diff --git a/src/lib/plugins/query/javascriptQueryLanguage.test.ts b/src/lib/plugins/query/javascriptQueryLanguage.test.ts
index 2fe8d2aa..63d4accc 100644
--- a/src/lib/plugins/query/javascriptQueryLanguage.test.ts
+++ b/src/lib/plugins/query/javascriptQueryLanguage.test.ts
@@ -35,8 +35,8 @@ describe('javascriptQueryLanguage', () => {
       assert.deepStrictEqual(
         query,
         'function query (data) {\n' +
-          "  data = data.filter(item => item?.user?.name == 'Bob')\n" +
           '  return data\n' +
+          "    .filter(item => item?.user?.name == 'Bob')\n" +
           '}'
       )
 
@@ -59,8 +59,8 @@ describe('javascriptQueryLanguage', () => {
       assert.deepStrictEqual(
         query,
         'function query (data) {\n' +
-          '  data = data.filter(item => item?.["user name!"] == \'Bob\')\n' +
           '  return data\n' +
+          '    .filter(item => item?.["user name!"] == \'Bob\')\n' +
           '}'
       )
 
@@ -81,10 +81,7 @@ describe('javascriptQueryLanguage', () => {
       })
       assert.deepStrictEqual(
         query,
-        'function query (data) {\n' +
-          '  data = data.filter(item => item == 1)\n' +
-          '  return data\n' +
-          '}'
+        'function query (data) {\n  return data\n    .filter(item => item == 1)\n}'
       )
 
       const result = executeQuery(data, query, JSON)
@@ -103,8 +100,8 @@ describe('javascriptQueryLanguage', () => {
       assert.deepStrictEqual(
         query,
         'function query (data) {\n' +
-          '  data = data.filter(item => item?.user?.registered == true)\n' +
           '  return data\n' +
+          '    .filter(item => item?.user?.registered == true)\n' +
           '}'
       )
 
@@ -124,8 +121,8 @@ describe('javascriptQueryLanguage', () => {
       assert.deepStrictEqual(
         query,
         'function query (data) {\n' +
-          '  data = data.filter(item => item?.user?.extra != null)\n' +
           '  return data\n' +
+          '    .filter(item => item?.user?.extra != null)\n' +
           '}'
       )
 
@@ -145,8 +142,8 @@ describe('javascriptQueryLanguage', () => {
       assert.deepStrictEqual(
         query,
         'function query (data) {\n' +
-          '  data = data.filter(item => item?.user?.extra != undefined)\n' +
           '  return data\n' +
+          '    .filter(item => item?.user?.extra != undefined)\n' +
           '}'
       )
 
@@ -165,13 +162,14 @@ describe('javascriptQueryLanguage', () => {
       assert.deepStrictEqual(
         query,
         'function query (data) {\n' +
-          '  data = data.slice().sort((a, b) => {\n' +
-          '    // sort ascending\n' +
-          '    const valueA = a?.user?.age\n' +
-          '    const valueB = b?.user?.age\n' +
-          '    return valueA > valueB ? 1 : valueA < valueB ? -1 : 0\n' +
-          '  })\n' +
           '  return data\n' +
+          '    .slice()\n' +
+          '    .sort((a, b) => {\n' +
+          '      // sort ascending\n' +
+          '      const valueA = a?.user?.age\n' +
+          '      const valueB = b?.user?.age\n' +
+          '      return valueA > valueB ? 1 : valueA < valueB ? -1 : 0\n' +
+          '    })\n' +
           '}'
       )
 
@@ -190,13 +188,14 @@ describe('javascriptQueryLanguage', () => {
       assert.deepStrictEqual(
         query,
         'function query (data) {\n' +
-          '  data = data.slice().sort((a, b) => {\n' +
-          '    // sort descending\n' +
-          '    const valueA = a?.user?.age\n' +
-          '    const valueB = b?.user?.age\n' +
-          '    return valueA > valueB ? -1 : valueA < valueB ? 1 : 0\n' +
-          '  })\n' +
           '  return data\n' +
+          '    .slice()\n' +
+          '    .sort((a, b) => {\n' +
+          '      // sort descending\n' +
+          '      const valueA = a?.user?.age\n' +
+          '      const valueB = b?.user?.age\n' +
+          '      return valueA > valueB ? -1 : valueA < valueB ? 1 : 0\n' +
+          '    })\n' +
           '}'
       )
 
@@ -215,8 +214,8 @@ describe('javascriptQueryLanguage', () => {
       assert.deepStrictEqual(
         query,
         'function query (data) {\n' +
-          '  data = data.map(item => item?.user?.name)\n' +
           '  return data\n' +
+          '    .map(item => item?.user?.name)\n' +
           '}'
       )
 
@@ -235,11 +234,11 @@ describe('javascriptQueryLanguage', () => {
       assert.deepStrictEqual(
         query,
         'function query (data) {\n' +
-          '  data = data.map(item => ({\n' +
-          '    "name": item?.user?.name,\n' +
-          '    "_id": item?._id})\n' +
-          '  )\n' +
           '  return data\n' +
+          '    .map(item => ({\n' +
+          '      "name": item?.user?.name,\n' +
+          '      "_id": item?._id})\n' +
+          '    )\n' +
           '}'
       )
 
@@ -271,15 +270,16 @@ describe('javascriptQueryLanguage', () => {
       assert.deepStrictEqual(
         query,
         'function query (data) {\n' +
-          '  data = data.filter(item => item?.user?.age <= 7)\n' +
-          '  data = data.slice().sort((a, b) => {\n' +
-          '    // sort ascending\n' +
-          '    const valueA = a?.user?.name\n' +
-          '    const valueB = b?.user?.name\n' +
-          '    return valueA > valueB ? 1 : valueA < valueB ? -1 : 0\n' +
-          '  })\n' +
-          '  data = data.map(item => item?.user?.name)\n' +
           '  return data\n' +
+          '    .filter(item => item?.user?.age <= 7)\n' +
+          '    .slice()\n' +
+          '    .sort((a, b) => {\n' +
+          '      // sort ascending\n' +
+          '      const valueA = a?.user?.name\n' +
+          '      const valueB = b?.user?.name\n' +
+          '      return valueA > valueB ? 1 : valueA < valueB ? -1 : 0\n' +
+          '    })\n' +
+          '    .map(item => item?.user?.name)\n' +
           '}'
       )
 
diff --git a/src/lib/plugins/query/javascriptQueryLanguage.ts b/src/lib/plugins/query/javascriptQueryLanguage.ts
index 364599b8..6ec47223 100644
--- a/src/lib/plugins/query/javascriptQueryLanguage.ts
+++ b/src/lib/plugins/query/javascriptQueryLanguage.ts
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ export const javascriptQueryLanguage: QueryLanguage = {
 
 function createQuery(json: JSONValue, queryOptions: QueryLanguageOptions): string {
   const { filter, sort, projection } = queryOptions
-  const queryParts = []
+  const queryParts = ['  return data\n']
 
   if (filter && filter.path && filter.relation && filter.value) {
     // Note that the comparisons embrace type coercion,
@@ -35,30 +35,30 @@ function createQuery(json: JSONValue, queryOptions: QueryLanguageOptions): strin
         ? `${filter.value}n` // bigint
         : filter.value
 
-    queryParts.push(
-      `  data = data.filter(${actualValueGetter} ${filter.relation} ${filterValueStr})\n`
-    )
+    queryParts.push(`    .filter(${actualValueGetter} ${filter.relation} ${filterValueStr})\n`)
   }
 
   if (sort && sort.path && sort.direction) {
     if (sort.direction === 'desc') {
       queryParts.push(
-        `  data = data.slice().sort((a, b) => {\n` +
-          `    // sort descending\n` +
-          `    const valueA = a${createPropertySelector(sort.path)}\n` +
-          `    const valueB = b${createPropertySelector(sort.path)}\n` +
-          `    return valueA > valueB ? -1 : valueA < valueB ? 1 : 0\n` +
-          `  })\n`
+        `    .slice()\n` +
+          `    .sort((a, b) => {\n` +
+          `      // sort descending\n` +
+          `      const valueA = a${createPropertySelector(sort.path)}\n` +
+          `      const valueB = b${createPropertySelector(sort.path)}\n` +
+          `      return valueA > valueB ? -1 : valueA < valueB ? 1 : 0\n` +
+          `    })\n`
       )
     } else {
       // sort direction 'asc'
       queryParts.push(
-        `  data = data.slice().sort((a, b) => {\n` +
-          `    // sort ascending\n` +
-          `    const valueA = a${createPropertySelector(sort.path)}\n` +
-          `    const valueB = b${createPropertySelector(sort.path)}\n` +
-          `    return valueA > valueB ? 1 : valueA < valueB ? -1 : 0\n` +
-          `  })\n`
+        `    .slice()\n` +
+          `    .sort((a, b) => {\n` +
+          `      // sort ascending\n` +
+          `      const valueA = a${createPropertySelector(sort.path)}\n` +
+          `      const valueB = b${createPropertySelector(sort.path)}\n` +
+          `      return valueA > valueB ? 1 : valueA < valueB ? -1 : 0\n` +
+          `    })\n`
       )
     }
   }
@@ -70,19 +70,17 @@ function createQuery(json: JSONValue, queryOptions: QueryLanguageOptions): strin
       const paths = projection.paths.map((path) => {
         const name = path[path.length - 1] || 'item' // 'item' in case of having selected the whole item
         const item = `item${createPropertySelector(path)}`
-        return `    ${JSON.stringify(name)}: ${item}`
+        return `      ${JSON.stringify(name)}: ${item}`
       })
 
-      queryParts.push(`  data = data.map(item => ({\n${paths.join(',\n')}})\n  )\n`)
+      queryParts.push(`    .map(item => ({\n${paths.join(',\n')}})\n    )\n`)
     } else {
       const item = `item${createPropertySelector(projection.paths[0])}`
 
-      queryParts.push(`  data = data.map(item => ${item})\n`)
+      queryParts.push(`    .map(item => ${item})\n`)
     }
   }
 
-  queryParts.push('  return data\n')
-
   return `function query (data) {\n${queryParts.join('')}}`
 }
 
diff --git a/src/lib/plugins/query/lodashQueryLanguage.test.ts b/src/lib/plugins/query/lodashQueryLanguage.test.ts
index 33a37184..3bd15cae 100644
--- a/src/lib/plugins/query/lodashQueryLanguage.test.ts
+++ b/src/lib/plugins/query/lodashQueryLanguage.test.ts
@@ -20,7 +20,10 @@ describe('lodashQueryLanguage', () => {
     test('should create a and execute an empty query', () => {
       const query = createQuery(users, {})
       const result = executeQuery(users, query, JSON)
-      assert.deepStrictEqual(query, 'function query (data) {\n  return data\n}')
+      assert.deepStrictEqual(
+        query,
+        'function query (data) {\n  return _.chain(data)\n    .value()\n}'
+      )
       assert.deepStrictEqual(result, users)
       assert.deepStrictEqual(users, originalUsers) // must not touch the original users
     })
@@ -39,8 +42,9 @@ describe('lodashQueryLanguage', () => {
       assert.deepStrictEqual(
         query,
         'function query (data) {\n' +
-          "  data = _.filter(data, item => item?.user?.name == 'Bob')\n" +
-          '  return data\n' +
+          '  return _.chain(data)\n' +
+          "    .filter(item => item?.user?.name == 'Bob')\n" +
+          '    .value()\n' +
           '}'
       )
 
@@ -63,8 +67,9 @@ describe('lodashQueryLanguage', () => {
       assert.deepStrictEqual(
         query,
         'function query (data) {\n' +
-          '  data = _.filter(data, item => item?.["user name!"] == \'Bob\')\n' +
-          '  return data\n' +
+          '  return _.chain(data)\n' +
+          '    .filter(item => item?.["user name!"] == \'Bob\')\n' +
+          '    .value()\n' +
           '}'
       )
 
@@ -86,8 +91,9 @@ describe('lodashQueryLanguage', () => {
       assert.deepStrictEqual(
         query,
         'function query (data) {\n' +
-          '  data = _.filter(data, item => item == 1)\n' +
-          '  return data\n' +
+          '  return _.chain(data)\n' +
+          '    .filter(item => item == 1)\n' +
+          '    .value()\n' +
           '}'
       )
 
@@ -107,8 +113,9 @@ describe('lodashQueryLanguage', () => {
       assert.deepStrictEqual(
         query,
         'function query (data) {\n' +
-          '  data = _.filter(data, item => item?.user?.registered == true)\n' +
-          '  return data\n' +
+          '  return _.chain(data)\n' +
+          '    .filter(item => item?.user?.registered == true)\n' +
+          '    .value()\n' +
           '}'
       )
 
@@ -128,8 +135,9 @@ describe('lodashQueryLanguage', () => {
       assert.deepStrictEqual(
         query,
         'function query (data) {\n' +
-          '  data = _.filter(data, item => item?.user?.extra != null)\n' +
-          '  return data\n' +
+          '  return _.chain(data)\n' +
+          '    .filter(item => item?.user?.extra != null)\n' +
+          '    .value()\n' +
           '}'
       )
 
@@ -149,8 +157,9 @@ describe('lodashQueryLanguage', () => {
       assert.deepStrictEqual(
         query,
         'function query (data) {\n' +
-          '  data = _.filter(data, item => item?.user?.extra != undefined)\n' +
-          '  return data\n' +
+          '  return _.chain(data)\n' +
+          '    .filter(item => item?.user?.extra != undefined)\n' +
+          '    .value()\n' +
           '}'
       )
 
@@ -169,8 +178,9 @@ describe('lodashQueryLanguage', () => {
       assert.deepStrictEqual(
         query,
         'function query (data) {\n' +
-          "  data = _.orderBy(data, ['user.age'], ['asc'])\n" +
-          '  return data\n' +
+          '  return _.chain(data)\n' +
+          "    .orderBy(['user.age'], ['asc'])\n" +
+          '    .value()\n' +
           '}'
       )
 
@@ -189,8 +199,9 @@ describe('lodashQueryLanguage', () => {
       assert.deepStrictEqual(
         query,
         'function query (data) {\n' +
-          "  data = _.orderBy(data, ['user.age'], ['desc'])\n" +
-          '  return data\n' +
+          '  return _.chain(data)\n' +
+          "    .orderBy(['user.age'], ['desc'])\n" +
+          '    .value()\n' +
           '}'
       )
 
@@ -208,8 +219,9 @@ describe('lodashQueryLanguage', () => {
       assert.deepStrictEqual(
         query,
         'function query (data) {\n' +
-          '  data = _.map(data, item => item?.user?.name)\n' +
-          '  return data\n' +
+          '  return _.chain(data)\n' +
+          '    .map(item => item?.user?.name)\n' +
+          '    .value()\n' +
           '}'
       )
 
@@ -227,11 +239,12 @@ describe('lodashQueryLanguage', () => {
       assert.deepStrictEqual(
         query,
         'function query (data) {\n' +
-          '  data = _.map(data, item => ({\n' +
-          '    "name": item?.user?.name,\n' +
-          '    "_id": item?._id\n' +
-          '  }))\n' +
-          '  return data\n' +
+          '  return _.chain(data)\n' +
+          '    .map(item => ({\n' +
+          '      "name": item?.user?.name,\n' +
+          '      "_id": item?._id\n' +
+          '    }))\n' +
+          '    .value()\n' +
           '}'
       )
 
@@ -264,10 +277,11 @@ describe('lodashQueryLanguage', () => {
       assert.deepStrictEqual(
         query,
         'function query (data) {\n' +
-          '  data = _.filter(data, item => item?.user?.age <= 7)\n' +
-          "  data = _.orderBy(data, ['user.name'], ['asc'])\n" +
-          '  data = _.map(data, item => item?.user?.name)\n' +
-          '  return data\n' +
+          '  return _.chain(data)\n' +
+          '    .filter(item => item?.user?.age <= 7)\n' +
+          "    .orderBy(['user.name'], ['asc'])\n" +
+          '    .map(item => item?.user?.name)\n' +
+          '    .value()\n' +
           '}'
       )
 
@@ -299,8 +313,9 @@ describe('lodashQueryLanguage', () => {
       assert.deepStrictEqual(
         query,
         'function query (data) {\n' +
-          '  data = _.orderBy(data, [["nested","complex \\"field\\" \'name\'"]], [\'asc\'])\n' +
-          '  return data\n' +
+          '  return _.chain(data)\n' +
+          '    .orderBy([["nested","complex \\"field\\" \'name\'"]], [\'asc\'])\n' +
+          '    .value()\n' +
           '}'
       )
 
diff --git a/src/lib/plugins/query/lodashQueryLanguage.ts b/src/lib/plugins/query/lodashQueryLanguage.ts
index 9265b5e6..5fbeaa21 100644
--- a/src/lib/plugins/query/lodashQueryLanguage.ts
+++ b/src/lib/plugins/query/lodashQueryLanguage.ts
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ export const lodashQueryLanguage: QueryLanguage = {
 
 function createQuery(json: JSONValue, queryOptions: QueryLanguageOptions): string {
   const { filter, sort, projection } = queryOptions
-  const queryParts = []
+  const queryParts = ['  return _.chain(data)\n']
 
   if (filter && filter.path && filter.relation && filter.value) {
     // Note that the comparisons embrace type coercion,
@@ -41,16 +41,12 @@ function createQuery(json: JSONValue, queryOptions: QueryLanguageOptions): strin
         ? `${filter.value}n` // bigint
         : filter.value
 
-    queryParts.push(
-      `  data = _.filter(data, ${actualValueGetter} ${filter.relation} ${filterValueStr})\n`
-    )
+    queryParts.push(`    .filter(${actualValueGetter} ${filter.relation} ${filterValueStr})\n`)
   }
 
   if (sort && sort.path && sort.direction) {
     queryParts.push(
-      `  data = _.orderBy(data, [${createLodashPropertySelector(sort.path)}], ['${
-        sort.direction
-      }'])\n`
+      `    .orderBy([${createLodashPropertySelector(sort.path)}], ['${sort.direction}'])\n`
     )
   }
 
@@ -61,16 +57,16 @@ function createQuery(json: JSONValue, queryOptions: QueryLanguageOptions): strin
       // Note that we do not use _.pick() here because this function doesn't flatten the results
       const paths = projection.paths.map((path) => {
         const name = last(path) || 'item' // 'item' in case of having selected the whole item
-        return `    ${JSON.stringify(name)}: item${createPropertySelector(path)}`
+        return `      ${JSON.stringify(name)}: item${createPropertySelector(path)}`
       })
-      queryParts.push(`  data = _.map(data, item => ({\n${paths.join(',\n')}\n  }))\n`)
+      queryParts.push(`    .map(item => ({\n${paths.join(',\n')}\n    }))\n`)
     } else {
       const path = projection.paths[0]
-      queryParts.push(`  data = _.map(data, item => item${createPropertySelector(path)})\n`)
+      queryParts.push(`    .map(item => item${createPropertySelector(path)})\n`)
     }
   }
 
-  queryParts.push('  return data\n')
+  queryParts.push('    .value()\n')
 
   return `function query (data) {\n${queryParts.join('')}}`
 }