diff --git a/karapace/protobuf/dependency.py b/karapace/protobuf/dependency.py
index af5121488..c04bc332f 100644
--- a/karapace/protobuf/dependency.py
+++ b/karapace/protobuf/dependency.py
@@ -35,13 +35,32 @@ def add_used_type(self, parent: str, element_type: str) -> None:
     def add_import(self, import_name: str) -> None:
         self.import_path.append(import_name)
 
+    def is_type_declared(
+        self,
+        used_type,
+        declared_index,
+        delimiter,
+        father_child_type,
+        used_type_with_scope,
+    ):
+        return (
+            used_type in declared_index
+            or (delimiter != -1 and used_type_with_scope in declared_index)
+            or (father_child_type is not None and father_child_type in declared_index)
+            or "." + used_type in declared_index
+        )
+
     def verify(self) -> DependencyVerifierResult:
         declared_index = set(self.declared_types)
         for used_type in self.used_types:
             delimiter = used_type.rfind(";")
+            father_child_type = None
             used_type_with_scope = ""
             if delimiter != -1:
                 used_type_with_scope = used_type[:delimiter] + "." + used_type[delimiter + 1 :]
+                father_delimiter = used_type[:delimiter].find(".")
+                if father_delimiter != -1:
+                    father_child_type = used_type[:father_delimiter] + "." + used_type[delimiter + 1 :]
                 used_type = used_type[delimiter + 1 :]
 
             if used_type in DependenciesHardcoded.index:
@@ -51,11 +70,7 @@ def verify(self) -> DependencyVerifierResult:
             if known_pkg is not None and known_pkg in self.import_path:
                 continue
 
-            if (
-                used_type in declared_index
-                or (delimiter != -1 and used_type_with_scope in declared_index)
-                or "." + used_type in declared_index
-            ):
+            if self.is_type_declared(used_type, declared_index, delimiter, father_child_type, used_type_with_scope):
                 continue
 
             return DependencyVerifierResult(False, f'type "{used_type}" is not defined')
diff --git a/tests/unit/protobuf/test_protobuf_schema.py b/tests/unit/protobuf/test_protobuf_schema.py
index 774ea3279..fb794b663 100644
--- a/tests/unit/protobuf/test_protobuf_schema.py
+++ b/tests/unit/protobuf/test_protobuf_schema.py
@@ -293,3 +293,44 @@ def test_protobuf_field_compatible_alter_to_oneof():
     protobuf_schema1.compare(protobuf_schema2, result)
 
     assert result.is_compatible()
+
+
+def test_protobuf_self_referencing_schema():
+    proto1 = """\
+    syntax = "proto3";
+
+    package fancy.company.in.party.v1;
+    message MyFirstMessage {
+      string my_fancy_string = 1;
+    }
+    message AnotherMessage {
+      message WowANestedMessage {
+        enum BamFancyEnum {
+          // Hei! This is a comment!
+          MY_AWESOME_FIELD = 0;
+        }
+        BamFancyEnum im_tricky_im_referring_to_the_previous_enum = 1;
+      }
+    }
+    """
+
+    assert isinstance(ValidatedTypedSchema.parse(SchemaType.PROTOBUF, proto1).schema, ProtobufSchema)
+
+    proto2 = """\
+    syntax = "proto3";
+
+    package fancy.company.in.party.v1;
+    message AnotherMessage {
+      enum BamFancyEnum {
+        // Hei! This is a comment!
+        MY_AWESOME_FIELD = 0;
+      }
+      message WowANestedMessage {
+        message DeeplyNestedMsg {
+          BamFancyEnum im_tricky_im_referring_to_the_previous_enum = 1;
+        }
+      }
+    }
+    """
+
+    assert type(ValidatedTypedSchema.parse(SchemaType.PROTOBUF, proto2).schema, ProtobufSchema)