diff --git a/packages/knex/src/query/QueryBuilder.ts b/packages/knex/src/query/QueryBuilder.ts
index aa91fac320ca..d6c35f6a250b 100644
--- a/packages/knex/src/query/QueryBuilder.ts
+++ b/packages/knex/src/query/QueryBuilder.ts
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import type {
   RequiredEntityData,
 } from '@mikro-orm/core';
 import {
+  helper,
   LoadStrategy,
   LockMode,
   PopulateHint,
@@ -632,7 +633,30 @@ export class QueryBuilder<T extends object = AnyEntity> {
       res = this.driver.mergeJoinedResult(res, this.mainAlias.metadata!);
     }
 
-    return res.map(r => this.em!.map<T>(this.mainAlias.entityName, r, { schema: this._schema }));
+    const entities: T[] = [];
+
+    function propagatePopulateHint<U>(entity: U, hint: PopulateOptions<U>[]) {
+      helper(entity).__serializationContext.populate ??= hint;
+      hint.forEach(pop => {
+        const value = entity[pop.field];
+
+        if (Utils.isEntity<U>(value, true)) {
+          helper(value).populated();
+          propagatePopulateHint(value, pop.children ?? []);
+        } else if (Utils.isCollection(value)) {
+          value.populated();
+          value.getItems(false).forEach(item => propagatePopulateHint(item, pop.children ?? []));
+        }
+      });
+    }
+
+    for (const r of res) {
+      const entity = this.em!.map<T>(this.mainAlias.entityName, r, { schema: this._schema });
+      propagatePopulateHint(entity, this._populate);
+      entities.push(entity);
+    }
+
+    return entities;
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/tests/issues/GH3812.test.ts b/tests/issues/GH3812.test.ts
index 01ac55468c42..4d2e75b342ec 100644
--- a/tests/issues/GH3812.test.ts
+++ b/tests/issues/GH3812.test.ts
@@ -173,6 +173,7 @@ test('GH 3812', async () => {
   const res1 = await orm.em.find(SerialNumber, {}, { populate: ['logs.step'] });
   expect(res1).toHaveLength(1);
   expect(wrap(res1[0]).toJSON().logs[0].serialNumber).toBe('559fccf7-11f0-4e5a-8e15-ae29b98ddeb3');
+  expect(wrap(res1[0]).toJSON().logs[0].step?.name).toBe('ASSY');
 
   orm.em.clear();
 
@@ -185,4 +186,5 @@ test('GH 3812', async () => {
     .getResultList();
   expect(res2).toHaveLength(1);
   expect(wrap(res2[0]).toJSON().logs[0].serialNumber).toBe('559fccf7-11f0-4e5a-8e15-ae29b98ddeb3');
+  expect(wrap(res2[0]).toJSON().logs[0].step?.name).toBe('ASSY');
 });