3.0.3
+info:
+  title: API
+  version: 1.0.0
+paths:
+  /some/path:
+    get:
+      operationId: someOperation
+      tags:
+        - some-rest-controller
+      parameters:
+        - $ref: './util/headers.yaml#/components/parameters/requestId'
+        - $ref: './util/headers.yaml#/components/parameters/correlationId'
+        - $ref: './util/headers.yaml#/components/parameters/authorization'
diff --git a/test/yaml-ref-quotes/output.yaml b/test/yaml-ref-quotes/output.yaml
index 4a4b3b2..9682b83 100644
--- a/test/yaml-ref-quotes/output.yaml
+++ b/test/yaml-ref-quotes/output.yaml
@@ -6,6 +6,6 @@ components:
       type: object
       properties:
         extern:
-          $ref: domain-types.openapi.yaml#/components/schemas/Extern
+          $ref: 'domain-types.openapi.yaml#/components/schemas/Extern'
         intern:
-          $ref: domain-types.openapi.yaml#/components/schemas/Extern
+          $ref: 'domain-types.openapi.yaml#/components/schemas/Extern'
diff --git a/utils/file.js b/utils/file.js
index 6fb5f27..59a8e84 100644
--- a/utils/file.js
+++ b/utils/file.js
@@ -396,6 +396,9 @@ async function stringify(obj, options = {}) {
         output = newDoc.toString(yamlStringifyOptions);
       }
 
+      // Preserve quotes around $ref values so external references stay editor-friendly.
+      output = addQuotesToRefInString(output, yamlStringifyOptions.singleQuote ? "'" : '"');
+
       // Decode large number YAML values safely before writing output
       output = decodeLargeNumbers(output);
     } else {
@@ -744,10 +747,11 @@ function decodeLargeNumbers(output, isJson = false) {
 /**
  * Add quotes to $ref in string
  * @param {string} yamlString - The input YAML string.
+ * @param {string} quoteChar - Quote character to use around $ref values.
  * @returns {string} YAML string with quotes.
  */
-function addQuotesToRefInString(yamlString) {
-  return yamlString.replace(/(\$ref:\s*)([^"'\s>]+)/g, "$1'$2'");
+function addQuotesToRefInString(yamlString, quoteChar = "'") {
+  return yamlString.replace(/(\$ref:\s*)([^"'\s>]+)/g, `$1${quoteChar}$2${quoteChar}`);
 }
 
 /**