@mikro-orm/core 7.0.11-dev.8 → 7.0.11

package/entity/EntityLoader.js

@@ -1,816 +1,850 @@
 import { QueryHelper } from '../utils/QueryHelper.js';
 import { Utils } from '../utils/Utils.js';
 import { ValidationError } from '../errors.js';
-import { LoadStrategy, PopulatePath, ReferenceKind, } from '../enums.js';
+import { LoadStrategy, PopulatePath, ReferenceKind } from '../enums.js';
 import { Reference } from './Reference.js';
 import { helper } from './wrap.js';
 import { expandDotPaths } from './utils.js';
 import { Raw } from '../utils/RawQueryFragment.js';
 /** Responsible for batch-loading entity relations using either select-in or joined loading strategies. */
 export class EntityLoader {
-    #metadata;
-    #driver;
-    #em;
-    constructor(em) {
-        this.#em = em;
-        this.#metadata = this.#em.getMetadata();
-        this.#driver = this.#em.getDriver();
-    }
-    /**
-     * Loads specified relations in batch.
-     * This will execute one query for each relation, that will populate it on all the specified entities.
-     */
-    async populate(entityName, entities, populate, options) {
-        if (entities.length === 0 || Utils.isEmpty(populate)) {
-            return this.setSerializationContext(entities, populate, options);
-        }
-        const meta = this.#metadata.find(entityName);
-        if (entities.some(e => !e.__helper)) {
-            const entity = entities.find(e => !Utils.isEntity(e));
-            throw ValidationError.notDiscoveredEntity(entity, meta, 'populate');
-        }
-        const references = entities.filter(e => !helper(e).isInitialized());
-        const visited = (options.visited ??= new Set());
-        options.where ??= {};
-        options.orderBy ??= {};
-        options.lookup ??= true;
-        options.validate ??= true;
-        options.refresh ??= false;
-        options.convertCustomTypes ??= true;
-        if (references.length > 0) {
-            await this.populateScalar(meta, references, { ...options, populateWhere: undefined });
-        }
-        populate = this.normalizePopulate(entityName, populate, options.strategy, options.lookup, options.exclude);
-        const invalid = populate.find(({ field }) => !this.#em.canPopulate(entityName, field));
-        /* v8 ignore next */
-        if (options.validate && invalid) {
-            throw ValidationError.invalidPropertyName(entityName, invalid.field);
-        }
-        this.setSerializationContext(entities, populate, options);
-        const addedToVisited = [];
-        for (const entity of entities) {
-            if (visited.has(entity)) {
-                continue;
-            }
-            addedToVisited.push(entity);
-            visited.add(entity);
-        }
-        for (const pop of populate) {
-            await this.populateField(entityName, entities, pop, options);
-        }
-        // Child-specific relations exist only on child metadata, so the parent-scoped populate loop above skips them (GH #7453).
-        if (Array.isArray(populate) &&
-            populate.some(p => p.all) &&
-            meta.inheritanceType === 'tpt' &&
-            meta.tptChildren?.length) {
-            const byType = new Map();
-            for (const entity of entities) {
-                const entityMeta = helper(entity).__meta;
-                if (entityMeta !== meta) {
-                    const group = byType.get(entityMeta);
-                    if (group) {
-                        group.push(entity);
-                    }
-                    else {
-                        byType.set(entityMeta, [entity]);
-                    }
-                }
-            }
-            for (const [childMeta, group] of byType) {
-                await this.populate(childMeta.class, group, true, {
-                    ...options,
-                    lookup: false,
-                    validate: false,
-                });
-            }
-        }
-        for (const entity of addedToVisited) {
-            visited.delete(entity);
-        }
+  #metadata;
+  #driver;
+  #em;
+  constructor(em) {
+    this.#em = em;
+    this.#metadata = this.#em.getMetadata();
+    this.#driver = this.#em.getDriver();
+  }
+  /**
+   * Loads specified relations in batch.
+   * This will execute one query for each relation, that will populate it on all the specified entities.
+   */
+  async populate(entityName, entities, populate, options) {
+    if (entities.length === 0 || Utils.isEmpty(populate)) {
+      return this.setSerializationContext(entities, populate, options);
     }
-    /** Normalizes populate hints into a structured array of PopulateOptions, expanding dot paths and eager relations. */
-    normalizePopulate(entityName, populate, strategy, lookup = true, exclude) {
-        const meta = this.#metadata.find(entityName);
-        let normalized = Utils.asArray(populate).map(field => {
-            // oxfmt-ignore
-            return typeof field === 'boolean' || field.field === PopulatePath.ALL ? { all: !!field, field: meta.primaryKeys[0] } : field;
-        });
-        if (normalized.some(p => p.all)) {
-            normalized = this.lookupAllRelationships(entityName);
-        }
-        // 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, '', [], exclude);
-            // convert nested `field` with dot syntax produced by eager relations
-            expandDotPaths(meta, normalized, true);
-        }
-        // merge same fields
-        return this.mergeNestedPopulate(normalized);
-    }
-    setSerializationContext(entities, populate, options) {
-        for (const entity of entities) {
-            helper(entity).setSerializationContext({
-                populate,
-                fields: options.fields,
-                exclude: options.exclude,
-            });
-        }
+    const meta = this.#metadata.find(entityName);
+    if (entities.some(e => !e.__helper)) {
+      const entity = entities.find(e => !Utils.isEntity(e));
+      throw ValidationError.notDiscoveredEntity(entity, meta, 'populate');
     }
-    /**
-     * Merge multiple populates for the same entity with different children. Also skips `*` fields, those can come from
-     * partial loading hints (`fields`) that are used to infer the `populate` hint if missing.
-     */
-    mergeNestedPopulate(populate) {
-        const tmp = populate.reduce((ret, item) => {
-            /* v8 ignore next */
-            if (item.field === PopulatePath.ALL) {
-                return ret;
-            }
-            if (!ret[item.field]) {
-                ret[item.field] = item;
-                return ret;
-            }
-            if (!ret[item.field].children && item.children) {
-                ret[item.field].children = item.children;
-            }
-            else if (ret[item.field].children && item.children) {
-                ret[item.field].children.push(...item.children);
-            }
-            return ret;
-        }, {});
-        return Object.values(tmp).map(item => {
-            if (item.children) {
-                item.children = this.mergeNestedPopulate(item.children);
-            }
-            return item;
-        });
+    const references = entities.filter(e => !helper(e).isInitialized());
+    const visited = (options.visited ??= new Set());
+    options.where ??= {};
+    options.orderBy ??= {};
+    options.lookup ??= true;
+    options.validate ??= true;
+    options.refresh ??= false;
+    options.convertCustomTypes ??= true;
+    if (references.length > 0) {
+      await this.populateScalar(meta, references, { ...options, populateWhere: undefined });
     }
-    /**
-     * preload everything in one call (this will update already existing references in IM)
-     */
-    async populateMany(entityName, entities, populate, options) {
-        const [field, ref] = populate.field.split(':', 2);
-        const meta = this.#metadata.find(entityName);
-        const prop = meta.properties[field];
-        if (prop.kind === ReferenceKind.MANY_TO_MANY && prop.owner && !this.#driver.getPlatform().usesPivotTable()) {
-            const filtered = entities.filter(e => !e[prop.name]?.isInitialized());
-            if (filtered.length > 0) {
-                await this.populateScalar(meta, filtered, { ...options, fields: [prop.name] });
-            }
-        }
-        if (prop.kind === ReferenceKind.SCALAR && prop.lazy) {
-            const filtered = entities.filter(e => options.refresh ||
-                (prop.ref ? !e[prop.name]?.isInitialized() : e[prop.name] === undefined));
-            if (options.ignoreLazyScalarProperties || filtered.length === 0) {
-                return entities;
-            }
-            await this.populateScalar(meta, filtered, { ...options, fields: [prop.name] });
-            return entities;
-        }
-        if (prop.kind === ReferenceKind.EMBEDDED) {
-            return [];
-        }
-        const filtered = this.filterCollections(entities, field, options, ref);
-        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()) {
-            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);
-        }
-        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, 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.class, where, {
-            filters,
-            convertCustomTypes,
-            lockMode,
-            strategy,
-            populateWhere,
-            connectionType,
-            logging,
-            fields: fields,
-            populate: [],
+    populate = this.normalizePopulate(entityName, populate, options.strategy, options.lookup, options.exclude);
+    const invalid = populate.find(({ field }) => !this.#em.canPopulate(entityName, field));
+    /* v8 ignore next */
+    if (options.validate && invalid) {
+      throw ValidationError.invalidPropertyName(entityName, invalid.field);
+    }
+    this.setSerializationContext(entities, populate, options);
+    const addedToVisited = [];
+    for (const entity of entities) {
+      if (visited.has(entity)) {
+        continue;
+      }
+      addedToVisited.push(entity);
+      visited.add(entity);
+    }
+    for (const pop of populate) {
+      await this.populateField(entityName, entities, pop, options);
+    }
+    // Child-specific relations exist only on child metadata, so the parent-scoped populate loop above skips them (GH #7453).
+    if (
+      Array.isArray(populate) &&
+      populate.some(p => p.all) &&
+      meta.inheritanceType === 'tpt' &&
+      meta.tptChildren?.length
+    ) {
+      const byType = new Map();
+      for (const entity of entities) {
+        const entityMeta = helper(entity).__meta;
+        if (entityMeta !== meta) {
+          const group = byType.get(entityMeta);
+          if (group) {
+            group.push(entity);
+          } else {
+            byType.set(entityMeta, [entity]);
+          }
+        }
+      }
+      for (const [childMeta, group] of byType) {
+        await this.populate(childMeta.class, group, true, {
+          ...options,
+          lookup: false,
+          validate: false,
         });
+      }
     }
-    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, partial);
-        }
-        if (prop.kind === ReferenceKind.MANY_TO_MANY && !this.#driver.getPlatform().usesPivotTable()) {
-            this.initializeManyToMany(filtered, children, prop, field, customOrder, partial);
-        }
+    for (const entity of addedToVisited) {
+      visited.delete(entity);
     }
-    initializeOneToMany(filtered, children, prop, field, partial) {
-        const mapToPk = prop.targetMeta.properties[prop.mappedBy].mapToPk;
-        const map = {};
-        for (const entity of filtered) {
-            const key = helper(entity).getSerializedPrimaryKey();
-            map[key] = [];
-        }
-        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.targetMeta.class, pk) : pk).getSerializedPrimaryKey();
-                map[key]?.push(child);
-            }
-        }
-        for (const entity of filtered) {
-            const key = helper(entity).getSerializedPrimaryKey();
-            entity[field].hydrate(map[key], undefined, partial);
-        }
+  }
+  /** Normalizes populate hints into a structured array of PopulateOptions, expanding dot paths and eager relations. */
+  normalizePopulate(entityName, populate, strategy, lookup = true, exclude) {
+    const meta = this.#metadata.find(entityName);
+    let normalized = Utils.asArray(populate).map(field => {
+      // oxfmt-ignore
+      return typeof field === 'boolean' || field.field === PopulatePath.ALL ? { all: !!field, field: meta.primaryKeys[0] } : field;
+    });
+    if (normalized.some(p => p.all)) {
+      normalized = this.lookupAllRelationships(entityName);
     }
-    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, partial);
-            }
-        }
-        else {
-            // owning side of M:N without pivot table needs to be reordered
-            for (const entity of filtered) {
-                const order = !customOrder ? [...entity[prop.name].getItems(false)] : []; // copy order of references
-                const items = children.filter(child => entity[prop.name].contains(child, false));
-                if (!customOrder) {
-                    items.sort((a, b) => order.indexOf(a) - order.indexOf(b));
-                }
-                entity[field].hydrate(items, true, partial);
-            }
-        }
+    // 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, '', [], exclude);
+      // convert nested `field` with dot syntax produced by eager relations
+      expandDotPaths(meta, normalized, true);
     }
-    async findChildren(entities, prop, populate, options, ref) {
-        const children = Utils.unique(this.getChildReferences(entities, prop, options, ref));
-        const meta = prop.targetMeta;
-        // 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)) {
-            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;
-            fk = meta.properties[prop.mappedBy].name;
-            children.push(...this.filterByReferences(entities, prop.name, options.refresh));
-        }
-        if (children.length === 0) {
-            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 => (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 = 'infer', connectionType, logging, } = options;
-        /* eslint-enable prefer-const */
-        if (typeof populateWhere === 'object') {
-            populateWhere = await this.extractChildCondition({ where: populateWhere }, prop);
-        }
-        if (!Utils.isEmpty(prop.where) || Raw.hasObjectFragments(prop.where)) {
-            where = { $and: [where, prop.where] };
-        }
-        const orderBy = QueryHelper.mergeOrderBy(options.orderBy, prop.orderBy);
-        const items = await this.#em.find(meta.class, where, {
-            filters,
-            convertCustomTypes,
-            lockMode,
-            populateWhere,
-            logging,
-            orderBy,
-            populate: populate.children ?? populate.all ?? [],
-            exclude: Array.isArray(options.exclude)
-                ? Utils.extractChildElements(options.exclude, prop.name)
-                : options.exclude,
-            strategy,
-            fields,
-            schema,
-            connectionType,
-            // @ts-ignore not a public option, will be propagated to the populate call
-            refresh: refresh && !children.every(item => options.visited.has(item)),
-            // @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;
-                }
-                // oxfmt-ignore
-                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));
-            }
-            const isInverseOneToOne = prop.kind === ReferenceKind.ONE_TO_ONE && !prop.owner;
-            for (const entity of entities) {
-                const ref = entity[prop.name];
-                if (ref == null) {
-                    continue;
-                }
-                const refKey = getKey(ref);
-                // For 1:1 inverse, `children` contains parent entities, so `childrenMap`
-                // has parent PKs — match against the entity's own PK, not the referenced entity's PK.
-                const childKey = isInverseOneToOne ? getKey(entity) : refKey;
-                if (childrenMap.has(childKey) && !itemsMap.has(refKey)) {
-                    entity[prop.name] = nullVal;
-                    helper(entity).__originalEntityData[prop.name] = null;
-                }
-            }
-        }
-        for (const item of items) {
-            if (ref && !helper(item).__onLoadFired) {
-                helper(item).__initialized = false;
-                this.#em.getUnitOfWork().unmarkAsLoaded(item);
-            }
-        }
-        return { items, partial };
-    }
-    mergePrimaryCondition(ids, pk, options, meta, metadata, platform) {
-        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] ? { $and: [cond1, where] } : { ...cond1, ...where };
-    }
-    async populateField(entityName, entities, populate, options) {
-        const field = populate.field.split(':')[0];
-        const prop = this.#metadata.find(entityName).properties[field];
-        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;
-        }
-        const children = [];
-        for (const entity of entities) {
-            const ref = entity[field];
-            if (Utils.isEntity(ref)) {
-                children.push(ref);
-            }
-            else if (Reference.isReference(ref)) {
-                children.push(ref.unwrap());
-            }
-            else if (Utils.isCollection(ref)) {
-                children.push(...ref.getItems());
-            }
-            else if (ref && prop.kind === ReferenceKind.EMBEDDED) {
-                children.push(...Utils.asArray(ref));
-            }
-        }
-        if (populated.length === 0 && !populate.children) {
-            // Populate child-specific relations for TPT entities already in the identity map (GH #7529).
-            // Pass a sentinel hint so the existing TPT child handling in `populate()` does the real work.
-            if (populate.all && prop.targetMeta?.inheritanceType === 'tpt') {
-                const visited = options.visited;
-                const pending = Utils.unique(children).filter(c => helper(c).__meta !== prop.targetMeta && !visited.has(c));
-                if (pending.length > 0) {
-                    const hint = [
-                        { field: prop.targetMeta.primaryKeys[0], strategy: LoadStrategy.SELECT_IN, all: true },
-                    ];
-                    await this.populate(prop.targetMeta.class, pending, hint, {
-                        ...options,
-                        lookup: false,
-                        validate: false,
-                    });
-                }
-            }
-            return;
+    // merge same fields
+    return this.mergeNestedPopulate(normalized);
+  }
+  setSerializationContext(entities, populate, options) {
+    for (const entity of entities) {
+      helper(entity).setSerializationContext({
+        populate,
+        fields: options.fields,
+        exclude: options.exclude,
+      });
+    }
+  }
+  /**
+   * Merge multiple populates for the same entity with different children. Also skips `*` fields, those can come from
+   * partial loading hints (`fields`) that are used to infer the `populate` hint if missing.
+   */
+  mergeNestedPopulate(populate) {
+    const tmp = populate.reduce((ret, item) => {
+      /* v8 ignore next */
+      if (item.field === PopulatePath.ALL) {
+        return ret;
+      }
+      if (!ret[item.field]) {
+        ret[item.field] = item;
+        return ret;
+      }
+      if (!ret[item.field].children && item.children) {
+        ret[item.field].children = item.children;
+      } else if (ret[item.field].children && item.children) {
+        ret[item.field].children.push(...item.children);
+      }
+      return ret;
+    }, {});
+    return Object.values(tmp).map(item => {
+      if (item.children) {
+        item.children = this.mergeNestedPopulate(item.children);
+      }
+      return item;
+    });
+  }
+  /**
+   * preload everything in one call (this will update already existing references in IM)
+   */
+  async populateMany(entityName, entities, populate, options) {
+    const [field, ref] = populate.field.split(':', 2);
+    const meta = this.#metadata.find(entityName);
+    const prop = meta.properties[field];
+    if (prop.kind === ReferenceKind.MANY_TO_MANY && prop.owner && !this.#driver.getPlatform().usesPivotTable()) {
+      const filtered = entities.filter(e => !e[prop.name]?.isInitialized());
+      if (filtered.length > 0) {
+        await this.populateScalar(meta, filtered, { ...options, fields: [prop.name] });
+      }
+    }
+    if (prop.kind === ReferenceKind.SCALAR && prop.lazy) {
+      const filtered = entities.filter(
+        e => options.refresh || (prop.ref ? !e[prop.name]?.isInitialized() : e[prop.name] === undefined),
+      );
+      if (options.ignoreLazyScalarProperties || filtered.length === 0) {
+        return entities;
+      }
+      await this.populateScalar(meta, filtered, { ...options, fields: [prop.name] });
+      return entities;
+    }
+    if (prop.kind === ReferenceKind.EMBEDDED) {
+      return [];
+    }
+    const filtered = this.filterCollections(entities, field, options, ref);
+    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()) {
+      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);
+    }
+    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, 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.class, where, {
+      filters,
+      convertCustomTypes,
+      lockMode,
+      strategy,
+      populateWhere,
+      connectionType,
+      logging,
+      fields: fields,
+      populate: [],
+    });
+  }
+  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, partial);
+    }
+    if (prop.kind === ReferenceKind.MANY_TO_MANY && !this.#driver.getPlatform().usesPivotTable()) {
+      this.initializeManyToMany(filtered, children, prop, field, customOrder, partial);
+    }
+  }
+  initializeOneToMany(filtered, children, prop, field, partial) {
+    const mapToPk = prop.targetMeta.properties[prop.mappedBy].mapToPk;
+    const map = {};
+    for (const entity of filtered) {
+      const key = helper(entity).getSerializedPrimaryKey();
+      map[key] = [];
+    }
+    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.targetMeta.class, pk) : pk).getSerializedPrimaryKey();
+        map[key]?.push(child);
+      }
+    }
+    for (const entity of filtered) {
+      const key = helper(entity).getSerializedPrimaryKey();
+      entity[field].hydrate(map[key], undefined, partial);
+    }
+  }
+  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, partial);
+      }
+    } else {
+      // owning side of M:N without pivot table needs to be reordered
+      for (const entity of filtered) {
+        const order = !customOrder ? [...entity[prop.name].getItems(false)] : []; // copy order of references
+        const items = children.filter(child => entity[prop.name].contains(child, false));
+        if (!customOrder) {
+          items.sort((a, b) => order.indexOf(a) - order.indexOf(b));
+        }
+        entity[field].hydrate(items, true, partial);
+      }
+    }
+  }
+  async findChildren(entities, prop, populate, options, ref) {
+    const children = Utils.unique(this.getChildReferences(entities, prop, options, ref));
+    const meta = prop.targetMeta;
+    // 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)) {
+      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;
+      fk = meta.properties[prop.mappedBy].name;
+      children.push(...this.filterByReferences(entities, prop.name, options.refresh));
+    }
+    if (children.length === 0) {
+      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 => (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 = 'infer',
+      connectionType,
+      logging,
+    } = options;
+    /* eslint-enable prefer-const */
+    if (typeof populateWhere === 'object') {
+      populateWhere = await this.extractChildCondition({ where: populateWhere }, prop);
+    }
+    if (!Utils.isEmpty(prop.where) || Raw.hasObjectFragments(prop.where)) {
+      where = { $and: [where, prop.where] };
+    }
+    const orderBy = QueryHelper.mergeOrderBy(options.orderBy, prop.orderBy);
+    const items = await this.#em.find(meta.class, where, {
+      filters,
+      convertCustomTypes,
+      lockMode,
+      populateWhere,
+      logging,
+      orderBy,
+      populate: populate.children ?? populate.all ?? [],
+      exclude: Array.isArray(options.exclude)
+        ? Utils.extractChildElements(options.exclude, prop.name)
+        : options.exclude,
+      strategy,
+      fields,
+      schema,
+      connectionType,
+      // @ts-ignore not a public option, will be propagated to the populate call
+      refresh: refresh && !children.every(item => options.visited.has(item)),
+      // @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 fields = this.buildFields(options.fields, prop);
-        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, schema } = options;
         // oxfmt-ignore
-        const exclude = Array.isArray(options.exclude) ? Utils.extractChildElements(options.exclude, prop.name) : options.exclude;
-        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);
+        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;
         }
+      }
     }
-    /** @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);
-        // oxfmt-ignore
-        const exclude = Array.isArray(options.exclude) ? Utils.extractChildElements(options.exclude, prop.name) : options.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 (!Utils.isEmpty(prop.where)) {
-            where = { $and: [where, prop.where] };
-        }
-        const map = await this.#driver.loadFromPivotTable(prop, ids, where, orderBy, this.#em.getTransactionContext(), options2, pivotJoin);
-        const children = [];
-        for (let i = 0; i < filtered.length; i++) {
-            const entity = filtered[i];
-            const items = map[Utils.getPrimaryKeyHash(ids[i])].map(item => {
-                if (pivotJoin) {
-                    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.targetMeta.class, item, {
-                    refresh,
-                    merge: true,
-                    convertCustomTypes: true,
-                    schema: options.schema ?? this.#em.config.get('schema'),
-                });
-                return this.#em.getUnitOfWork().register(entity, item, { refresh, loaded: true });
-            });
-            entity[prop.name].hydrate(items, true);
-            children.push(items);
+    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));
+      }
+      const isInverseOneToOne = prop.kind === ReferenceKind.ONE_TO_ONE && !prop.owner;
+      for (const entity of entities) {
+        const ref = entity[prop.name];
+        if (ref == null) {
+          continue;
+        }
+        const refKey = getKey(ref);
+        // For 1:1 inverse, `children` contains parent entities, so `childrenMap`
+        // has parent PKs — match against the entity's own PK, not the referenced entity's PK.
+        const childKey = isInverseOneToOne ? getKey(entity) : refKey;
+        if (childrenMap.has(childKey) && !itemsMap.has(refKey)) {
+          entity[prop.name] = nullVal;
+          helper(entity).__originalEntityData[prop.name] = null;
+        }
+      }
+    }
+    for (const item of items) {
+      if (ref && !helper(item).__onLoadFired) {
+        helper(item).__initialized = false;
+        this.#em.getUnitOfWork().unmarkAsLoaded(item);
+      }
+    }
+    return { items, partial };
+  }
+  mergePrimaryCondition(ids, pk, options, meta, metadata, platform) {
+    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] ? { $and: [cond1, where] } : { ...cond1, ...where };
+  }
+  async populateField(entityName, entities, populate, options) {
+    const field = populate.field.split(':')[0];
+    const prop = this.#metadata.find(entityName).properties[field];
+    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;
+    }
+    const children = [];
+    for (const entity of entities) {
+      const ref = entity[field];
+      if (Utils.isEntity(ref)) {
+        children.push(ref);
+      } else if (Reference.isReference(ref)) {
+        children.push(ref.unwrap());
+      } else if (Utils.isCollection(ref)) {
+        children.push(...ref.getItems());
+      } else if (ref && prop.kind === ReferenceKind.EMBEDDED) {
+        children.push(...Utils.asArray(ref));
+      }
+    }
+    if (populated.length === 0 && !populate.children) {
+      // Populate child-specific relations for TPT entities already in the identity map (GH #7529).
+      // Pass a sentinel hint so the existing TPT child handling in `populate()` does the real work.
+      if (populate.all && prop.targetMeta?.inheritanceType === 'tpt') {
+        const visited = options.visited;
+        const pending = Utils.unique(children).filter(c => helper(c).__meta !== prop.targetMeta && !visited.has(c));
+        if (pending.length > 0) {
+          const hint = [{ field: prop.targetMeta.primaryKeys[0], strategy: LoadStrategy.SELECT_IN, all: true }];
+          await this.populate(prop.targetMeta.class, pending, hint, {
+            ...options,
+            lookup: false,
+            validate: false,
+          });
         }
-        return children;
-    }
-    async extractChildCondition(options, prop, filters = false) {
-        const where = options.where;
-        const subCond = Utils.isPlainObject(where[prop.name]) ? where[prop.name] : {};
-        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) && Utils.getObjectQueryKeys(sub).every(key => Utils.isOperator(key, false))))
-                    .map((cond) => {
-                    if (Utils.isPrimaryKey(cond)) {
-                        return { [pk]: cond };
-                    }
-                    return cond;
-                });
-                if (child.length > 0) {
-                    subCond[op] = child;
-                }
-            }
+      }
+      return;
+    }
+    const fields = this.buildFields(options.fields, prop);
+    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, schema } = options;
+    // oxfmt-ignore
+    const exclude = Array.isArray(options.exclude) ? Utils.extractChildElements(options.exclude, prop.name) : options.exclude;
+    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 => {
+            const childMeta = helper(child).__meta;
+            // Use root.className for TPT entities: a Dog (root: Animal) should match
+            // targetMeta Animal. For non-TPT entities, root === self.
+            return childMeta.root.className === targetMeta.root.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);
+    // oxfmt-ignore
+    const exclude = Array.isArray(options.exclude) ? Utils.extractChildElements(options.exclude, prop.name) : options.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 (!Utils.isEmpty(prop.where)) {
+      where = { $and: [where, prop.where] };
+    }
+    const map = await this.#driver.loadFromPivotTable(
+      prop,
+      ids,
+      where,
+      orderBy,
+      this.#em.getTransactionContext(),
+      options2,
+      pivotJoin,
+    );
+    const children = [];
+    for (let i = 0; i < filtered.length; i++) {
+      const entity = filtered[i];
+      const items = map[Utils.getPrimaryKeyHash(ids[i])].map(item => {
+        if (pivotJoin) {
+          return this.#em.getReference(prop.targetMeta.class, item, {
+            convertCustomTypes: true,
+            schema: options.schema ?? this.#em.config.get('schema'),
+          });
+        }
+        const entity = this.#em.getEntityFactory().create(prop.targetMeta.class, item, {
+          refresh,
+          merge: true,
+          convertCustomTypes: true,
+          schema: options.schema ?? this.#em.config.get('schema'),
         });
-        const operators = Object.keys(subCond).filter(key => Utils.isOperator(key, false));
-        if (operators.length > 0) {
-            operators.forEach(op => {
-                subCond[pk] ??= {};
-                subCond[pk][op] = subCond[op];
-                delete subCond[op];
-            });
-        }
-        if (filters) {
-            return this.#em.applyFilters(meta2.class, subCond, options.filters, 'read', options);
-        }
-        return subCond;
+        return this.#em.getUnitOfWork().register(entity, item, { refresh, loaded: true });
+      });
+      entity[prop.name].hydrate(items, true);
+      children.push(items);
     }
-    buildFields(fields = [], prop, ref) {
-        if (ref) {
-            fields = prop.targetMeta.primaryKeys.map(targetPkName => `${prop.name}.${targetPkName}`);
-        }
-        const ret = fields.reduce((ret, f) => {
-            if (Utils.isPlainObject(f)) {
-                Utils.keys(f)
-                    .filter(ff => ff === prop.name)
-                    .forEach(ff => ret.push(...f[ff]));
-            }
-            else if (f.toString().includes('.')) {
-                const parts = f.toString().split('.');
-                const propName = parts.shift();
-                const childPropName = parts.join('.');
-                /* v8 ignore next */
-                if (propName === prop.name) {
-                    ret.push(childPropName);
-                }
-            }
-            return ret;
-        }, []);
-        // we need to automatically select the FKs too, e.g. for 1:m relations to be able to wire them with the items
-        if (prop.kind === ReferenceKind.ONE_TO_MANY || prop.kind === ReferenceKind.MANY_TO_MANY) {
-            const owner = prop.targetMeta.properties[prop.mappedBy];
-            // when the owning FK is lazy, we need to explicitly select it even without user-provided fields,
-            // otherwise the driver will exclude it and we won't be able to map children to their parent collections
-            if (owner && !ret.includes(owner.name) && (ret.length > 0 || owner.lazy)) {
-                ret.push(owner.name);
-            }
-        }
-        if (ret.length === 0) {
-            return undefined;
-        }
-        return ret;
+    return children;
+  }
+  async extractChildCondition(options, prop, filters = false) {
+    const where = options.where;
+    const subCond = Utils.isPlainObject(where[prop.name]) ? where[prop.name] : {};
+    const meta2 = prop.targetMeta;
+    const pk = Utils.getPrimaryKeyHash(meta2.primaryKeys);
+    ['$and', '$or'].forEach(op => {
+      if (where[op]) {
+        const child = where[op]
+          .map(cond => cond[prop.name])
+          .filter(
+            sub =>
+              sub != null &&
+              !(Utils.isPlainObject(sub) && Utils.getObjectQueryKeys(sub).every(key => Utils.isOperator(key, false))),
+          )
+          .map(cond => {
+            if (Utils.isPrimaryKey(cond)) {
+              return { [pk]: cond };
+            }
+            return cond;
+          });
+        if (child.length > 0) {
+          subCond[op] = child;
+        }
+      }
+    });
+    const operators = Object.keys(subCond).filter(key => Utils.isOperator(key, false));
+    if (operators.length > 0) {
+      operators.forEach(op => {
+        subCond[pk] ??= {};
+        subCond[pk][op] = subCond[op];
+        delete subCond[op];
+      });
     }
-    getChildReferences(entities, prop, options, ref) {
-        const filtered = this.filterCollections(entities, prop.name, options, ref);
-        if (prop.kind === ReferenceKind.ONE_TO_MANY) {
-            return filtered.map(e => e[prop.name].owner);
-        }
-        if (prop.kind === ReferenceKind.MANY_TO_MANY && prop.owner) {
-            return filtered.reduce((a, b) => {
-                a.push(...b[prop.name].getItems());
-                return a;
-            }, []);
-        }
-        if (prop.kind === ReferenceKind.MANY_TO_MANY) {
-            // inverse side
-            return filtered;
-        }
-        // MANY_TO_ONE or ONE_TO_ONE
-        return this.filterReferences(entities, prop.name, options, ref);
+    if (filters) {
+      return this.#em.applyFilters(meta2.class, subCond, options.filters, 'read', options);
     }
-    filterCollections(entities, field, options, ref) {
-        if (options.refresh) {
-            return entities.filter(e => e[field]);
-        }
-        return entities.filter(e => Utils.isCollection(e[field]) && !e[field].isInitialized(!ref));
+    return subCond;
+  }
+  buildFields(fields = [], prop, ref) {
+    if (ref) {
+      fields = prop.targetMeta.primaryKeys.map(targetPkName => `${prop.name}.${targetPkName}`);
     }
-    isPropertyLoaded(entity, field) {
-        if (!entity || field === '*') {
-            return true;
-        }
-        const wrapped = helper(entity);
-        if (!field.includes('.')) {
-            return wrapped.__loadedProperties.has(field);
-        }
-        const [f, ...r] = field.split('.');
+    const ret = fields.reduce((ret, f) => {
+      if (Utils.isPlainObject(f)) {
+        Utils.keys(f)
+          .filter(ff => ff === prop.name)
+          .forEach(ff => ret.push(...f[ff]));
+      } else if (f.toString().includes('.')) {
+        const parts = f.toString().split('.');
+        const propName = parts.shift();
+        const childPropName = parts.join('.');
         /* v8 ignore next */
-        if (!wrapped.__loadedProperties.has(f) || !wrapped.__meta.properties[f]?.targetMeta) {
-            return false;
-        }
-        if ([ReferenceKind.ONE_TO_MANY, ReferenceKind.MANY_TO_MANY].includes(wrapped.__meta.properties[f].kind)) {
-            return entity[f].getItems(false).every((item) => this.isPropertyLoaded(item, r.join('.')));
-        }
-        return this.isPropertyLoaded(entity[f], r.join('.'));
+        if (propName === prop.name) {
+          ret.push(childPropName);
+        }
+      }
+      return ret;
+    }, []);
+    // 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];
+      // 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);
+      }
     }
-    filterReferences(entities, field, options, ref) {
-        if (ref) {
-            return [];
-        }
-        const children = entities.filter(e => Utils.isEntity(e[field], true));
-        if (options.refresh) {
-            return children.map(e => Reference.unwrapReference(e[field]));
-        }
-        if (options.fields) {
-            return children
-                .map(e => Reference.unwrapReference(e[field]))
-                .filter(target => {
-                const wrapped = helper(target);
-                const childFields = options.fields
-                    .filter(f => f.startsWith(`${field}.`))
-                    .map(f => f.substring(field.length + 1));
-                return !wrapped.__initialized || !childFields.every(cf => this.isPropertyLoaded(target, cf));
-            });
-        }
-        return children
-            .filter(e => !e[field].__helper.__initialized)
-            .map(e => Reference.unwrapReference(e[field]));
+    if (ret.length === 0) {
+      return undefined;
     }
-    filterByReferences(entities, field, refresh) {
-        /* v8 ignore next */
-        if (refresh) {
-            return entities;
-        }
-        return entities.filter(e => e[field] !== null && !e[field]?.__helper?.__initialized);
-    }
-    lookupAllRelationships(entityName) {
-        const ret = [];
-        const meta = this.#metadata.find(entityName);
-        meta.relations.forEach(prop => {
-            ret.push({
-                field: this.getRelationName(meta, prop),
-                // force select-in strategy when populating all relations as otherwise we could cause infinite loops when self-referencing
-                strategy: LoadStrategy.SELECT_IN,
-                // no need to look up populate children recursively as we just pass `all: true` here
-                all: true,
-            });
-        });
-        // For TPT parents with child types, keep an all:true sentinel so the populate
-        // loop doesn't exit early and the TPT child relation population can run after it.
-        if (ret.length === 0 && meta.inheritanceType === 'tpt' && meta.tptChildren?.length) {
-            ret.push({ field: meta.primaryKeys[0], strategy: LoadStrategy.SELECT_IN, all: true });
-        }
-        return ret;
+    return ret;
+  }
+  getChildReferences(entities, prop, options, ref) {
+    const filtered = this.filterCollections(entities, prop.name, options, ref);
+    if (prop.kind === ReferenceKind.ONE_TO_MANY) {
+      return filtered.map(e => e[prop.name].owner);
     }
-    getRelationName(meta, prop) {
-        if (!prop.embedded) {
-            return prop.name;
-        }
-        return `${this.getRelationName(meta, meta.properties[prop.embedded[0]])}.${prop.embedded[1]}`;
+    if (prop.kind === ReferenceKind.MANY_TO_MANY && prop.owner) {
+      return filtered.reduce((a, b) => {
+        a.push(...b[prop.name].getItems());
+        return a;
+      }, []);
     }
-    lookupEagerLoadedRelationships(entityName, populate, strategy, prefix = '', visited = [], exclude) {
-        const meta = this.#metadata.find(entityName);
-        if (!meta && !prefix) {
-            return populate;
-        }
-        if (!meta || visited.includes(meta)) {
-            return [];
-        }
-        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 === `${prop.name}:ref`);
-            const populated = populate.some(p => p.field === prop.name);
-            const disabled = populate.some(p => p.field === prop.name && p.all === false);
-            return !disabled && !isExcluded && (eager || populated);
-        })
-            .forEach(prop => {
-            const field = this.getRelationName(meta, prop);
-            const prefixed = prefix ? `${prefix}.${field}` : field;
-            const nestedPopulate = populate
-                .filter(p => p.field === prop.name)
-                .flatMap(p => p.children)
-                .filter(Boolean);
-            const nested = this.lookupEagerLoadedRelationships(prop.targetMeta.class, nestedPopulate, strategy, prefixed, visited.slice(), exclude);
-            if (nested.length > 0) {
-                ret.push(...nested);
-            }
-            else {
-                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
-                    strategy: selfReferencing ? LoadStrategy.SELECT_IN : (strategy ?? prop.strategy),
-                });
-            }
+    if (prop.kind === ReferenceKind.MANY_TO_MANY) {
+      // inverse side
+      return filtered;
+    }
+    // MANY_TO_ONE or ONE_TO_ONE
+    return this.filterReferences(entities, prop.name, options, ref);
+  }
+  filterCollections(entities, field, options, ref) {
+    if (options.refresh) {
+      return entities.filter(e => e[field]);
+    }
+    return entities.filter(e => Utils.isCollection(e[field]) && !e[field].isInitialized(!ref));
+  }
+  isPropertyLoaded(entity, field) {
+    if (!entity || field === '*') {
+      return true;
+    }
+    const wrapped = helper(entity);
+    if (!field.includes('.')) {
+      return wrapped.__loadedProperties.has(field);
+    }
+    const [f, ...r] = field.split('.');
+    /* v8 ignore next */
+    if (!wrapped.__loadedProperties.has(f) || !wrapped.__meta.properties[f]?.targetMeta) {
+      return false;
+    }
+    if ([ReferenceKind.ONE_TO_MANY, ReferenceKind.MANY_TO_MANY].includes(wrapped.__meta.properties[f].kind)) {
+      return entity[f].getItems(false).every(item => this.isPropertyLoaded(item, r.join('.')));
+    }
+    return this.isPropertyLoaded(entity[f], r.join('.'));
+  }
+  filterReferences(entities, field, options, ref) {
+    if (ref) {
+      return [];
+    }
+    const children = entities.filter(e => Utils.isEntity(e[field], true));
+    if (options.refresh) {
+      return children.map(e => Reference.unwrapReference(e[field]));
+    }
+    if (options.fields) {
+      return children
+        .map(e => Reference.unwrapReference(e[field]))
+        .filter(target => {
+          const wrapped = helper(target);
+          const childFields = options.fields
+            .filter(f => f.startsWith(`${field}.`))
+            .map(f => f.substring(field.length + 1));
+          return !wrapped.__initialized || !childFields.every(cf => this.isPropertyLoaded(target, cf));
         });
-        return ret;
     }
+    return children.filter(e => !e[field].__helper.__initialized).map(e => Reference.unwrapReference(e[field]));
+  }
+  filterByReferences(entities, field, refresh) {
+    /* v8 ignore next */
+    if (refresh) {
+      return entities;
+    }
+    return entities.filter(e => e[field] !== null && !e[field]?.__helper?.__initialized);
+  }
+  lookupAllRelationships(entityName) {
+    const ret = [];
+    const meta = this.#metadata.find(entityName);
+    meta.relations.forEach(prop => {
+      ret.push({
+        field: this.getRelationName(meta, prop),
+        // force select-in strategy when populating all relations as otherwise we could cause infinite loops when self-referencing
+        strategy: LoadStrategy.SELECT_IN,
+        // no need to look up populate children recursively as we just pass `all: true` here
+        all: true,
+      });
+    });
+    // For TPT parents with child types, keep an all:true sentinel so the populate
+    // loop doesn't exit early and the TPT child relation population can run after it.
+    if (ret.length === 0 && meta.inheritanceType === 'tpt' && meta.tptChildren?.length) {
+      ret.push({ field: meta.primaryKeys[0], strategy: LoadStrategy.SELECT_IN, all: true });
+    }
+    return ret;
+  }
+  getRelationName(meta, prop) {
+    if (!prop.embedded) {
+      return prop.name;
+    }
+    return `${this.getRelationName(meta, meta.properties[prop.embedded[0]])}.${prop.embedded[1]}`;
+  }
+  lookupEagerLoadedRelationships(entityName, populate, strategy, prefix = '', visited = [], exclude) {
+    const meta = this.#metadata.find(entityName);
+    if (!meta && !prefix) {
+      return populate;
+    }
+    if (!meta || visited.includes(meta)) {
+      return [];
+    }
+    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 === `${prop.name}:ref`);
+        const populated = populate.some(p => p.field === prop.name);
+        const disabled = populate.some(p => p.field === prop.name && p.all === false);
+        return !disabled && !isExcluded && (eager || populated);
+      })
+      .forEach(prop => {
+        const field = this.getRelationName(meta, prop);
+        const prefixed = prefix ? `${prefix}.${field}` : field;
+        const nestedPopulate = populate
+          .filter(p => p.field === prop.name)
+          .flatMap(p => p.children)
+          .filter(Boolean);
+        const nested = this.lookupEagerLoadedRelationships(
+          prop.targetMeta.class,
+          nestedPopulate,
+          strategy,
+          prefixed,
+          visited.slice(),
+          exclude,
+        );
+        if (nested.length > 0) {
+          ret.push(...nested);
+        } else {
+          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
+            strategy: selfReferencing ? LoadStrategy.SELECT_IN : (strategy ?? prop.strategy),
+          });
+        }
+      });
+    return ret;
+  }
 }