diff --git a/lib/model.js b/lib/model.js
index cc961a3c515..543e05a1307 100644
--- a/lib/model.js
+++ b/lib/model.js
@@ -3261,7 +3261,9 @@ function populate(model, docs, options, callback) {
       mod.options.options.limit = mod.options.options.limit * ids.length;
     }
 
-    var subPopulate = mod.options.populate;
+    var subPopulate = utils.clone(mod.options.populate, {
+      retainKeyOrder: true
+    });
     var query = mod.Model.find(match, select, mod.options.options);
 
     // If we're doing virtual populate and projection is inclusive and foreign