diff --git a/onto/database/mock.py b/onto/database/mock.py
index 113f5c5..a1a2b5e 100644
--- a/onto/database/mock.py
+++ b/onto/database/mock.py
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ def set(cls, ref: Reference, snapshot: Snapshot, transaction=_NA):
 
     @classmethod
     def get(cls, ref: Reference, transaction=_NA):
-        return cls.d[str(ref)]
+        return Snapshot(cls.d[str(ref)])
 
     update = set
     create = set
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ def query(cls, q):
         qualifier = q._to_qualifier()
         for k, v in cls.d.items():
             if qualifier(v):
-                yield k, v
+                yield MockReference.from_str(k), Snapshot(v)
         yield from ()
 
 
diff --git a/onto/sink/graphql.py b/onto/sink/graphql.py
index fb18360..af7c27b 100644
--- a/onto/sink/graphql.py
+++ b/onto/sink/graphql.py
@@ -166,6 +166,10 @@ def _as_graphql_schema(self):
     def start(self):
         subscription_schema = self._as_graphql_schema()
         return subscription_schema
+    
+    @staticmethod
+    def _get_user(info):
+        return info.context.request.user
 
 
 class GraphQLSubscriptionSink(GraphQLSink):
@@ -206,15 +210,20 @@ class GraphQLQuerySink(GraphQLSink):
 
     def _register_op(self):
         from gql import query
-
+        extra_args = set()
+        if '__user' in extra_args:
+            kwargs = {__user: self._get_user(info), **kwargs}
         async def f(parent, info, **kwargs):
-            res = self._invoke_mediator(func_name='query', **kwargs)
+            res = await self._invoke_mediator(func_name='query', **kwargs)
             return res
 
         name = self.sink_name
         f.__name__ = name
         query(f)
         args = dict(self._args_of('query'))
+        if '__user' in args:
+            extra_args.add('__user')
+        args = {k: v for k, v in args.items() if not str(k).startswith('__')}
         return name, args
 
 
@@ -225,7 +234,10 @@ class GraphQLMutationSink(GraphQLSink):
     def _register_op(self):
         from gql import mutate
 
+        extra_args = set()
         async def f(parent, info, **kwargs):
+            if '__user' in extra_args:
+                kwargs = { __user: self._get_user(info), **kwargs }
             res = await self._invoke_mediator(func_name='mutate', **kwargs)
             return res
 
@@ -233,6 +245,10 @@ async def f(parent, info, **kwargs):
         f.__name__ = name
         mutate(f, snake_argument=False)
         args = dict(self._args_of('mutate'))
+        if '__user' in args:
+            extra_args.add('__user')
+        # TODO: NOTE: __ fields are filtered out
+        args = { k: v for k, v in args.items() if not str(k).startswith('__')}
         return name, args
 
 
diff --git a/onto/utils.py b/onto/utils.py
index 3064bb0..85febcb 100644
--- a/onto/utils.py
+++ b/onto/utils.py
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ def snapshot_to_obj(
     # if not snapshot.exists:
     #     return None
 
-    d = snapshot.to_dict() if not isinstance(snapshot, dict) else snapshot  # TODO: improve
+    d = snapshot.to_dict()
     obj_cls = super_cls
 
     if "obj_type" in d: