diff --git a/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/convert/MappingMongoConverter.java b/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/convert/MappingMongoConverter.java
index 426bb0a9f..f5dadf4a8 100644
--- a/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/convert/MappingMongoConverter.java
+++ b/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/convert/MappingMongoConverter.java
@@ -1171,7 +1171,7 @@ public class MappingMongoConverter extends AbstractMongoConverter implements App
 				map.put(key, read(defaultedValueType, (BasicDBObject) value, path));
 			} else if (value instanceof DBRef) {
 				map.put(key, DBRef.class.equals(rawValueType) ? value
-						: readAndConvertDBRef((DBRef) value, defaultedValueType, ObjectPath.ROOT, rawValueType != null ? rawValueType : ClassTypeInformation.OBJECT.getType()));
+						: readAndConvertDBRef((DBRef) value, defaultedValueType, ObjectPath.ROOT, rawValueType));
 			} else if (value instanceof List) {
 				map.put(key, readCollectionOrArray(valueType != null ? valueType : ClassTypeInformation.LIST,
 						(List<Object>) value, path));
@@ -1575,7 +1575,7 @@ public class MappingMongoConverter extends AbstractMongoConverter implements App
 
 	@Nullable
 	private <T> T readAndConvertDBRef(@Nullable DBRef dbref, TypeInformation<?> type, ObjectPath path,
-			final Class<?> rawType) {
+			@Nullable Class<?> rawType) {
 
 		List<T> result = bulkReadAndConvertDBRefs(Collections.singletonList(dbref), type, path, rawType);
 		return CollectionUtils.isEmpty(result) ? null : result.iterator().next();
@@ -1598,7 +1598,7 @@ public class MappingMongoConverter extends AbstractMongoConverter implements App
 
 	@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
 	private <T> List<T> bulkReadAndConvertDBRefs(List<DBRef> dbrefs, TypeInformation<?> type, ObjectPath path,
-			final Class<?> rawType) {
+			@Nullable Class<?> rawType) {
 
 		if (CollectionUtils.isEmpty(dbrefs)) {
 			return Collections.emptyList();
@@ -1614,7 +1614,8 @@ public class MappingMongoConverter extends AbstractMongoConverter implements App
 		for (Document document : referencedRawDocuments) {
 
 			if (document != null) {
-				maybeEmitEvent(new AfterLoadEvent<>(document, (Class<T>) rawType, collectionName));
+				maybeEmitEvent(
+						new AfterLoadEvent<>(document, (Class<T>) (rawType != null ? rawType : Object.class), collectionName));
 			}
 
 			final T target = (T) read(type, document, path);
diff --git a/spring-data-mongodb/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/convert/MappingMongoConverterUnitTests.java b/spring-data-mongodb/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/convert/MappingMongoConverterUnitTests.java
index c4820fdce..8a46cf875 100644
--- a/spring-data-mongodb/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/convert/MappingMongoConverterUnitTests.java
+++ b/spring-data-mongodb/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/convert/MappingMongoConverterUnitTests.java
@@ -75,7 +75,6 @@ import org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.mapping.MongoPersistentProperty;
 import org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.mapping.PersonPojoStringId;
 import org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.mapping.TextScore;
 import org.springframework.data.util.ClassTypeInformation;
-import org.springframework.data.util.TypeInformation;
 import org.springframework.test.util.ReflectionTestUtils;
 
 import com.mongodb.BasicDBList;