@mikro-orm/core 7.0.0-dev.3 → 7.0.0-dev.300

package/entity/EntityLoader.js

@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@ import { ValidationError } from '../errors.js';
 import { LoadStrategy, PopulatePath, ReferenceKind, } from '../enums.js';
 import { Reference } from './Reference.js';
 import { helper } from './wrap.js';
-import { raw, RawQueryFragment } from '../utils/RawQueryFragment.js';
 import { expandDotPaths } from './utils.js';
+import { Raw } from '../utils/RawQueryFragment.js';
 export class EntityLoader {
     em;
     metadata;
@@ -32,17 +32,16 @@ export class EntityLoader {
         const visited = options.visited ??= new Set();
         options.where ??= {};
         options.orderBy ??= {};
-        options.filters ??= {};
         options.lookup ??= true;
         options.validate ??= true;
         options.refresh ??= false;
         options.convertCustomTypes ??= true;
         if (references.length > 0) {
-            await this.populateScalar(meta, references, options);
+            await this.populateScalar(meta, references, { ...options, populateWhere: undefined });
         }
-        populate = this.normalizePopulate(entityName, populate, options.strategy, options.lookup);
+        populate = this.normalizePopulate(entityName, populate, options.strategy, options.lookup, options.exclude);
         const invalid = populate.find(({ field }) => !this.em.canPopulate(entityName, field));
-        /* v8 ignore next 3 */
+        /* v8 ignore next */
         if (options.validate && invalid) {
             throw ValidationError.invalidPropertyName(entityName, invalid.field);
         }
@@ -57,7 +56,7 @@ export class EntityLoader {
             visited.delete(entity);
         }
     }
-    normalizePopulate(entityName, populate, strategy, lookup = true) {
+    normalizePopulate(entityName, populate, strategy, lookup = true, exclude) {
         const meta = this.metadata.find(entityName);
         let normalized = Utils.asArray(populate).map(field => {
             return typeof field === 'boolean' || field.field === PopulatePath.ALL ? { all: !!field, field: meta.primaryKeys[0] } : field;
@@ -68,7 +67,7 @@ export class EntityLoader {
         // convert nested `field` with dot syntax to PopulateOptions with `children` array
         expandDotPaths(meta, normalized, true);
         if (lookup && populate !== false) {
-            normalized = this.lookupEagerLoadedRelationships(entityName, normalized, strategy);
+            normalized = this.lookupEagerLoadedRelationships(entityName, normalized, strategy, '', [], exclude);
             // convert nested `field` with dot syntax produced by eager relations
             expandDotPaths(meta, normalized, true);
         }
@@ -140,34 +139,102 @@ export class EntityLoader {
         const innerOrderBy = Utils.asArray(options.orderBy)
             .filter(orderBy => (Array.isArray(orderBy[prop.name]) && orderBy[prop.name].length > 0) || Utils.isObject(orderBy[prop.name]))
             .flatMap(orderBy => orderBy[prop.name]);
+        const where = await this.extractChildCondition(options, prop);
         if (prop.kind === ReferenceKind.MANY_TO_MANY && this.driver.getPlatform().usesPivotTable()) {
-            return this.findChildrenFromPivotTable(filtered, prop, options, innerOrderBy, populate, !!ref);
+            const pivotOrderBy = QueryHelper.mergeOrderBy(innerOrderBy, prop.orderBy, prop.targetMeta?.orderBy);
+            const res = await this.findChildrenFromPivotTable(filtered, prop, options, pivotOrderBy, populate, !!ref);
+            return Utils.flatten(res);
         }
-        const where = await this.extractChildCondition(options, prop);
-        const data = await this.findChildren(entities, prop, populate, { ...options, where, orderBy: innerOrderBy }, !!(ref || prop.mapToPk));
-        this.initializeCollections(filtered, prop, field, data, innerOrderBy.length > 0);
-        return data;
+        if (prop.polymorphic && prop.polymorphTargets) {
+            return this.populatePolymorphic(entities, prop, options, !!ref);
+        }
+        const { items, partial } = await this.findChildren(options.filtered ?? entities, prop, populate, {
+            ...options,
+            where,
+            orderBy: innerOrderBy,
+        }, !!(ref || prop.mapToPk));
+        const customOrder = innerOrderBy.length > 0 || !!prop.orderBy || !!prop.targetMeta?.orderBy;
+        this.initializeCollections(filtered, prop, field, items, customOrder, partial);
+        return items;
     }
     async populateScalar(meta, filtered, options) {
         const pk = Utils.getPrimaryKeyHash(meta.primaryKeys);
-        const ids = Utils.unique(filtered.map(e => Utils.getPrimaryKeyValues(e, meta.primaryKeys, true)));
+        const ids = Utils.unique(filtered.map(e => Utils.getPrimaryKeyValues(e, meta, true)));
         const where = this.mergePrimaryCondition(ids, pk, options, meta, this.metadata, this.driver.getPlatform());
         const { filters, convertCustomTypes, lockMode, strategy, populateWhere, connectionType, logging, fields } = options;
-        await this.em.find(meta.className, where, {
+        await this.em.find(meta.class, where, {
             filters, convertCustomTypes, lockMode, strategy, populateWhere, connectionType, logging,
             fields: fields,
             populate: [],
         });
     }
-    initializeCollections(filtered, prop, field, children, customOrder) {
+    async populatePolymorphic(entities, prop, options, ref) {
+        const ownerMeta = this.metadata.get(entities[0].constructor);
+        // Separate entities: those with loaded refs vs those needing FK load
+        const toPopulate = [];
+        const needsFkLoad = [];
+        for (const entity of entities) {
+            const refValue = entity[prop.name];
+            if (refValue && helper(refValue).hasPrimaryKey()) {
+                if ((ref && !options.refresh) || // :ref hint - already have reference
+                    (!ref && helper(refValue).__initialized && !options.refresh) // already loaded
+                ) {
+                    continue;
+                }
+                toPopulate.push(entity);
+            }
+            else if (refValue == null && !helper(entity).__loadedProperties.has(prop.name)) {
+                // FK columns weren't loaded (partial loading) — need to re-fetch them.
+                // If the property IS in __loadedProperties, the FK was loaded and is genuinely null.
+                needsFkLoad.push(entity);
+            }
+        }
+        // Load FK columns using populateScalar pattern
+        if (needsFkLoad.length > 0) {
+            await this.populateScalar(ownerMeta, needsFkLoad, {
+                ...options,
+                fields: [...ownerMeta.primaryKeys, prop.name],
+            });
+            // After loading FKs, add to toPopulate if not using :ref hint
+            if (!ref) {
+                for (const entity of needsFkLoad) {
+                    const refValue = entity[prop.name];
+                    if (refValue && helper(refValue).hasPrimaryKey()) {
+                        toPopulate.push(entity);
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        if (toPopulate.length === 0) {
+            return [];
+        }
+        // Group references by target class for batch loading
+        const groups = new Map();
+        for (const entity of toPopulate) {
+            const refValue = Reference.unwrapReference(entity[prop.name]);
+            const discriminator = QueryHelper.findDiscriminatorValue(prop.discriminatorMap, helper(refValue).__meta.class);
+            const group = groups.get(discriminator) ?? [];
+            group.push(refValue);
+            groups.set(discriminator, group);
+        }
+        // Load each group concurrently - identity map handles merging with existing references
+        const allItems = [];
+        await Promise.all([...groups].map(async ([discriminator, children]) => {
+            const targetMeta = this.metadata.find(prop.discriminatorMap[discriminator]);
+            await this.populateScalar(targetMeta, children, options);
+            allItems.push(...children);
+        }));
+        return allItems;
+    }
+    initializeCollections(filtered, prop, field, children, customOrder, partial) {
         if (prop.kind === ReferenceKind.ONE_TO_MANY) {
-            this.initializeOneToMany(filtered, children, prop, field);
+            this.initializeOneToMany(filtered, children, prop, field, partial);
         }
         if (prop.kind === ReferenceKind.MANY_TO_MANY && !this.driver.getPlatform().usesPivotTable()) {
-            this.initializeManyToMany(filtered, children, prop, field, customOrder);
+            this.initializeManyToMany(filtered, children, prop, field, customOrder, partial);
         }
     }
-    initializeOneToMany(filtered, children, prop, field) {
+    initializeOneToMany(filtered, children, prop, field, partial) {
         const mapToPk = prop.targetMeta.properties[prop.mappedBy].mapToPk;
         const map = {};
         for (const entity of filtered) {
@@ -177,20 +244,20 @@ export class EntityLoader {
         for (const child of children) {
             const pk = child.__helper.__data[prop.mappedBy] ?? child[prop.mappedBy];
             if (pk) {
-                const key = helper(mapToPk ? this.em.getReference(prop.type, pk) : pk).getSerializedPrimaryKey();
+                const key = helper(mapToPk ? this.em.getReference(prop.targetMeta.class, pk) : pk).getSerializedPrimaryKey();
                 map[key]?.push(child);
             }
         }
         for (const entity of filtered) {
             const key = helper(entity).getSerializedPrimaryKey();
-            entity[field].hydrate(map[key]);
+            entity[field].hydrate(map[key], undefined, partial);
         }
     }
-    initializeManyToMany(filtered, children, prop, field, customOrder) {
+    initializeManyToMany(filtered, children, prop, field, customOrder, partial) {
         if (prop.mappedBy) {
             for (const entity of filtered) {
                 const items = children.filter(child => child[prop.mappedBy].contains(entity, false));
-                entity[field].hydrate(items, true);
+                entity[field].hydrate(items, true, partial);
             }
         }
         else { // owning side of M:N without pivot table needs to be reordered
@@ -200,17 +267,28 @@ export class EntityLoader {
                 if (!customOrder) {
                     items.sort((a, b) => order.indexOf(a) - order.indexOf(b));
                 }
-                entity[field].hydrate(items, true);
+                entity[field].hydrate(items, true, partial);
             }
         }
     }
     async findChildren(entities, prop, populate, options, ref) {
-        const children = this.getChildReferences(entities, prop, options, ref);
+        const children = Utils.unique(this.getChildReferences(entities, prop, options, ref));
         const meta = prop.targetMeta;
-        let fk = Utils.getPrimaryKeyHash(meta.primaryKeys);
+        // When targetKey is set, use it for FK lookup instead of the PK
+        let fk = prop.targetKey ?? Utils.getPrimaryKeyHash(meta.primaryKeys);
         let schema = options.schema;
+        const partial = !Utils.isEmpty(prop.where) || !Utils.isEmpty(options.where);
+        let polymorphicOwnerProp;
         if (prop.kind === ReferenceKind.ONE_TO_MANY || (prop.kind === ReferenceKind.MANY_TO_MANY && !prop.owner)) {
-            fk = meta.properties[prop.mappedBy].name;
+            const ownerProp = meta.properties[prop.mappedBy];
+            if (ownerProp.polymorphic && ownerProp.fieldNames.length >= 2) {
+                const idColumns = ownerProp.fieldNames.slice(1);
+                fk = idColumns.length === 1 ? idColumns[0] : idColumns;
+                polymorphicOwnerProp = ownerProp;
+            }
+            else {
+                fk = ownerProp.name;
+            }
         }
         if (prop.kind === ReferenceKind.ONE_TO_ONE && !prop.owner && !ref) {
             children.length = 0;
@@ -218,40 +296,43 @@ export class EntityLoader {
             children.push(...this.filterByReferences(entities, prop.name, options.refresh));
         }
         if (children.length === 0) {
-            return [];
+            return { items: [], partial };
         }
         if (!schema && [ReferenceKind.ONE_TO_ONE, ReferenceKind.MANY_TO_ONE].includes(prop.kind)) {
             schema = children.find(e => e.__helper.__schema)?.__helper.__schema;
         }
-        const ids = Utils.unique(children.map(e => e.__helper.getPrimaryKey()));
-        let where = this.mergePrimaryCondition(ids, fk, options, meta, this.metadata, this.driver.getPlatform());
+        const ids = Utils.unique(children.map(e => prop.targetKey ? e[prop.targetKey] : e.__helper.getPrimaryKey()));
+        let where;
+        if (polymorphicOwnerProp && Array.isArray(fk)) {
+            const conditions = ids.map(id => {
+                const pkValues = Object.values(id);
+                return Object.fromEntries(fk.map((col, idx) => [col, pkValues[idx]]));
+            });
+            where = (conditions.length === 1 ? conditions[0] : { $or: conditions });
+        }
+        else {
+            where = this.mergePrimaryCondition(ids, fk, options, meta, this.metadata, this.driver.getPlatform());
+        }
+        if (polymorphicOwnerProp) {
+            const parentMeta = this.metadata.find(entities[0].constructor);
+            const discriminatorValue = QueryHelper.findDiscriminatorValue(polymorphicOwnerProp.discriminatorMap, parentMeta.class) ?? parentMeta.tableName;
+            const discriminatorColumn = polymorphicOwnerProp.fieldNames[0];
+            where = { $and: [where, { [discriminatorColumn]: discriminatorValue }] };
+        }
         const fields = this.buildFields(options.fields, prop, ref);
         /* eslint-disable prefer-const */
-        let { refresh, filters, convertCustomTypes, lockMode, strategy, populateWhere, connectionType, logging, } = options;
+        let { refresh, filters, convertCustomTypes, lockMode, strategy, populateWhere = 'infer', connectionType, logging, } = options;
         /* eslint-enable prefer-const */
         if (typeof populateWhere === 'object') {
             populateWhere = await this.extractChildCondition({ where: populateWhere }, prop);
         }
-        if (!Utils.isEmpty(prop.where)) {
+        if (!Utils.isEmpty(prop.where) || Raw.hasObjectFragments(prop.where)) {
             where = { $and: [where, prop.where] };
         }
-        const propOrderBy = [];
-        if (prop.orderBy) {
-            for (const item of Utils.asArray(prop.orderBy)) {
-                for (const field of Utils.keys(item)) {
-                    const rawField = RawQueryFragment.getKnownFragment(field, false);
-                    if (rawField) {
-                        const raw2 = raw(rawField.sql, rawField.params);
-                        propOrderBy.push({ [raw2.toString()]: item[field] });
-                        continue;
-                    }
-                    propOrderBy.push({ [field]: item[field] });
-                }
-            }
-        }
-        const items = await this.em.find(prop.type, where, {
+        const orderBy = QueryHelper.mergeOrderBy(options.orderBy, prop.orderBy);
+        const items = await this.em.find(meta.class, where, {
             filters, convertCustomTypes, lockMode, populateWhere, logging,
-            orderBy: [...Utils.asArray(options.orderBy), ...propOrderBy],
+            orderBy,
             populate: populate.children ?? populate.all ?? [],
             exclude: Array.isArray(options.exclude) ? Utils.extractChildElements(options.exclude, prop.name) : options.exclude,
             strategy, fields, schema, connectionType,
@@ -260,6 +341,49 @@ export class EntityLoader {
             // @ts-ignore not a public option, will be propagated to the populate call
             visited: options.visited,
         });
+        // For targetKey relations, wire up loaded entities to parent references
+        // This is needed because the references were created under alternate key,
+        // but loaded entities are stored under PK, so they don't automatically merge
+        if (prop.targetKey && [ReferenceKind.ONE_TO_ONE, ReferenceKind.MANY_TO_ONE].includes(prop.kind)) {
+            const itemsByKey = new Map();
+            for (const item of items) {
+                itemsByKey.set('' + item[prop.targetKey], item);
+            }
+            for (const entity of entities) {
+                const ref = entity[prop.name];
+                /* v8 ignore next */
+                if (!ref) {
+                    continue;
+                }
+                const keyValue = '' + (Reference.isReference(ref) ? ref.unwrap()[prop.targetKey] : ref[prop.targetKey]);
+                const loadedItem = itemsByKey.get(keyValue);
+                if (loadedItem) {
+                    entity[prop.name] = (Reference.isReference(ref) ? Reference.create(loadedItem) : loadedItem);
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        if ([ReferenceKind.ONE_TO_ONE, ReferenceKind.MANY_TO_ONE].includes(prop.kind) && items.length !== children.length) {
+            const nullVal = this.em.config.get('forceUndefined') ? undefined : null;
+            const itemsMap = new Set();
+            const childrenMap = new Set();
+            // Use targetKey value if set, otherwise use serialized PK
+            const getKey = (e) => prop.targetKey ? '' + e[prop.targetKey] : helper(e).getSerializedPrimaryKey();
+            for (const item of items) {
+                /* v8 ignore next */
+                itemsMap.add(getKey(item));
+            }
+            for (const child of children) {
+                childrenMap.add(getKey(child));
+            }
+            for (const entity of entities) {
+                const ref = entity[prop.name] ?? {};
+                const key = helper(ref) ? getKey(ref) : undefined;
+                if (key && childrenMap.has(key) && !itemsMap.has(key)) {
+                    entity[prop.name] = nullVal;
+                    helper(entity).__originalEntityData[prop.name] = null;
+                }
+            }
+        }
         for (const item of items) {
             if (ref && !helper(item).__onLoadFired) {
                 helper(item).__initialized = false;
@@ -267,10 +391,10 @@ export class EntityLoader {
                 this.em.getUnitOfWork()['loadedEntities'].delete(item);
             }
         }
-        return items;
+        return { items, partial };
     }
     mergePrimaryCondition(ids, pk, options, meta, metadata, platform) {
-        const cond1 = QueryHelper.processWhere({ where: { [pk]: { $in: ids } }, entityName: meta.className, metadata, platform, convertCustomTypes: !options.convertCustomTypes });
+        const cond1 = QueryHelper.processWhere({ where: { [pk]: { $in: ids } }, entityName: meta.class, metadata, platform, convertCustomTypes: !options.convertCustomTypes });
         const where = { ...options.where };
         Utils.dropUndefinedProperties(where);
         return where[pk]
@@ -283,6 +407,7 @@ export class EntityLoader {
         if (prop.kind === ReferenceKind.SCALAR && !prop.lazy) {
             return;
         }
+        options = { ...options, filters: QueryHelper.mergePropertyFilters(prop.filters, options.filters) };
         const populated = await this.populateMany(entityName, entities, populate, options);
         if (!populate.children && !populate.all) {
             return;
@@ -310,38 +435,64 @@ export class EntityLoader {
         const innerOrderBy = Utils.asArray(options.orderBy)
             .filter(orderBy => Utils.isObject(orderBy[prop.name]))
             .map(orderBy => orderBy[prop.name]);
-        const { refresh, filters, ignoreLazyScalarProperties, populateWhere, connectionType, logging } = options;
+        const { refresh, filters, ignoreLazyScalarProperties, populateWhere, connectionType, logging, schema } = options;
         const exclude = Array.isArray(options.exclude) ? Utils.extractChildElements(options.exclude, prop.name) : options.exclude;
-        const filtered = Utils.unique(children.filter(e => !options.visited.has(e)));
-        await this.populate(prop.type, filtered, populate.children ?? populate.all, {
-            where: await this.extractChildCondition(options, prop, false),
-            orderBy: innerOrderBy,
-            fields,
-            exclude,
-            validate: false,
-            lookup: false,
-            filters,
-            ignoreLazyScalarProperties,
-            populateWhere,
-            connectionType,
-            logging,
-            // @ts-ignore not a public option, will be propagated to the populate call
-            refresh: refresh && !filtered.every(item => options.visited.has(item)),
-            // @ts-ignore not a public option, will be propagated to the populate call
-            visited: options.visited,
-        });
+        const visited = options.visited;
+        for (const entity of entities) {
+            visited.delete(entity);
+        }
+        const unique = Utils.unique(children);
+        const filtered = unique.filter(e => !visited.has(e));
+        for (const entity of entities) {
+            visited.add(entity);
+        }
+        if (!prop.targetMeta) {
+            return;
+        }
+        const populateChildren = async (targetMeta, items) => {
+            await this.populate(targetMeta.class, items, populate.children ?? populate.all, {
+                where: await this.extractChildCondition(options, prop, false),
+                orderBy: innerOrderBy,
+                fields,
+                exclude,
+                validate: false,
+                lookup: false,
+                filters,
+                ignoreLazyScalarProperties,
+                populateWhere,
+                connectionType,
+                logging,
+                schema,
+                // @ts-ignore not a public option, will be propagated to the populate call
+                refresh: refresh && !filtered.every(item => options.visited.has(item)),
+                // @ts-ignore not a public option, will be propagated to the populate call
+                visited: options.visited,
+                // @ts-ignore not a public option
+                filtered,
+            });
+        };
+        if (prop.polymorphic && prop.polymorphTargets) {
+            await Promise.all(prop.polymorphTargets.map(async (targetMeta) => {
+                const targetChildren = unique.filter(child => helper(child).__meta.className === targetMeta.className);
+                if (targetChildren.length > 0) {
+                    await populateChildren(targetMeta, targetChildren);
+                }
+            }));
+        }
+        else {
+            await populateChildren(prop.targetMeta, unique);
+        }
     }
+    /** @internal */
     async findChildrenFromPivotTable(filtered, prop, options, orderBy, populate, pivotJoin) {
         const ids = filtered.map(e => e.__helper.__primaryKeys);
         const refresh = options.refresh;
         let where = await this.extractChildCondition(options, prop, true);
         const fields = this.buildFields(options.fields, prop);
         const exclude = Array.isArray(options.exclude) ? Utils.extractChildElements(options.exclude, prop.name) : options.exclude;
-        const options2 = { ...options };
-        delete options2.limit;
-        delete options2.offset;
-        options2.fields = fields;
-        options2.exclude = exclude;
+        const populateFilter = options.populateFilter?.[prop.name];
+        const options2 = { ...options, fields, exclude, populateFilter };
+        ['limit', 'offset', 'first', 'last', 'before', 'after', 'overfetch'].forEach(prop => delete options2[prop]);
         options2.populate = (populate?.children ?? []);
         if (prop.customType) {
             ids.forEach((id, idx) => ids[idx] = QueryHelper.processCustomType(prop, id, this.driver.getPlatform()));
@@ -354,12 +505,12 @@ export class EntityLoader {
         for (const entity of filtered) {
             const items = map[entity.__helper.getSerializedPrimaryKey()].map(item => {
                 if (pivotJoin) {
-                    return this.em.getReference(prop.type, item, {
+                    return this.em.getReference(prop.targetMeta.class, item, {
                         convertCustomTypes: true,
                         schema: options.schema ?? this.em.config.get('schema'),
                     });
                 }
-                const entity = this.em.getEntityFactory().create(prop.type, item, {
+                const entity = this.em.getEntityFactory().create(prop.targetMeta.class, item, {
                     refresh,
                     merge: true,
                     convertCustomTypes: true,
@@ -368,23 +519,20 @@ export class EntityLoader {
                 return this.em.getUnitOfWork().register(entity, item, { refresh, loaded: true });
             });
             entity[prop.name].hydrate(items, true);
-            children.push(...items);
+            children.push(items);
         }
         return children;
     }
     async extractChildCondition(options, prop, filters = false) {
         const where = options.where;
         const subCond = Utils.isPlainObject(where[prop.name]) ? where[prop.name] : {};
-        const meta2 = this.metadata.find(prop.type);
-        if (!meta2) {
-            return {};
-        }
+        const meta2 = prop.targetMeta;
         const pk = Utils.getPrimaryKeyHash(meta2.primaryKeys);
         ['$and', '$or'].forEach(op => {
             if (where[op]) {
                 const child = where[op]
                     .map((cond) => cond[prop.name])
-                    .filter((sub) => sub != null && !(Utils.isPlainObject(sub) && Object.keys(sub).every(key => Utils.isOperator(key, false))))
+                    .filter((sub) => sub != null && !(Utils.isPlainObject(sub) && Utils.getObjectQueryKeys(sub).every(key => Utils.isOperator(key, false))))
                     .map((cond) => {
                     if (Utils.isPrimaryKey(cond)) {
                         return { [pk]: cond };
@@ -405,7 +553,7 @@ export class EntityLoader {
             });
         }
         if (filters) {
-            return this.em.applyFilters(prop.type, subCond, options.filters, 'read', options);
+            return this.em.applyFilters(meta2.class, subCond, options.filters, 'read', options);
         }
         return subCond;
     }
@@ -423,44 +571,43 @@ export class EntityLoader {
                 const parts = f.toString().split('.');
                 const propName = parts.shift();
                 const childPropName = parts.join('.');
-                /* v8 ignore next 3 */
+                /* v8 ignore next */
                 if (propName === prop.name) {
                     ret.push(childPropName);
                 }
             }
             return ret;
         }, []);
-        if (ret.length === 0) {
-            return undefined;
-        }
         // we need to automatically select the FKs too, e.g. for 1:m relations to be able to wire them with the items
         if (prop.kind === ReferenceKind.ONE_TO_MANY || prop.kind === ReferenceKind.MANY_TO_MANY) {
             const owner = prop.targetMeta.properties[prop.mappedBy];
-            if (owner && !ret.includes(owner.name)) {
+            // when the owning FK is lazy, we need to explicitly select it even without user-provided fields,
+            // otherwise the driver will exclude it and we won't be able to map children to their parent collections
+            if (owner && !ret.includes(owner.name) && (ret.length > 0 || owner.lazy)) {
                 ret.push(owner.name);
             }
         }
+        if (ret.length === 0) {
+            return undefined;
+        }
         return ret;
     }
     getChildReferences(entities, prop, options, ref) {
         const filtered = this.filterCollections(entities, prop.name, options, ref);
-        const children = [];
         if (prop.kind === ReferenceKind.ONE_TO_MANY) {
-            children.push(...filtered.map(e => e[prop.name].owner));
+            return filtered.map(e => e[prop.name].owner);
         }
-        else if (prop.kind === ReferenceKind.MANY_TO_MANY && prop.owner) {
-            children.push(...filtered.reduce((a, b) => {
+        if (prop.kind === ReferenceKind.MANY_TO_MANY && prop.owner) {
+            return filtered.reduce((a, b) => {
                 a.push(...b[prop.name].getItems());
                 return a;
-            }, []));
+            }, []);
         }
-        else if (prop.kind === ReferenceKind.MANY_TO_MANY) { // inverse side
-            children.push(...filtered);
+        if (prop.kind === ReferenceKind.MANY_TO_MANY) { // inverse side
+            return filtered;
         }
-        else { // MANY_TO_ONE or ONE_TO_ONE
-            children.push(...this.filterReferences(entities, prop.name, options, ref));
-        }
-        return children;
+        // MANY_TO_ONE or ONE_TO_ONE
+        return this.filterReferences(entities, prop.name, options, ref);
     }
     filterCollections(entities, field, options, ref) {
         if (options.refresh) {
@@ -477,7 +624,7 @@ export class EntityLoader {
             return wrapped.__loadedProperties.has(field);
         }
         const [f, ...r] = field.split('.');
-        /* v8 ignore next 3 */
+        /* v8 ignore next */
         if (!wrapped.__loadedProperties.has(f) || !wrapped.__meta.properties[f]?.targetMeta) {
             return false;
         }
@@ -510,11 +657,11 @@ export class EntityLoader {
             .map(e => Reference.unwrapReference(e[field]));
     }
     filterByReferences(entities, field, refresh) {
-        /* v8 ignore next 3 */
+        /* v8 ignore next */
         if (refresh) {
             return entities;
         }
-        return entities.filter(e => !e[field]?.__helper?.__initialized);
+        return entities.filter(e => e[field] !== null && !e[field]?.__helper?.__initialized);
     }
     lookupAllRelationships(entityName) {
         const ret = [];
@@ -536,33 +683,36 @@ export class EntityLoader {
         }
         return `${this.getRelationName(meta, meta.properties[prop.embedded[0]])}.${prop.embedded[1]}`;
     }
-    lookupEagerLoadedRelationships(entityName, populate, strategy, prefix = '', visited = []) {
+    lookupEagerLoadedRelationships(entityName, populate, strategy, prefix = '', visited = [], exclude) {
         const meta = this.metadata.find(entityName);
         if (!meta && !prefix) {
             return populate;
         }
-        if (visited.includes(entityName) || !meta) {
+        if (!meta || visited.includes(meta)) {
             return [];
         }
-        visited.push(entityName);
+        visited.push(meta);
         const ret = prefix === '' ? [...populate] : [];
         meta.relations
             .filter(prop => {
+            const field = this.getRelationName(meta, prop);
+            const prefixed = prefix ? `${prefix}.${field}` : field;
+            const isExcluded = exclude?.includes(prefixed);
             const eager = prop.eager && !populate.some(p => p.field === `${prop.name}:ref`);
             const populated = populate.some(p => p.field === prop.name);
             const disabled = populate.some(p => p.field === prop.name && p.all === false);
-            return !disabled && (eager || populated);
+            return !disabled && !isExcluded && (eager || populated);
         })
             .forEach(prop => {
             const field = this.getRelationName(meta, prop);
             const prefixed = prefix ? `${prefix}.${field}` : field;
             const nestedPopulate = populate.filter(p => p.field === prop.name).flatMap(p => p.children).filter(Boolean);
-            const nested = this.lookupEagerLoadedRelationships(prop.type, nestedPopulate, strategy, prefixed, visited.slice());
+            const nested = this.lookupEagerLoadedRelationships(prop.targetMeta.class, nestedPopulate, strategy, prefixed, visited.slice(), exclude);
             if (nested.length > 0) {
                 ret.push(...nested);
             }
             else {
-                const selfReferencing = [meta.className, meta.root.className, ...visited].includes(prop.type) && prop.eager;
+                const selfReferencing = [meta.tableName, ...visited.map(m => m.tableName)].includes(prop.targetMeta.tableName) && prop.eager;
                 ret.push({
                     field: prefixed,
                     // enforce select-in strategy for self-referencing relations