diff --git a/changelogs/server_server/newsfragments/1454.clarification b/changelogs/server_server/newsfragments/1454.clarification
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6d68b88a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/server_server/newsfragments/1454.clarification
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Fix invalid OpenAPI specifications caused by overridden references to `examples/minimal_pdu.json`.
diff --git a/data/api/server-server/invites-v1.yaml b/data/api/server-server/invites-v1.yaml
index ed880c5a..ee439aa2 100644
--- a/data/api/server-server/invites-v1.yaml
+++ b/data/api/server-server/invites-v1.yaml
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ paths:
                         example:
                           $ref: "../../event-schemas/examples/invite_room_state.json"
           example: {
-            "$ref": "examples/minimal_pdu.json",
+            "room_id": "!somewhere:example.org",
             "type": "m.room.member",
             "state_key": "@joe:elsewhere.com",
             "origin": "example.org",
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ paths:
               200,
               {
                 "event":  {
-                  "$ref": "examples/minimal_pdu.json",
+                  "room_id": "!somewhere:example.org",
                   "type": "m.room.member",
                   "state_key": "@someone:example.org",
                   "origin": "example.org",
diff --git a/data/api/server-server/invites-v2.yaml b/data/api/server-server/invites-v2.yaml
index 0785aadd..afb8a571 100644
--- a/data/api/server-server/invites-v2.yaml
+++ b/data/api/server-server/invites-v2.yaml
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ paths:
           example: {
             "room_version": "2",
             "event": {
-              "$ref": "examples/minimal_pdu.json",
+              "room_id": "!somewhere:example.org",
               "type": "m.room.member",
               "state_key": "@joe:elsewhere.com",
               "origin": "example.org",
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ paths:
           examples:
             application/json: {
               "event":  {
-                "$ref": "examples/minimal_pdu.json",
+                "room_id": "!somewhere:example.org",
                 "type": "m.room.member",
                 "state_key": "@someone:example.org",
                 "origin": "example.org",
diff --git a/data/api/server-server/joins-v1.yaml b/data/api/server-server/joins-v1.yaml
index 1b850266..edb987f2 100644
--- a/data/api/server-server/joins-v1.yaml
+++ b/data/api/server-server/joins-v1.yaml
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ paths:
             application/json: {
               "room_version": "2",
               "event": {
-                "$ref": "examples/minimal_pdu.json",
+                "room_id": "!somewhere:example.org",
                 "type": "m.room.member",
                 "state_key": "@someone:example.org",
                 "origin": "example.org",
@@ -310,7 +310,7 @@ paths:
               - type
               - content
           example: {
-            "$ref": "examples/minimal_pdu.json",
+            "room_id": "!somewhere:example.org",
             "type": "m.room.member",
             "state_key": "@someone:example.org",
             "origin": "example.org",
diff --git a/data/api/server-server/joins-v2.yaml b/data/api/server-server/joins-v2.yaml
index 129e5d2e..3a8a47b1 100644
--- a/data/api/server-server/joins-v2.yaml
+++ b/data/api/server-server/joins-v2.yaml
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ paths:
               - type
               - content
           example: {
-            "$ref": "examples/minimal_pdu.json",
+            "room_id": "!somewhere:example.org",
             "type": "m.room.member",
             "state_key": "@someone:example.org",
             "origin": "example.org",
diff --git a/data/api/server-server/knocks.yaml b/data/api/server-server/knocks.yaml
index aa388bda..de17f44d 100644
--- a/data/api/server-server/knocks.yaml
+++ b/data/api/server-server/knocks.yaml
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ paths:
             application/json: {
               "room_version": "7",
               "event": {
-                "$ref": "examples/minimal_pdu.json",
+                "room_id": "!somewhere:example.org",
                 "type": "m.room.member",
                 "state_key": "@someone:example.org",
                 "origin": "example.org",
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ paths:
               - type
               - content
           example: {
-            "$ref": "examples/minimal_pdu.json",
+            "room_id": "!somewhere:example.org",
             "type": "m.room.member",
             "state_key": "@someone:example.org",
             "origin": "example.org",
diff --git a/data/api/server-server/leaving-v1.yaml b/data/api/server-server/leaving-v1.yaml
index df314d5a..40c8a062 100644
--- a/data/api/server-server/leaving-v1.yaml
+++ b/data/api/server-server/leaving-v1.yaml
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ paths:
             application/json: {
               "room_version": "2",
               "event": {
-                "$ref": "examples/minimal_pdu.json",
+                "room_id": "!somewhere:example.org",
                 "type": "m.room.member",
                 "state_key": "@someone:example.org",
                 "origin": "example.org",
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ paths:
               - depth
               - content
           example: {
-            "$ref": "examples/minimal_pdu.json",
+            "room_id": "!somewhere:example.org",
             "type": "m.room.member",
             "state_key": "@someone:example.org",
             "origin": "example.org",
diff --git a/data/api/server-server/leaving-v2.yaml b/data/api/server-server/leaving-v2.yaml
index e3b8f089..dd96eaaa 100644
--- a/data/api/server-server/leaving-v2.yaml
+++ b/data/api/server-server/leaving-v2.yaml
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ paths:
               - depth
               - content
           example: {
-            "$ref": "examples/minimal_pdu.json",
+            "room_id": "!somewhere:example.org",
             "type": "m.room.member",
             "state_key": "@someone:example.org",
             "origin": "example.org",