diff --git a/openapi_spec_validator/shortcuts.py b/openapi_spec_validator/shortcuts.py
index 3a4a797..121411f 100644
--- a/openapi_spec_validator/shortcuts.py
+++ b/openapi_spec_validator/shortcuts.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 from typing import Any
 from typing import Hashable
 from typing import Mapping
+from typing import Optional
 
 from jsonschema_spec.handlers import all_urls_handler
 
@@ -11,10 +12,11 @@
 
 def validate_spec(
     spec: Mapping[Hashable, Any],
-    spec_url: str = "",
+    base_uri: str = "",
     validator: SupportsValidation = openapi_spec_validator_proxy,
+    spec_url: Optional[str] = None,
 ) -> None:
-    return validator.validate(spec, spec_url=spec_url)
+    return validator.validate(spec, base_uri=base_uri, spec_url=spec_url)
 
 
 def validate_spec_url(
@@ -22,4 +24,4 @@ def validate_spec_url(
     validator: SupportsValidation = openapi_spec_validator_proxy,
 ) -> None:
     spec = all_urls_handler(spec_url)
-    return validator.validate(spec, spec_url=spec_url)
+    return validator.validate(spec, base_uri=spec_url)
diff --git a/openapi_spec_validator/validation/protocols.py b/openapi_spec_validator/validation/protocols.py
index 8480209..f6aa41a 100644
--- a/openapi_spec_validator/validation/protocols.py
+++ b/openapi_spec_validator/validation/protocols.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 from typing import Hashable
 from typing import Iterator
 from typing import Mapping
+from typing import Optional
 from typing import Protocol
 from typing import runtime_checkable
 
@@ -14,11 +15,17 @@ def is_valid(self, instance: Mapping[Hashable, Any]) -> bool:
         ...
 
     def iter_errors(
-        self, instance: Mapping[Hashable, Any], spec_url: str = ""
+        self,
+        instance: Mapping[Hashable, Any],
+        base_uri: str = "",
+        spec_url: Optional[str] = None,
     ) -> Iterator[OpenAPIValidationError]:
         ...
 
     def validate(
-        self, instance: Mapping[Hashable, Any], spec_url: str = ""
+        self,
+        instance: Mapping[Hashable, Any],
+        base_uri: str = "",
+        spec_url: Optional[str] = None,
     ) -> None:
         ...
diff --git a/openapi_spec_validator/validation/proxies.py b/openapi_spec_validator/validation/proxies.py
index ca4541e..372c6bf 100644
--- a/openapi_spec_validator/validation/proxies.py
+++ b/openapi_spec_validator/validation/proxies.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 from typing import Hashable
 from typing import Iterator
 from typing import Mapping
+from typing import Optional
 from typing import Tuple
 
 from openapi_spec_validator.validation.exceptions import OpenAPIValidationError
@@ -21,10 +22,15 @@ def detect(self, instance: Mapping[Hashable, Any]) -> SpecValidator:
         raise ValidatorDetectError("Spec schema version not detected")
 
     def validate(
-        self, instance: Mapping[Hashable, Any], spec_url: str = ""
+        self,
+        instance: Mapping[Hashable, Any],
+        base_uri: str = "",
+        spec_url: Optional[str] = None,
     ) -> None:
         validator = self.detect(instance)
-        for err in validator.iter_errors(instance, spec_url=spec_url):
+        for err in validator.iter_errors(
+            instance, base_uri=base_uri, spec_url=spec_url
+        ):
             raise err
 
     def is_valid(self, instance: Mapping[Hashable, Any]) -> bool:
@@ -33,7 +39,12 @@ def is_valid(self, instance: Mapping[Hashable, Any]) -> bool:
         return error is None
 
     def iter_errors(
-        self, instance: Mapping[Hashable, Any], spec_url: str = ""
+        self,
+        instance: Mapping[Hashable, Any],
+        base_uri: str = "",
+        spec_url: Optional[str] = None,
     ) -> Iterator[OpenAPIValidationError]:
         validator = self.detect(instance)
-        yield from validator.iter_errors(instance, spec_url=spec_url)
+        yield from validator.iter_errors(
+            instance, base_uri=base_uri, spec_url=spec_url
+        )