diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 9e6fc4e..c88c137 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 {
   "name": "loopback4-soft-delete",
-  "version": "7.0.2",
+  "version": "7.1.0",
   "lockfileVersion": 2,
   "requires": true,
   "packages": {
     "": {
       "name": "loopback4-soft-delete",
-      "version": "7.0.2",
+      "version": "7.1.0",
       "license": "MIT",
       "dependencies": {
         "@loopback/core": "^4.0.7",
diff --git a/src/__tests__/unit/repository/soft-crud.repository.unit.ts b/src/__tests__/unit/repository/soft-crud.repository.unit.ts
index eea72b1..cfdaee3 100644
--- a/src/__tests__/unit/repository/soft-crud.repository.unit.ts
+++ b/src/__tests__/unit/repository/soft-crud.repository.unit.ts
@@ -366,6 +366,16 @@ describe('SoftCrudRepository', () => {
         expect(e.message).to.be.equal('EntityNotFound');
       }
     });
+    it('should not return soft deleted entry by id, without using deleted in fields filter(fields fileter is passed as array)', async () => {
+      try {
+        await repo.findById(3, {
+          fields: ['id', 'email'],
+        });
+        fail();
+      } catch (e) {
+        expect(e.message).to.be.equal('EntityNotFound');
+      }
+    });
     it('should return requested fields only when not using deleted in fields filter', async () => {
       const customer = await repo.findById(4, {
         fields: {
@@ -385,6 +395,18 @@ describe('SoftCrudRepository', () => {
       });
       expect(customer).to.have.property('deleted');
     });
+    it('should return requested fields only when not using deleted in fields filter array', async () => {
+      const customer = await repo.findById(4, {
+        fields: ['id', 'email'],
+      });
+      expect(customer).to.not.have.property('deleted');
+    });
+    it('should return requested fields matched with fields filter array', async () => {
+      const customer = await repo.findById(4, {
+        fields: ['id', 'email', 'deleted'],
+      });
+      expect(customer).to.have.property('deleted');
+    });
   });
 
   describe('findByIdIncludeSoftDelete', () => {
diff --git a/src/repositories/soft-crud.repository.base.ts b/src/repositories/soft-crud.repository.base.ts
index be38d38..9017c70 100644
--- a/src/repositories/soft-crud.repository.base.ts
+++ b/src/repositories/soft-crud.repository.base.ts
@@ -175,18 +175,46 @@ export abstract class SoftCrudRepository<
         [pk]: id,
       } as Condition<T>;
     }
-    const finalFilter: Filter<T> = {};
-    Object.assign(finalFilter, filter);
+    let finalFilter: Filter<T> = {};
+    //In case of array of fields, we need to copy the array
+    // by value and not by reference
+    finalFilter = {
+      ...filter,
+      fields:
+        filter?.fields && Array.isArray(filter.fields)
+          ? [...filter.fields]
+          : filter.fields,
+    };
     if (finalFilter.fields) {
-      finalFilter.fields = {
-        ...finalFilter.fields,
-        deleted: true,
-      };
+      if (Array.isArray(finalFilter.fields)) {
+        const fields = finalFilter.fields as Extract<
+          keyof SoftDeleteEntity,
+          string
+        >[];
+        if (!fields.includes('deleted')) {
+          fields.push('deleted');
+        }
+      } else {
+        finalFilter.fields = {
+          ...finalFilter.fields,
+          deleted: true,
+        };
+      }
     }
     const entity = await super.findById(id, finalFilter, options);
     if (entity && !entity.deleted) {
-      if (filter.fields && !(filter.fields as AnyObject).deleted) {
-        delete entity.deleted;
+      if (filter.fields) {
+        if (Array.isArray(filter.fields)) {
+          const temp = filter.fields as Extract<
+            keyof SoftDeleteEntity,
+            string
+          >[];
+          if (!temp.includes('deleted')) {
+            delete entity.deleted;
+          }
+        } else if (!(filter.fields as AnyObject).deleted) {
+          delete entity.deleted;
+        }
       }
       return entity;
     } else {