diff --git a/packages/strapi-mongoose/lib/relations.js b/packages/strapi-mongoose/lib/relations.js
index 96bdb546d1..5a28e26c4e 100644
--- a/packages/strapi-mongoose/lib/relations.js
+++ b/packages/strapi-mongoose/lib/relations.js
@@ -21,7 +21,8 @@ module.exports = {
       .findOne({
         [this.primaryKey]: params[this.primaryKey] || params.id
       })
-      .populate(this.associations.map(x => x.alias).join(' '));
+      .populate(this.associations.map(x => x.alias).join(' '))
+      .lean();
 
     // Only update fields which are on this document.
     const values = params.parseRelationships === false ? params.values : Object.keys(JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(params.values))).reduce((acc, current) => {
@@ -270,13 +271,17 @@ module.exports = {
       However the upload doesn't need this method. It only uses the `removeRelationMorph`.
     */
 
-    const entry = (
+    let entry = (
       await this
         .findOne({
           [this.primaryKey]: getValuePrimaryKey(params, this.primaryKey)
         })
-        .toJSON()
     );
+
+    if (entry) {
+      entry = entry.toJSON();
+    }
+
     const value = [];
 
     // Retrieve association.