diff --git a/cmd/cue/cmd/common.go b/cmd/cue/cmd/common.go
index cbe713e..1b51472 100644
--- a/cmd/cue/cmd/common.go
+++ b/cmd/cue/cmd/common.go
@@ -169,7 +169,8 @@
 type iterator interface {
 	scan() bool
 	value() cue.Value
-	file() *ast.File // may return nil
+	instance() *cue.Instance // may return nil
+	file() *ast.File         // may return nil
 	err() error
 	close()
 	id() string
@@ -186,11 +187,12 @@
 	return i.i < len(i.a) && i.e == nil
 }
 
-func (i *instanceIterator) close()           {}
-func (i *instanceIterator) err() error       { return i.e }
-func (i *instanceIterator) value() cue.Value { return i.a[i.i].Value() }
-func (i *instanceIterator) file() *ast.File  { return nil }
-func (i *instanceIterator) id() string       { return i.a[i.i].Dir }
+func (i *instanceIterator) close()                  {}
+func (i *instanceIterator) err() error              { return i.e }
+func (i *instanceIterator) value() cue.Value        { return i.a[i.i].Value() }
+func (i *instanceIterator) instance() *cue.Instance { return i.a[i.i] }
+func (i *instanceIterator) file() *ast.File         { return nil }
+func (i *instanceIterator) id() string              { return i.a[i.i].Dir }
 
 type streamingIterator struct {
 	r    *cue.Runtime
@@ -239,8 +241,9 @@
 	return i
 }
 
-func (i *streamingIterator) file() *ast.File  { return i.f }
-func (i *streamingIterator) value() cue.Value { return i.v }
+func (i *streamingIterator) file() *ast.File         { return i.f }
+func (i *streamingIterator) value() cue.Value        { return i.v }
+func (i *streamingIterator) instance() *cue.Instance { return nil }
 
 func (i *streamingIterator) id() string {
 	if i.inst != nil {
@@ -333,7 +336,8 @@
 	return true
 }
 
-func (i *expressionIter) file() *ast.File { return nil }
+func (i *expressionIter) file() *ast.File         { return nil }
+func (i *expressionIter) instance() *cue.Instance { return nil }
 
 func (i *expressionIter) value() cue.Value {
 	if len(i.expr) == 0 {
diff --git a/cmd/cue/cmd/def.go b/cmd/cue/cmd/def.go
index edba0e6..5b7040d 100644
--- a/cmd/cue/cmd/def.go
+++ b/cmd/cue/cmd/def.go
@@ -60,13 +60,15 @@
 	iter := b.instances()
 	defer iter.close()
 	for i := 0; iter.scan(); i++ {
+		var err error
 		if f := iter.file(); f != nil {
-			err := e.EncodeFile(f)
-			exitOnErr(cmd, err, true)
+			err = e.EncodeFile(f)
+		} else if i := iter.instance(); i != nil {
+			err = e.EncodeInstance(iter.instance())
 		} else {
-			err := e.Encode(iter.value())
-			exitOnErr(cmd, err, true)
+			err = e.Encode(iter.value())
 		}
+		exitOnErr(cmd, err, true)
 	}
 	exitOnErr(cmd, iter.err(), true)
 	return nil
diff --git a/cmd/cue/cmd/testdata/script/def_openapi.txt b/cmd/cue/cmd/testdata/script/def_openapi.txt
index d56adf5..1cf3ab7 100644
--- a/cmd/cue/cmd/testdata/script/def_openapi.txt
+++ b/cmd/cue/cmd/testdata/script/def_openapi.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-skip 'fix comments and value printing'
-
 cue def openapi+cue: expect-cue-out -o -
 
 cue def foo.cue -o openapi:-
@@ -255,11 +253,14 @@
 }
 -- expect-cue3 --
 // My OpenAPI
+
+// My OpenAPI2
 package foo
 
 info: {
-	title:   string | *_|_
-	version: *"v1alpha1" | string}
+	title:   (*"My OpenAPI" | string) & (*"My OpenAPI2" | string)
+	version: (*"v1alpha1" | string) & (*"v1alpha1" | string)
+}
 #Bar: {
 	foo: #Foo
 	...
diff --git a/internal/encoding/encoder.go b/internal/encoding/encoder.go
index 764d482..40db53f 100644
--- a/internal/encoding/encoder.go
+++ b/internal/encoding/encoder.go
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@
 	encValue     func(cue.Value) error
 	autoSimplify bool
 	concrete     bool
+	instance     *cue.Instance
 }
 
 // IsConcrete reports whether the output is required to be concrete.
@@ -80,7 +81,10 @@
 		// TODO: get encoding options
 		cfg := &openapi.Config{}
 		e.interpret = func(v cue.Value) (*ast.File, error) {
-			i := internal.MakeInstance(v).(*cue.Instance)
+			i := e.instance
+			if i == nil {
+				i = internal.MakeInstance(v).(*cue.Instance)
+			}
 			return openapi.Generate(i, cfg)
 		}
 	// case build.JSONSchema:
@@ -205,6 +209,15 @@
 	return e.encodeFile(f, e.interpret)
 }
 
+// EncodeInstance is as Encode, but stores instance information. This should
+// all be retrievable from the value itself.
+func (e *Encoder) EncodeInstance(v *cue.Instance) error {
+	e.instance = v
+	err := e.Encode(v.Value())
+	e.instance = nil
+	return err
+}
+
 func (e *Encoder) Encode(v cue.Value) error {
 	e.autoSimplify = true
 	if e.interpret != nil {