diff --git a/demo/blocks/Quote.js b/demo/blocks/Quote.js
index 9d4d095a91..0b1386a8f4 100644
--- a/demo/blocks/Quote.js
+++ b/demo/blocks/Quote.js
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@ module.exports = {
     {
       name: 'author',
       label: 'Author',
-      type: 'text',
-      maxLength: 100,
+      type: 'relationship',
+      relationTo: 'public-users',
       required: true,
     },
     {
diff --git a/demo/globals/GlobalWithStrictAccess.js b/demo/globals/GlobalWithStrictAccess.js
index 77d193d4b0..ab15f5aa7b 100644
--- a/demo/globals/GlobalWithStrictAccess.js
+++ b/demo/globals/GlobalWithStrictAccess.js
@@ -15,5 +15,20 @@ module.exports = {
       maxLength: 100,
       required: true,
     },
+    {
+      name: 'relationship',
+      label: 'Test Relationship',
+      type: 'relationship',
+      relationTo: 'localized-posts',
+      hasMany: true,
+      required: true,
+    },
+    {
+      name: 'singleRelationship',
+      label: 'Test Single Relationship',
+      type: 'relationship',
+      relationTo: 'localized-posts',
+      required: true,
+    },
   ],
 };
diff --git a/demo/payload.config.js b/demo/payload.config.js
index fecb7cc73d..b96a2bc801 100644
--- a/demo/payload.config.js
+++ b/demo/payload.config.js
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ module.exports = {
     graphQL: '/graphql',
     graphQLPlayground: '/graphql-playground',
   },
+  defaultDepth: 2,
   compression: {},
   paths: {
     scss: path.resolve(__dirname, 'client/scss/overrides.scss'),
diff --git a/src/auth/operations/register.js b/src/auth/operations/register.js
index 7588c624d5..10efd5f61e 100644
--- a/src/auth/operations/register.js
+++ b/src/auth/operations/register.js
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ const performFieldOperations = require('../../fields/performFieldOperations');
 
 const register = async (args) => {
   const {
+    depth,
     overrideAccess,
     config,
     collection: {
@@ -81,6 +82,7 @@ const register = async (args) => {
     hook: 'afterRead',
     operationName: 'read',
     req,
+    depth,
   });
 
   // /////////////////////////////////////
diff --git a/src/auth/operations/update.js b/src/auth/operations/update.js
index a834514308..8ea33fe02c 100644
--- a/src/auth/operations/update.js
+++ b/src/auth/operations/update.js
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ const performFieldOperations = require('../../fields/performFieldOperations');
 
 const update = async (args) => {
   const {
+    depth,
     config,
     collection: {
       Model,
@@ -115,6 +116,7 @@ const update = async (args) => {
     hook: 'afterRead',
     operationName: 'read',
     req,
+    depth,
   });
 
   // /////////////////////////////////////
diff --git a/src/collections/buildSchema.js b/src/collections/buildSchema.js
index 39f196a9c4..6a09f62cf6 100644
--- a/src/collections/buildSchema.js
+++ b/src/collections/buildSchema.js
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 const paginate = require('mongoose-paginate-v2');
-const autopopulate = require('mongoose-autopopulate');
 const buildQueryPlugin = require('../mongoose/buildQuery');
 const localizationPlugin = require('../localization/plugin');
 const buildSchema = require('../mongoose/buildSchema');
@@ -8,8 +7,7 @@ const buildCollectionSchema = (collection, config, schemaOptions = {}) => {
   const schema = buildSchema(collection.fields, { timestamps: collection.timestamps, ...schemaOptions });
 
   schema.plugin(paginate)
-    .plugin(buildQueryPlugin)
-    .plugin(autopopulate);
+    .plugin(buildQueryPlugin);
 
   if (config.localization) {
     schema.plugin(localizationPlugin, config.localization);
diff --git a/src/collections/operations/delete.js b/src/collections/operations/delete.js
index 386f0692a0..83ca1db052 100644
--- a/src/collections/operations/delete.js
+++ b/src/collections/operations/delete.js
@@ -2,8 +2,11 @@ const fs = require('fs');
 const { NotFound, Forbidden, ErrorDeletingFile } = require('../../errors');
 const executeAccess = require('../../auth/executeAccess');
 
+const performFieldOperations = require('../../fields/performFieldOperations');
+
 const deleteQuery = async (args) => {
   const {
+    depth,
     collection: {
       Model,
       config: collectionConfig,
@@ -14,6 +17,7 @@ const deleteQuery = async (args) => {
       locale,
       fallbackLocale,
     },
+    config,
   } = args;
 
   // /////////////////////////////////////
@@ -90,7 +94,19 @@ const deleteQuery = async (args) => {
   }
 
   // /////////////////////////////////////
-  // 4. Execute after collection hook
+  // 6. Execute field-level hooks and access
+  // /////////////////////////////////////
+
+  result = await performFieldOperations(config, collectionConfig, {
+    data: result,
+    hook: 'afterRead',
+    operationName: 'read',
+    req,
+    depth,
+  });
+
+  // /////////////////////////////////////
+  // 7. Execute after collection hook
   // /////////////////////////////////////
 
   await collectionConfig.hooks.afterDelete.reduce(async (priorHook, hook) => {
@@ -100,7 +116,7 @@ const deleteQuery = async (args) => {
   }, Promise.resolve());
 
   // /////////////////////////////////////
-  // 5. Return results
+  // 8. Return results
   // /////////////////////////////////////
 
   return result;
diff --git a/src/collections/operations/find.js b/src/collections/operations/find.js
index f6c17a4b0c..519fcfcc0d 100644
--- a/src/collections/operations/find.js
+++ b/src/collections/operations/find.js
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@ const find = async (args) => {
     where,
     page,
     limit,
-    depth,
     config,
+    depth,
     collection: {
       Model,
       config: collectionConfig,
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ const find = async (args) => {
     req: {
       locale,
       fallbackLocale,
-      payloadAPI,
     },
   } = args;
 
@@ -74,26 +73,8 @@ const find = async (args) => {
     limit: limit || 10,
     sort,
     collation: sort ? { locale: 'en' } : {}, // case-insensitive sort in MongoDB
-    options: {
-      autopopulate: false,
-    },
   };
 
-  // Only allow depth override within REST.
-  // If allowed in GraphQL, it would break resolvers
-  // as a full object will be returned instead of an ID string
-  if (payloadAPI === 'REST') {
-    if (depth && depth !== '0') {
-      optionsToExecute.options.autopopulate = {
-        maxDepth: parseInt(depth, 10),
-      };
-    } else {
-      optionsToExecute.options.autopopulate = {
-        maxDepth: 2,
-      };
-    }
-  }
-
   let result = await Model.paginate(query, optionsToExecute);
 
   // /////////////////////////////////////
@@ -110,6 +91,7 @@ const find = async (args) => {
       const data = doc.toJSON({ virtuals: true });
 
       return performFieldOperations(config, collectionConfig, {
+        depth,
         data,
         req,
         hook: 'afterRead',
diff --git a/src/collections/operations/findByID.js b/src/collections/operations/findByID.js
index beca715f04..d8e5aa70e0 100644
--- a/src/collections/operations/findByID.js
+++ b/src/collections/operations/findByID.js
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ const findByID = async (args) => {
     req: {
       locale,
       fallbackLocale,
-      payloadAPI,
     },
   } = args;
 
@@ -54,26 +53,7 @@ const findByID = async (args) => {
   // 3. Perform database operation
   // /////////////////////////////////////
 
-  const queryOptionsToExecute = {
-    autopopulate: false,
-  };
-
-  // Only allow depth override within REST.
-  // If allowed in GraphQL, it would break resolvers
-  // as a full object will be returned instead of an ID string
-  if (payloadAPI === 'REST') {
-    if (depth && depth !== '0') {
-      queryOptionsToExecute.autopopulate = {
-        maxDepth: parseInt(depth, 10),
-      };
-    } else {
-      queryOptionsToExecute.autopopulate = {
-        maxDepth: 2,
-      };
-    }
-  }
-
-  let result = await Model.findOne(query, {}, queryOptionsToExecute);
+  let result = await Model.findOne(query, {});
 
   if (!result && !hasWhereAccess) throw new NotFound();
   if (!result && hasWhereAccess) throw new Forbidden();
@@ -89,6 +69,7 @@ const findByID = async (args) => {
   // /////////////////////////////////////
 
   result = await performFieldOperations(config, collectionConfig, {
+    depth,
     req,
     data: result,
     hook: 'afterRead',
diff --git a/src/collections/operations/update.js b/src/collections/operations/update.js
index 9723e472e8..aeab18284f 100644
--- a/src/collections/operations/update.js
+++ b/src/collections/operations/update.js
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ const resizeAndSave = require('../../uploads/imageResizer');
 const update = async (args) => {
   const {
     config,
+    depth,
     collection: {
       Model,
       config: collectionConfig,
@@ -158,6 +159,7 @@ const update = async (args) => {
     hook: 'afterRead',
     operationName: 'read',
     req,
+    depth,
   });
 
   // /////////////////////////////////////
diff --git a/src/collections/requestHandlers/create.js b/src/collections/requestHandlers/create.js
index 7b967beec3..06b2ce4493 100644
--- a/src/collections/requestHandlers/create.js
+++ b/src/collections/requestHandlers/create.js
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ const createHandler = (config) => async (req, res, next) => {
       collection: req.collection,
       config,
       data: req.body,
+      depth: req.query.depth,
     });
 
     return res.status(httpStatus.CREATED).json({
diff --git a/src/collections/requestHandlers/delete.js b/src/collections/requestHandlers/delete.js
index 9a0dd2f285..30a7230ded 100644
--- a/src/collections/requestHandlers/delete.js
+++ b/src/collections/requestHandlers/delete.js
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ const deleteHandler = (config) => async (req, res, next) => {
       collection: req.collection,
       config,
       id: req.params.id,
+      depth: req.query.depth,
     });
 
     if (!doc) {
diff --git a/src/collections/requestHandlers/update.js b/src/collections/requestHandlers/update.js
index 903c7c9ffe..bf81a199ea 100644
--- a/src/collections/requestHandlers/update.js
+++ b/src/collections/requestHandlers/update.js
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ const updateHandler = (config) => async (req, res, next) => {
       config,
       id: req.params.id,
       data: req.body,
+      depth: req.query.depth,
     });
 
     return res.status(httpStatus.OK).json({
diff --git a/src/globals/buildModel.js b/src/globals/buildModel.js
index d69b6f96e5..af2f714b35 100644
--- a/src/globals/buildModel.js
+++ b/src/globals/buildModel.js
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 const mongoose = require('mongoose');
-const autopopulate = require('mongoose-autopopulate');
 const mongooseHidden = require('mongoose-hidden')();
 const buildSchema = require('../mongoose/buildSchema');
 const localizationPlugin = require('../localization/plugin');
@@ -12,7 +11,6 @@ const buildModel = (config) => {
       globalsSchema.plugin(localizationPlugin, config.localization);
     }
 
-    globalsSchema.plugin(autopopulate);
     globalsSchema.plugin(mongooseHidden);
 
     const Globals = mongoose.model('globals', globalsSchema);
@@ -24,7 +22,6 @@ const buildModel = (config) => {
         globalSchema.plugin(localizationPlugin, config.localization);
       }
 
-      globalSchema.plugin(autopopulate);
       globalSchema.plugin(mongooseHidden);
 
       Globals.discriminator(globalConfig.slug, globalSchema);
diff --git a/src/globals/operations/findOne.js b/src/globals/operations/findOne.js
index aa7ede5897..9c0272714b 100644
--- a/src/globals/operations/findOne.js
+++ b/src/globals/operations/findOne.js
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ const findOne = async (args) => {
     Model,
     req,
     req: {
-      payloadAPI,
       locale,
       fallbackLocale,
     },
@@ -32,23 +31,6 @@ const findOne = async (args) => {
   // 3. Perform database operation
   // /////////////////////////////////////
 
-  const queryOptionsToExecute = {
-    options: {},
-  };
-
-  // Only allow depth override within REST.
-  // If allowed in GraphQL, it would break resolvers
-  // as a full object will be returned instead of an ID string
-  if (payloadAPI === 'REST') {
-    if (depth && depth !== '0') {
-      queryOptionsToExecute.options.autopopulate = {
-        maxDepth: parseInt(depth, 10),
-      };
-    } else {
-      queryOptionsToExecute.options.autopopulate = false;
-    }
-  }
-
   let doc = await Model.findOne({ globalType: slug });
 
   if (!doc) {
@@ -71,6 +53,7 @@ const findOne = async (args) => {
     hook: 'afterRead',
     operationName: 'read',
     req,
+    depth,
   });
 
   // /////////////////////////////////////
diff --git a/src/globals/operations/update.js b/src/globals/operations/update.js
index e8ecfc86cb..1c2e2486cc 100644
--- a/src/globals/operations/update.js
+++ b/src/globals/operations/update.js
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ const update = async (args) => {
       locale,
       fallbackLocale,
     },
+    depth,
   } = args;
 
   // /////////////////////////////////////
@@ -91,6 +92,7 @@ const update = async (args) => {
     hook: 'afterRead',
     operationName: 'read',
     req,
+    depth,
   });
 
   // /////////////////////////////////////
diff --git a/src/utilities/sanitizeConfig.js b/src/utilities/sanitizeConfig.js
index daf1680939..77e22cae56 100644
--- a/src/utilities/sanitizeConfig.js
+++ b/src/utilities/sanitizeConfig.js
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ const sanitizeGlobals = require('../globals/sanitize');
 const sanitizeConfig = (config) => {
   const sanitizedConfig = { ...config };
 
+  if (sanitizedConfig.defaultDepth === undefined) sanitizedConfig.defaultDepth = 2;
+
   sanitizedConfig.collections = sanitizedConfig.collections.map((collection) => sanitizeCollection(sanitizedConfig.collections, collection));
 
   if (sanitizedConfig.globals) {