diff --git a/src/__tests__/__fixtures__/schemas.ts b/src/__tests__/__fixtures__/schemas.ts
index 4cb2769..21cf847 100644
--- a/src/__tests__/__fixtures__/schemas.ts
+++ b/src/__tests__/__fixtures__/schemas.ts
@@ -17,6 +17,16 @@ export const testSchema2 = {
     foo: {
       type: "string",
     },
+    stringWithDefault: {
+      type: "string",
+      description: "a string with a default value",
+      default: "defaultString",
+    },
+    bracedStringDefault: {
+      type: "string",
+      description: "a string with a default value containing braces",
+      default: "✨ A message from %{whom}: ✨",
+    },
     object: {
       type: "object",
       properties: {
diff --git a/src/__tests__/__helpers__/completion.ts b/src/__tests__/__helpers__/completion.ts
index 6a5118e..ade1fa3 100644
--- a/src/__tests__/__helpers__/completion.ts
+++ b/src/__tests__/__helpers__/completion.ts
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ export async function expectCompletion(
   } = {}
 ) {
   let cur = doc.indexOf("|"),
-    currentSchema = conf?.schema || testSchema2;
+    currentSchema = conf?.schema ?? testSchema2;
   doc = doc.slice(0, cur) + doc.slice(cur + 1);
 
   let state = EditorState.create({
diff --git a/src/__tests__/json-completion.spec.ts b/src/__tests__/json-completion.spec.ts
index 650a897..16bd661 100644
--- a/src/__tests__/json-completion.spec.ts
+++ b/src/__tests__/json-completion.spec.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { describe, it } from "vitest";
 
 import { expectCompletion } from "./__helpers__/completion.js";
 import { MODES } from "../constants.js";
+import { testSchema3 } from "./__fixtures__/schemas.js";
 
 describe.each([
   {
@@ -46,6 +47,35 @@ describe.each([
       },
     ],
   },
+  {
+    name: "include defaults for string when available",
+    mode: MODES.JSON,
+    docs: ['{ "stringWithDefault| }'],
+    expectedResults: [
+      {
+        label: "stringWithDefault",
+        type: "property",
+        detail: "string",
+        info: "a string with a default value",
+        template: '"stringWithDefault": "${defaultString}"',
+      },
+    ],
+  },
+  // TODO: fix the default template with braces: https://discuss.codemirror.net/t/inserting-literal-via-snippets/8136/4
+  // {
+  //   name: "include defaults for string with braces",
+  //   mode: MODES.JSON,
+  //   docs: ['{ "bracedStringDefault| }'],
+  //   expectedResults: [
+  //     {
+  //       label: "bracedStringDefault",
+  //       type: "property",
+  //       detail: "string",
+  //       info: "a string with a default value containing braces",
+  //       template: '"bracedStringDefault": "${✨ A message from %{whom}: ✨}"',
+  //     },
+  //   ],
+  // },
   {
     name: "include defaults for enum when available",
     mode: MODES.JSON,
@@ -221,6 +251,20 @@ describe.each([
     ],
   },
   // TODO: completion for array of objects should enhance the template
+  {
+    name: "autocomplete for array of objects with filter",
+    mode: MODES.JSON,
+    docs: ['{ "arrayOfObjects": [ { "f|" } ] }'],
+    expectedResults: [
+      {
+        detail: "string",
+        info: "",
+        label: "foo",
+        template: '"foo": "#{}"',
+        type: "property",
+      },
+    ],
+  },
   {
     name: "autocomplete for array of objects with items",
     mode: MODES.JSON,
@@ -298,6 +342,28 @@ describe.each([
       },
     ],
   },
+  {
+    name: "autocomplete for a schema with top level $ref",
+    mode: MODES.JSON,
+    docs: ['{ "| }'],
+    expectedResults: [
+      {
+        type: "property",
+        detail: "string",
+        info: "",
+        label: "foo",
+        template: '"foo": "#{}"',
+      },
+      {
+        type: "property",
+        detail: "number",
+        info: "",
+        label: "bar",
+        template: '"bar": #{0}',
+      },
+    ],
+    schema: testSchema3,
+  },
   // JSON5
   {
     name: "return bare property key when no quotes are used",
@@ -653,8 +719,8 @@ describe.each([
       },
     ],
   },
-])("jsonCompletion", ({ name, docs, mode, expectedResults }) => {
+])("jsonCompletion", ({ name, docs, mode, expectedResults, schema }) => {
   it.each(docs)(`${name} (mode: ${mode})`, async (doc) => {
-    await expectCompletion(doc, expectedResults, { mode });
+    await expectCompletion(doc, expectedResults, { mode, schema });
   });
 });
diff --git a/src/json-completion.ts b/src/json-completion.ts
index d3f142f..08def88 100644
--- a/src/json-completion.ts
+++ b/src/json-completion.ts
@@ -58,7 +58,8 @@ export class JSONCompletion {
     this.mode = opts.mode ?? MODES.JSON;
   }
   public doComplete(ctx: CompletionContext) {
-    this.schema = getJSONSchema(ctx.state)!;
+    const s = getJSONSchema(ctx.state)!;
+    this.schema = this.expandSchemaProperty(s, s) ?? s;
     if (!this.schema) {
       // todo: should we even do anything without schema
       // without taking over the existing mode responsibilties?
@@ -484,13 +485,10 @@ export class JSONCompletion {
     switch (this.mode) {
       case MODES.JSON5:
         return `'${prf}{${value}}'`;
-        break;
       case MODES.YAML:
         return `${prf}{${value}}`;
-        break;
       default:
         return `"${prf}{${value}}"`;
-        break;
     }
   }
 
@@ -847,8 +845,8 @@ export class JSONCompletion {
     return [subSchema as JSONSchema7];
   }
 
-  private expandSchemaProperty(
-    property: JSONSchema7Definition,
+  private expandSchemaProperty<T extends JSONSchema7Definition>(
+    property: T,
     schema: JSONSchema7
   ) {
     if (typeof property === "object" && property.$ref) {