diff --git a/lib/cycle.js b/lib/cycle.js
index 3ab3d9e..66bf2cf 100644
--- a/lib/cycle.js
+++ b/lib/cycle.js
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ exports.decycle = function decycle(object, options, replacer) {
         // If the value is an object or array, look to see if we have already
         // encountered it. If so, return a $ref/path object.
 
-      if (typeof value === 'object' && value !== null) {
+      if (typeof value === 'object' && options['refs']) {
         var foundPath = map.get(value);
         if (foundPath) {
           if (hasCircular && path.indexOf(foundPath) === 0) {
diff --git a/lib/index.js b/lib/index.js
index c32b85b..c39f06b 100644
--- a/lib/index.js
+++ b/lib/index.js
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ exports.stringify = function stringify(value, replacer, space, _options) {
       'infinity': options
     }
   }
+  if (typeof options.refs === 'undefined') options.refs = true;
 
   var decycled = cycle.decycle(value, options, replacer);
   if (arguments.length === 1) {
diff --git a/test/unit.js b/test/unit.js
index 4f2a851..ee0aa23 100644
--- a/test/unit.js
+++ b/test/unit.js
@@ -190,6 +190,15 @@ describe('jsan', function() {
       assert.equal(jsan.stringify(obj, null, null, {circular: function() { return '∞!' }}), '{"self":"∞!","a":1,"b":{},"c":{"$jsan":"$.b"}}');
     });
 
+    it('can use the refs option', function() {
+      var obj1 = { a: 1 };
+      var obj = { "prop1": obj1, "prop2": { "prop3": obj1 } };
+      assert.equal(jsan.stringify(obj, null, null, {refs: true}), '{"prop1":{"a":1},"prop2":{"prop3":{"$jsan":"$.prop1"}}}');
+      assert.equal(jsan.stringify(obj, null, null, true), '{"prop1":{"a":1},"prop2":{"prop3":{"$jsan":"$.prop1"}}}');
+      assert.equal(jsan.stringify(obj, null, null, false), '{"prop1":{"a":1},"prop2":{"prop3":{"$jsan":"$.prop1"}}}');
+      assert.equal(jsan.stringify(obj, null, null, {refs: false}), '{"prop1":{"a":1},"prop2":{"prop3":{"a":1}}}');
+    });
+
     it('works on objects with "[", "\'", and "]" in the keys', function() {
       var obj = {};
       obj['["key"]'] = {};