diff --git a/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/convert/DefaultDbRefResolver.java b/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/convert/DefaultDbRefResolver.java
index 37c6fbbac..8b64c7cb9 100644
--- a/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/convert/DefaultDbRefResolver.java
+++ b/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/convert/DefaultDbRefResolver.java
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ public class DefaultDbRefResolver implements DbRefResolver {
 	static class LazyLoadingInterceptor implements MethodInterceptor, org.springframework.cglib.proxy.MethodInterceptor,
 			Serializable {
 
-		private static final Method INITIALIZE_METHOD, TO_DBREF_METHOD;
+		private static final Method INITIALIZE_METHOD, TO_DBREF_METHOD, FINALIZE_METHOD;
 
 		private final DbRefResolverCallback callback;
 		private final MongoPersistentProperty property;
@@ -192,6 +192,7 @@ public class DefaultDbRefResolver implements DbRefResolver {
 			try {
 				INITIALIZE_METHOD = LazyLoadingProxy.class.getMethod("getTarget");
 				TO_DBREF_METHOD = LazyLoadingProxy.class.getMethod("toDBRef");
+				FINALIZE_METHOD = Object.class.getDeclaredMethod("finalize");
 			} catch (Exception e) {
 				throw new RuntimeException(e);
 			}
@@ -255,6 +256,11 @@ public class DefaultDbRefResolver implements DbRefResolver {
 				if (ReflectionUtils.isHashCodeMethod(method)) {
 					return proxyHashCode(proxy);
 				}
+
+				// DATAMONGO-1076 - finalize methods should not trigger proxy initialization
+				if (FINALIZE_METHOD.equals(method)) {
+					return null;
+				}
 			}
 
 			Object target = ensureResolved();
diff --git a/spring-data-mongodb/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/convert/DbRefMappingMongoConverterUnitTests.java b/spring-data-mongodb/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/convert/DbRefMappingMongoConverterUnitTests.java
index 73252ee50..fec18436a 100644
--- a/spring-data-mongodb/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/convert/DbRefMappingMongoConverterUnitTests.java
+++ b/spring-data-mongodb/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/convert/DbRefMappingMongoConverterUnitTests.java
@@ -541,6 +541,26 @@ public class DbRefMappingMongoConverterUnitTests {
 		assertProxyIsResolved(proxy, false);
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * @see DATAMONGO-1076
+	 */
+	@Test
+	public void shouldNotTriggerResolvingOfLazyLoadedProxyWhenFinalizeMethodIsInvoked() throws Exception {
+
+		MongoPersistentEntity<?> entity = mappingContext.getPersistentEntity(WithObjectMethodOverrideLazyDbRefs.class);
+		MongoPersistentProperty property = entity.getPersistentProperty("dbRefToConcreteTypeWithPropertyAccess");
+
+		String idValue = new ObjectId().toString();
+		DBRef dbRef = converter.toDBRef(new LazyDbRefTargetPropertyAccess(idValue), property);
+
+		WithObjectMethodOverrideLazyDbRefs result = converter.read(WithObjectMethodOverrideLazyDbRefs.class,
+				new BasicDBObject("dbRefToPlainObject", dbRef));
+
+		ReflectionTestUtils.invokeMethod(result.dbRefToPlainObject, "finalize");
+
+		assertProxyIsResolved(result.dbRefToPlainObject, false);
+	}
+
 	private Object transport(Object result) {
 		return SerializationUtils.deserialize(SerializationUtils.serialize(result));
 	}