diff --git a/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/repository/support/SpringDataMongodbSerializer.java b/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/repository/support/SpringDataMongodbSerializer.java
index 0cfda50f0..e98ce9cf2 100644
--- a/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/repository/support/SpringDataMongodbSerializer.java
+++ b/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/repository/support/SpringDataMongodbSerializer.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2011-2012 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2011-2014 the original author or authors.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -25,7 +25,10 @@ import org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.mapping.MongoPersistentProperty;
 import org.springframework.util.Assert;
 
 import com.mongodb.DBObject;
+import com.mongodb.DBRef;
 import com.mysema.query.mongodb.MongodbSerializer;
+import com.mysema.query.types.Constant;
+import com.mysema.query.types.Operation;
 import com.mysema.query.types.Path;
 import com.mysema.query.types.PathMetadata;
 import com.mysema.query.types.PathType;
@@ -34,6 +37,7 @@ import com.mysema.query.types.PathType;
  * Custom {@link MongodbSerializer} to take mapping information into account when building keys for constraints.
  * 
  * @author Oliver Gierke
+ * @author Christoph Strobl
  */
 class SpringDataMongodbSerializer extends MongodbSerializer {
 
@@ -44,7 +48,7 @@ class SpringDataMongodbSerializer extends MongodbSerializer {
 	/**
 	 * Creates a new {@link SpringDataMongodbSerializer} for the given {@link MappingContext}.
 	 * 
-	 * @param mappingContext
+	 * @param mappingContext must not be {@literal null}.
 	 */
 	public SpringDataMongodbSerializer(MongoConverter converter) {
 
@@ -86,4 +90,57 @@ class SpringDataMongodbSerializer extends MongodbSerializer {
 
 		return super.asDBObject(key, value instanceof Pattern ? value : converter.convertToMongoType(value));
 	}
+
+	/*
+	 * (non-Javadoc)
+	 * @see com.mysema.query.mongodb.MongodbSerializer#isReference(com.mysema.query.types.Path)
+	 */
+	@Override
+	protected boolean isReference(Path<?> path) {
+
+		MongoPersistentProperty property = getPropertyFor(path);
+		return property == null ? false : property.isAssociation();
+	}
+
+	/*
+	 * (non-Javadoc)
+	 * @see com.mysema.query.mongodb.MongodbSerializer#asReference(java.lang.Object)
+	 */
+	@Override
+	protected DBRef asReference(Object constant) {
+		return converter.toDBRef(constant, null);
+	}
+
+	/*
+	 * (non-Javadoc)
+	 * @see com.mysema.query.mongodb.MongodbSerializer#asReference(com.mysema.query.types.Operation, int)
+	 */
+	@Override
+	protected DBRef asReference(Operation<?> expr, int constIndex) {
+
+		for (Object arg : expr.getArgs()) {
+
+			if (arg instanceof Path) {
+
+				MongoPersistentProperty property = getPropertyFor((Path<?>) arg);
+				Object constant = ((Constant<?>) expr.getArg(constIndex)).getConstant();
+
+				return converter.toDBRef(constant, property);
+			}
+		}
+
+		return super.asReference(expr, constIndex);
+	}
+
+	private MongoPersistentProperty getPropertyFor(Path<?> path) {
+
+		Path<?> parent = path.getMetadata().getParent();
+
+		if (parent == null) {
+			return null;
+		}
+
+		MongoPersistentEntity<?> entity = mappingContext.getPersistentEntity(parent.getType());
+		return entity != null ? entity.getPersistentProperty(path.getMetadata().getName()) : null;
+	}
 }
diff --git a/spring-data-mongodb/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/repository/AbstractPersonRepositoryIntegrationTests.java b/spring-data-mongodb/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/repository/AbstractPersonRepositoryIntegrationTests.java
index 757822de8..de34b08c4 100644
--- a/spring-data-mongodb/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/repository/AbstractPersonRepositoryIntegrationTests.java
+++ b/spring-data-mongodb/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/repository/AbstractPersonRepositoryIntegrationTests.java
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import java.util.HashSet;
 import java.util.List;
 
 import org.junit.Before;
+import org.junit.Ignore;
 import org.junit.Test;
 import org.junit.runner.RunWith;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Autowired;
@@ -918,4 +919,26 @@ public abstract class AbstractPersonRepositoryIntegrationTests {
 		assertThat(result.getTotalPages(), is(2));
 		assertThat(result.getTotalElements(), is(3L));
 	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Ignored for now as this requires Querydsl 3.4.1 to succeed.
+	 * 
+	 * @see DATAMONGO-972
+	 */
+	@Test
+	@Ignore
+	public void shouldExecuteFindOnDbRefCorrectly() {
+
+		operations.remove(new org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.query.Query(), User.class);
+
+		User user = new User();
+		user.setUsername("Valerie Matthews");
+
+		operations.save(user);
+
+		dave.setCreator(user);
+		operations.save(dave);
+
+		assertThat(repository.findOne(QPerson.person.creator.eq(user)), is(dave));
+	}
 }
diff --git a/spring-data-mongodb/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/repository/Person.java b/spring-data-mongodb/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/repository/Person.java
index 11dd6abf4..3186d7839 100644
--- a/spring-data-mongodb/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/repository/Person.java
+++ b/spring-data-mongodb/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/repository/Person.java
@@ -267,6 +267,10 @@ public class Person extends Contact {
 		return this;
 	}
 
+	public void setCreator(User creator) {
+		this.creator = creator;
+	}
+
 	/*
 	* (non-Javadoc)
 	*