diff --git a/modules/swagger-annotations/src/main/java/io/swagger/v3/oas/annotations/media/ArraySchema.java b/modules/swagger-annotations/src/main/java/io/swagger/v3/oas/annotations/media/ArraySchema.java
index 186ade23f7..baabd6ecbe 100644
--- a/modules/swagger-annotations/src/main/java/io/swagger/v3/oas/annotations/media/ArraySchema.java
+++ b/modules/swagger-annotations/src/main/java/io/swagger/v3/oas/annotations/media/ArraySchema.java
@@ -39,9 +39,10 @@
      *
      * @since 2.2.12
      *
+     * @deprecated since 2.2.21, use {@link #schema()} instead. Marked for removal in future versions.
      * @return items
      */
-
+    @Deprecated
     Schema items() default @Schema;
 
     /**
diff --git a/modules/swagger-core/src/main/java/io/swagger/v3/core/jackson/ModelResolver.java b/modules/swagger-core/src/main/java/io/swagger/v3/core/jackson/ModelResolver.java
index eb6ae9e473..fc86e2184c 100644
--- a/modules/swagger-core/src/main/java/io/swagger/v3/core/jackson/ModelResolver.java
+++ b/modules/swagger-core/src/main/java/io/swagger/v3/core/jackson/ModelResolver.java
@@ -2936,11 +2936,17 @@ private void resolveArraySchema(AnnotatedType annotatedType, ArraySchema schema,
                         schema.addPrefixItem(prefixItem);
                     }
                 }
+                // TODO `ArraySchema.items` is deprecated, when removed, remove this block
                 if (schema.getItems() != null && AnnotationsUtils.hasSchemaAnnotation(resolvedArrayAnnotation.items())) {
                     for (String type : resolvedArrayAnnotation.items().types()) {
                         schema.getItems().addType(type);
                     }
                 }
+                if (schema.getItems() != null && AnnotationsUtils.hasSchemaAnnotation(resolvedArrayAnnotation.schema())) {
+                    for (String type : resolvedArrayAnnotation.schema().types()) {
+                        schema.getItems().addType(type);
+                    }
+                }
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/modules/swagger-core/src/test/java/io/swagger/v3/core/resolving/v31/model/AnnotatedArray.java b/modules/swagger-core/src/test/java/io/swagger/v3/core/resolving/v31/model/AnnotatedArray.java
index 566a98f116..9e49f750d6 100644
--- a/modules/swagger-core/src/test/java/io/swagger/v3/core/resolving/v31/model/AnnotatedArray.java
+++ b/modules/swagger-core/src/test/java/io/swagger/v3/core/resolving/v31/model/AnnotatedArray.java
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
         unevaluatedItems = @Schema(
                 types = { "number" }
         ),
-        items = @Schema(
+        schema = @Schema(
                 types = { "string" }
         ),
         prefixItems = {