diff --git a/packages/strapi-connector-bookshelf/lib/generate-component-relations.js b/packages/strapi-connector-bookshelf/lib/generate-component-relations.js
index bb4ce0bdd2..7275ec2848 100644
--- a/packages/strapi-connector-bookshelf/lib/generate-component-relations.js
+++ b/packages/strapi-connector-bookshelf/lib/generate-component-relations.js
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ const { getComponentAttributes } = require('./utils/attributes');
 const createComponentModels = async ({ model, definition, ORM, GLOBALS }) => {
   const { collectionName, primaryKey } = definition;
 
-  const componentAttributes = getComponentAttributes(definition.attributes);
+  const componentAttributes = getComponentAttributes(definition);
 
   if (componentAttributes.length > 0) {
     // create component model
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ const createComponentModels = async ({ model, definition, ORM, GLOBALS }) => {
 const createComponentJoinTables = async ({ definition, ORM }) => {
   const { collectionName, primaryKey } = definition;
 
-  const componentAttributes = getComponentAttributes(definition.attributes);
+  const componentAttributes = getComponentAttributes(definition);
 
   if (componentAttributes.length > 0) {
     const joinTable = `${collectionName}_components`;
diff --git a/packages/strapi-connector-bookshelf/lib/mount-models.js b/packages/strapi-connector-bookshelf/lib/mount-models.js
index d2a7d8a456..e2d07df265 100644
--- a/packages/strapi-connector-bookshelf/lib/mount-models.js
+++ b/packages/strapi-connector-bookshelf/lib/mount-models.js
@@ -11,8 +11,25 @@ const {
   createComponentModels,
 } = require('./generate-component-relations');
 
+const populateFetch = require('./populate');
+
 const PIVOT_PREFIX = '_pivot_';
 
+const LIFECYCLES = {
+  creating: 'beforeCreate',
+  created: 'afterCreate',
+  destroying: 'beforeDestroy',
+  destroyed: 'afterDestroy',
+  updating: 'beforeUpdate',
+  updated: 'afterUpdate',
+  fetching: 'beforeFetch',
+  'fetching:collection': 'beforeFetchAll',
+  fetched: 'afterFetch',
+  'fetched:collection': 'afterFetchAll',
+  saving: 'beforeSave',
+  saved: 'afterSave',
+};
+
 const getDatabaseName = connection => {
   const dbName = _.get(connection.settings, 'database');
   const dbSchema = _.get(connection.settings, 'schema', 'public');
@@ -570,202 +587,12 @@ module.exports = ({ models, target, plugin = false }, ctx) => {
         return attrs;
       };
 
-      const findModelByAssoc = ({ assoc }) => {
-        const target = assoc.collection || assoc.model;
-        return assoc.plugin === 'admin'
-          ? strapi.admin.models[target]
-          : assoc.plugin
-          ? strapi.plugins[assoc.plugin].models[target]
-          : strapi.models[target];
-      };
-
-      const isPolymorphic = ({ assoc }) => {
-        return assoc.nature.toLowerCase().indexOf('morph') !== -1;
-      };
-
-      const formatPolymorphicPopulate = ({ assoc, path, prefix = '' }) => {
-        if (_.isString(path) && path === assoc.via) {
-          return { [`related.${assoc.via}`]: () => {} };
-        } else if (_.isString(path) && path === assoc.alias) {
-          // MorphTo side.
-          if (assoc.related) {
-            return { [`${prefix}${assoc.alias}.related`]: () => {} };
-          }
-
-          // oneToMorph or manyToMorph side.
-          // Retrieve collection name because we are using it to build our hidden model.
-          const model = findModelByAssoc({ assoc });
-
-          return {
-            [`${prefix}${assoc.alias}.${model.collectionName}`]: function(
-              query
-            ) {
-              query.orderBy('created_at', 'desc');
-            },
-          };
-        }
-      };
-
-      const createAssociationPopulate = () => {
-        return definition.associations
-          .filter(ast => ast.autoPopulate !== false)
-          .map(assoc => {
-            if (isPolymorphic({ assoc })) {
-              return formatPolymorphicPopulate({
-                assoc,
-                path: assoc.alias,
-              });
-            }
-
-            let path = assoc.alias;
-            let extraAssocs = [];
-            if (assoc) {
-              const assocModel = findModelByAssoc({ assoc });
-
-              extraAssocs = assocModel.associations
-                .filter(assoc => isPolymorphic({ assoc }))
-                .map(assoc =>
-                  formatPolymorphicPopulate({
-                    assoc,
-                    path: assoc.alias,
-                    prefix: `${path}.`,
-                  })
-                );
-            }
-
-            return [assoc.alias, ...extraAssocs];
-          })
-          .reduce((acc, val) => acc.concat(val), []);
-      };
-
-      const populateComponent = key => {
-        const attr = definition.attributes[key];
-
-        if (attr.type === 'dynamiczone') return [`${key}.component`];
-
-        let paths = [];
-        const component = strapi.components[attr.component];
-
-        const assocs = (component.associations || []).filter(
-          assoc => assoc.autoPopulate === true
-        );
-
-        // paths.push(`${key}.component`);
-        assocs.forEach(assoc => {
-          if (isPolymorphic({ assoc })) {
-            const rel = formatPolymorphicPopulate({
-              assoc,
-              path: assoc.alias,
-              prefix: `${key}.component.`,
-            });
-
-            paths.push(rel);
-          } else {
-            paths.push(`${key}.component.${assoc.alias}`);
-          }
-        });
-
-        return [`${key}.component`, ...paths];
-      };
-
-      const createComponentsPopulate = () => {
-        const componentsToPopulate = componentAttributes.reduce((acc, key) => {
-          const attribute = definition.attributes[key];
-          const autoPopulate = _.get(attribute, ['autoPopulate'], true);
-
-          if (autoPopulate === true) {
-            return acc.concat(populateComponent(key));
-          }
-          return acc;
-        }, []);
-
-        return componentsToPopulate;
-      };
-
-      const isComponent = (def, key) =>
-        _.get(def, ['attributes', key, 'type']) === 'component';
-
-      const formatPopulateOptions = withRelated => {
-        if (!Array.isArray(withRelated)) withRelated = [withRelated];
-
-        const obj = withRelated.reduce((acc, key) => {
-          if (_.isString(key)) {
-            acc[key] = () => {};
-            return acc;
-          }
-
-          return _.extend(acc, key);
-        }, {});
-
-        // if components are no
-        const finalObj = Object.keys(obj).reduce((acc, key) => {
-          // check the key path and update it if necessary nothing more
-          const parts = key.split('.');
-
-          let newKey;
-          let prefix = '';
-          let tmpModel = definition;
-          for (let part of parts) {
-            if (isComponent(tmpModel, part)) {
-              tmpModel = strapi.components[tmpModel.attributes[part].component];
-              // add component path and there relations / images
-              const path = `${prefix}${part}.component`;
-
-              newKey = path;
-              prefix = `${path}.`;
-              continue;
-            }
-
-            const assoc = tmpModel.associations.find(
-              association => association.alias === part
-            );
-
-            if (!assoc) return acc;
-
-            tmpModel = findModelByAssoc({ assoc });
-
-            if (isPolymorphic({ assoc })) {
-              const path = formatPolymorphicPopulate({
-                assoc,
-                path: assoc.alias,
-                prefix,
-              });
-
-              return _.extend(acc, path);
-            }
-
-            newKey = `${prefix}${part}`;
-            prefix = `${newKey}.`;
-          }
-
-          acc[newKey] = obj[key];
-          return acc;
-        }, {});
-
-        return [finalObj];
-      };
-
       // Initialize lifecycle callbacks.
       loadedModel.initialize = function() {
         // Load bookshelf plugin arguments from model options
         this.constructor.__super__.initialize.apply(this, arguments);
 
-        const lifecycle = {
-          creating: 'beforeCreate',
-          created: 'afterCreate',
-          destroying: 'beforeDestroy',
-          destroyed: 'afterDestroy',
-          updating: 'beforeUpdate',
-          updated: 'afterUpdate',
-          fetching: 'beforeFetch',
-          'fetching:collection': 'beforeFetchAll',
-          fetched: 'afterFetch',
-          'fetched:collection': 'afterFetchAll',
-          saving: 'beforeSave',
-          saved: 'afterSave',
-        };
-
-        _.forEach(lifecycle, (fn, key) => {
+        _.forEach(LIFECYCLES, (fn, key) => {
           if (_.isFunction(target[model.toLowerCase()][fn])) {
             this.on(key, target[model.toLowerCase()][fn]);
           }
@@ -774,19 +601,7 @@ module.exports = ({ models, target, plugin = false }, ctx) => {
         // Update withRelated level to bypass many-to-many association for polymorphic relationshiips.
         // Apply only during fetching.
         this.on('fetching fetching:collection', (instance, attrs, options) => {
-          // do not populate anything
-          if (options.withRelated === false) return;
-          if (options.isEager === true) return;
-
-          if (_.isNil(options.withRelated)) {
-            options.withRelated = []
-              .concat(createComponentsPopulate())
-              .concat(createAssociationPopulate());
-          } else if (_.isEmpty(options.withRelated)) {
-            options.withRelated = createComponentsPopulate();
-          } else {
-            options.withRelated = formatPopulateOptions(options.withRelated);
-          }
+          populateFetch(definition, options);
 
           return _.isFunction(target[model.toLowerCase()]['beforeFetchAll'])
             ? target[model.toLowerCase()]['beforeFetchAll']
diff --git a/packages/strapi-connector-bookshelf/lib/populate.js b/packages/strapi-connector-bookshelf/lib/populate.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4b975136c7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/strapi-connector-bookshelf/lib/populate.js
@@ -0,0 +1,186 @@
+'use strict';
+
+const _ = require('lodash');
+const { getComponentAttributes } = require('./utils/attributes');
+const { findModelByAssoc, isPolymorphic } = require('./utils/associations');
+
+/**
+ * Create utilities to populate a model on fetch
+ */
+
+const populateFetch = (definition, options) => {
+  // do not populate anything
+  if (options.withRelated === false) return;
+  if (options.isEager === true) return;
+
+  if (_.isNil(options.withRelated)) {
+    options.withRelated = []
+      .concat(createComponentsPopulate(definition))
+      .concat(createAssociationPopulate(definition));
+  } else if (_.isEmpty(options.withRelated)) {
+    options.withRelated = createComponentsPopulate(definition);
+  } else {
+    options.withRelated = formatPopulateOptions(
+      definition,
+      options.withRelated
+    );
+  }
+};
+
+const isComponent = (def, key) =>
+  _.get(def, ['attributes', key, 'type']) === 'component';
+
+const createAssociationPopulate = definition => {
+  return definition.associations
+    .filter(ast => ast.autoPopulate !== false)
+    .map(assoc => {
+      if (isPolymorphic({ assoc })) {
+        return formatPolymorphicPopulate({
+          assoc,
+          path: assoc.alias,
+        });
+      }
+
+      let path = assoc.alias;
+      let extraAssocs = [];
+      if (assoc) {
+        const assocModel = findModelByAssoc({ assoc });
+
+        extraAssocs = assocModel.associations
+          .filter(assoc => isPolymorphic({ assoc }))
+          .map(assoc =>
+            formatPolymorphicPopulate({
+              assoc,
+              path: assoc.alias,
+              prefix: `${path}.`,
+            })
+          );
+      }
+
+      return [assoc.alias, ...extraAssocs];
+    })
+    .reduce((acc, val) => acc.concat(val), []);
+};
+
+const formatPopulateOptions = (definition, withRelated) => {
+  if (!Array.isArray(withRelated)) withRelated = [withRelated];
+
+  const obj = withRelated.reduce((acc, key) => {
+    if (_.isString(key)) {
+      acc[key] = () => {};
+      return acc;
+    }
+
+    return _.extend(acc, key);
+  }, {});
+
+  // if components are no
+  const finalObj = Object.keys(obj).reduce((acc, key) => {
+    // check the key path and update it if necessary nothing more
+    const parts = key.split('.');
+
+    let newKey;
+    let prefix = '';
+    let tmpModel = definition;
+    for (let part of parts) {
+      if (isComponent(tmpModel, part)) {
+        tmpModel = strapi.components[tmpModel.attributes[part].component];
+        // add component path and there relations / images
+        const path = `${prefix}${part}.component`;
+
+        newKey = path;
+        prefix = `${path}.`;
+        continue;
+      }
+
+      const assoc = tmpModel.associations.find(
+        association => association.alias === part
+      );
+
+      if (!assoc) return acc;
+
+      tmpModel = findModelByAssoc({ assoc });
+
+      if (isPolymorphic({ assoc })) {
+        const path = formatPolymorphicPopulate({
+          assoc,
+          path: assoc.alias,
+          prefix,
+        });
+
+        return _.extend(acc, path);
+      }
+
+      newKey = `${prefix}${part}`;
+      prefix = `${newKey}.`;
+    }
+
+    acc[newKey] = obj[key];
+    return acc;
+  }, {});
+
+  return [finalObj];
+};
+
+const populateComponent = (key, attr) => {
+  if (attr.type === 'dynamiczone') return [`${key}.component`];
+
+  let paths = [];
+  const component = strapi.components[attr.component];
+
+  const assocs = (component.associations || []).filter(
+    assoc => assoc.autoPopulate === true
+  );
+
+  // paths.push(`${key}.component`);
+  assocs.forEach(assoc => {
+    if (isPolymorphic({ assoc })) {
+      const rel = formatPolymorphicPopulate({
+        assoc,
+        path: assoc.alias,
+        prefix: `${key}.component.`,
+      });
+
+      paths.push(rel);
+    } else {
+      paths.push(`${key}.component.${assoc.alias}`);
+    }
+  });
+
+  return [`${key}.component`, ...paths];
+};
+
+const createComponentsPopulate = definition => {
+  return getComponentAttributes(definition).reduce((acc, key) => {
+    const attribute = definition.attributes[key];
+    const autoPopulate = _.get(attribute, ['autoPopulate'], true);
+
+    if (autoPopulate === true) {
+      return acc.concat(populateComponent(key, attribute));
+    }
+    return acc;
+  }, []);
+};
+
+const formatPolymorphicPopulate = ({ assoc, path, prefix = '' }) => {
+  if (_.isString(path) && path === assoc.via) {
+    return { [`related.${assoc.via}`]: () => {} };
+  } else if (_.isString(path) && path === assoc.alias) {
+    // MorphTo side.
+    if (assoc.related) {
+      return { [`${prefix}${assoc.alias}.related`]: () => {} };
+    }
+
+    // oneToMorph or manyToMorph side.
+    // Retrieve collection name because we are using it to build our hidden model.
+    const model = findModelByAssoc({ assoc });
+
+    return {
+      [`${prefix}${assoc.alias}.${model.collectionName}`]: function(query) {
+        query.orderBy('created_at', 'desc');
+      },
+    };
+  }
+};
+
+module.exports = populateFetch;
diff --git a/packages/strapi-connector-bookshelf/lib/utils/associations.js b/packages/strapi-connector-bookshelf/lib/utils/associations.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3f00b6848a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/strapi-connector-bookshelf/lib/utils/associations.js
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+'use strict';
+
+const findModelByAssoc = ({ assoc }) => {
+  const target = assoc.collection || assoc.model;
+  return assoc.plugin === 'admin'
+    ? strapi.admin.models[target]
+    : assoc.plugin
+    ? strapi.plugins[assoc.plugin].models[target]
+    : strapi.models[target];
+};
+
+const isPolymorphic = ({ assoc }) => {
+  return assoc.nature.toLowerCase().indexOf('morph') !== -1;
+};
+
+module.exports = {
+  findModelByAssoc,
+  isPolymorphic,
+};
diff --git a/packages/strapi-connector-bookshelf/lib/utils/attributes.js b/packages/strapi-connector-bookshelf/lib/utils/attributes.js
index 1f7fdc42f6..17ac916bea 100644
--- a/packages/strapi-connector-bookshelf/lib/utils/attributes.js
+++ b/packages/strapi-connector-bookshelf/lib/utils/attributes.js
@@ -3,9 +3,9 @@
 /**
  * Returns the attribute keys of the component related attributes
  */
-function getComponentAttributes(attributes) {
-  return Object.keys(attributes).filter(key =>
-    ['component', 'dynamiczone'].includes(attributes[key].type)
+function getComponentAttributes(definition) {
+  return Object.keys(definition.attributes).filter(key =>
+    ['component', 'dynamiczone'].includes(definition.attributes[key].type)
   );
 }