diff --git a/packages/zod/src/converter.test.ts b/packages/zod/src/converter.test.ts
index eb22801f1..a292678b6 100644
--- a/packages/zod/src/converter.test.ts
+++ b/packages/zod/src/converter.test.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,16 @@
 import * as v from 'valibot'
 import * as z from 'zod'
+import { $ZodRegistry, toJSONSchema } from 'zod/v4/core'
 import { ZodToJsonSchemaConverter } from './converter'
 
+vi.mock('zod/v4/core', async (original) => {
+  const mod = await original<typeof import('zod/v4/core')>()
+  return {
+    ...mod,
+    toJSONSchema: vi.fn((...args: [any]) => mod.toJSONSchema(...args)),
+  }
+})
+
 describe('zodToJsonSchemaConverter', () => {
   const converter = new ZodToJsonSchemaConverter()
   const codecSchema = z.codec(z.string(), z.number(), {
@@ -65,6 +74,100 @@ describe('zodToJsonSchemaConverter', () => {
     expect(converter.convert(schema, 'input')).toEqual([{ type: 'string' }, false])
   })
 
+  describe('supports $ref at root level', () => {
+    it('with the global metadata registry and special json pointers', () => {
+      const schema = z.object({
+        a: z.string().meta({ id: 'a' }),
+        b: z.number().meta({ id: 'b' }),
+      }).meta({ id: 'root~/' })
+
+      expect(converter.convert(schema, 'input')).toEqual([{
+        $ref: '#/$defs/root~0~1',
+        $defs: {
+          'a': {
+            type: 'string',
+          },
+          'b': {
+            type: 'number',
+          },
+          'root~/': {
+            type: 'object',
+            properties: {
+              a: {
+                $ref: '#/$defs/a',
+              },
+              b: {
+                $ref: '#/$defs/b',
+              },
+            },
+            required: [
+              'a',
+              'b',
+            ],
+          },
+        },
+      }, false],
+      )
+    })
+
+    it('with a custom metadata registry', () => {
+      const registry = new $ZodRegistry()
+      const customConverter = new ZodToJsonSchemaConverter({ metadata: registry as any })
+
+      const schema = z.object({
+        a: z.string(),
+      })
+
+      registry.add(schema, { id: 'root' })
+      registry.add(schema.shape.a, { id: 'a' })
+
+      expect(customConverter.convert(schema, 'input')).toEqual([{
+        $ref: '#/$defs/root',
+        $defs: {
+          a: {
+            type: 'string',
+          },
+          root: {
+            type: 'object',
+            properties: {
+              a: {
+                $ref: '#/$defs/a',
+              },
+            },
+            required: [
+              'a',
+            ],
+          },
+        },
+      }, false])
+    })
+
+    it('avoids overwriting existing $defs when the root id collides', () => {
+      const schema = z.string().meta({ id: 'root' })
+
+      vi.mocked(toJSONSchema).mockReturnValueOnce({
+        $defs: {
+          root: {
+            type: 'number',
+          },
+        },
+        type: 'string',
+      } as any)
+
+      expect(converter.convert(schema, 'input')).toEqual([{
+        $ref: '#/$defs/root__0',
+        $defs: {
+          root: {
+            type: 'number',
+          },
+          root__0: {
+            type: 'string',
+          },
+        },
+      }, false])
+    })
+  })
+
   describe('optionality', () => {
     it.each([
       ['defaulted input schema', z.string().default('fallback'), 'input', {
diff --git a/packages/zod/src/converter.ts b/packages/zod/src/converter.ts
index 755609d24..e06f11a80 100644
--- a/packages/zod/src/converter.ts
+++ b/packages/zod/src/converter.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import type { AnySchema, JsonSchema, JsonSchemaConverter, JsonSchemaConverterDirection } from '@orpc/json-schema'
 import type { $ZodType, ToJSONSchemaParams, JSONSchema as ZodJsonSchema } from 'zod/v4/core'
-import { JsonSchemaFormat, JsonSchemaXNativeType } from '@orpc/json-schema'
-import { toJSONSchema } from 'zod/v4/core'
+import { encodeJsonPointerSegment, JsonSchemaFormat, JsonSchemaXNativeType } from '@orpc/json-schema'
+import { globalRegistry, toJSONSchema } from 'zod/v4/core'
 
 export interface ZodToJsonSchemaConverterOptions extends Omit<ToJSONSchemaParams, 'target' | 'io'> {}
 
@@ -75,6 +75,28 @@ export class ZodToJsonSchemaConverter implements JsonSchemaConverter {
     // Since the default oRPC format is always draft/2020-12,
     // `$schema` can be safely omitted here.
     const { $schema, ...rest } = jsonSchema
+
+    // workaround until https://github.com/colinhacks/zod/issues/6026 is merged
+    const registry = this.options.metadata ?? globalRegistry
+    const { id } = registry.get(schema) || {}
+    if (typeof id === 'string' && rest.$ref === undefined) {
+      const { $defs = {}, ...restWithoutDefs } = rest
+
+      let defName = id
+      let index = 0
+      while (defName in $defs) {
+        defName = `${defName}__${index++}`
+      }
+
+      return {
+        $ref: `#/$defs/${encodeJsonPointerSegment(defName)}`,
+        $defs: {
+          ...$defs,
+          [defName]: restWithoutDefs,
+        },
+      }
+    }
+
     return rest
   }
 }