diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 2e041f11..f065e80a 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -7,6 +7,17 @@
 
 This package allows you to filter, sort and include eloquent relations based on a request. The `QueryBuilder` used in this package extends Laravel's default Eloquent builder. This means all your favorite methods and macros are still available. Query parameter names follow the [JSON API specification](http://jsonapi.org/) as closely as possible.
 
+## Caching foreign keys
+Add this line to your composer.json file to cache foreign keys. This will allow the query builder to automatically detect foreign keys without having to make a database call.
+These foreign keys will always be included in select statements, which will prevent a loss of potential relations.
+```json
+"scripts": {
+    "post-update-cmd": [
+        "@php artisan query-builder:cache-foreign-keys"
+    ],
+}
+```
+
 ## Basic usage
 
 ### Filter a query based on a request: `/users?filter[name]=John`:
diff --git a/composer.json b/composer.json
index b99787e1..e7ce390f 100644
--- a/composer.json
+++ b/composer.json
@@ -24,7 +24,8 @@
         "illuminate/database": "^10.0|^11.0",
         "illuminate/http": "^10.0|^11.0",
         "illuminate/support": "^10.0|^11.0",
-        "spatie/laravel-package-tools": "^1.11"
+        "spatie/laravel-package-tools": "^1.11",
+        "doctrine/dbal": "^3.5"
     },
     "require-dev": {
         "ext-json": "*",
diff --git a/src/AllowedField.php b/src/AllowedField.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2be79d1d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/AllowedField.php
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace Spatie\QueryBuilder;
+
+use Illuminate\Support\Collection;
+
+class AllowedField
+{
+    protected string $name;
+    protected Collection $internalNames;
+
+    public function __construct(string $name, string|array $internalName = null)
+    {
+        $this->name = $name;
+
+        $this->internalNames = collect($internalName);
+    }
+
+
+    public static function setFilterArrayValueDelimiter(string $delimiter = null): void
+    {
+        if (isset($delimiter)) {
+            QueryBuilderRequest::setFilterArrayValueDelimiter($delimiter);
+        }
+    }
+
+    public static function partial(string $name, $internalNames = null, bool $addRelationConstraint = true, string $arrayValueDelimiter = null): self
+    {
+        static::setFilterArrayValueDelimiter($arrayValueDelimiter);
+
+        return new static($name, $internalNames);
+    }
+
+    public function getName(): string
+    {
+        return $this->name;
+    }
+
+    public function getInternalNames(): Collection
+    {
+        return $this->internalNames;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/App/Console/Commands/CacheForeignKeys.php b/src/App/Console/Commands/CacheForeignKeys.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..45934492
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/App/Console/Commands/CacheForeignKeys.php
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace Spatie\QueryBuilder\App\Console\Commands;
+
+use Illuminate\Console\Command;
+use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model;
+use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Cache;
+use Illuminate\Support\Facades\File;
+use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Schema;
+use Illuminate\Support\Str;
+use ReflectionClass;
+
+class CacheForeignKeys extends Command
+{
+    protected $signature = 'query-builder:cache-foreign-keys';
+
+    protected $description = 'Cache foreign keys for the QueryBuilder package.';
+
+    public function __invoke(): void
+    {
+        $modelsDirectory = app_path('Models');
+
+        $files = File::allFiles($modelsDirectory);
+
+        $foreignKeys = [];
+        $this->info('Fetching all models in App\Models...' . PHP_EOL);
+
+        foreach ($files as $file) {
+            // Build the full class name
+            $fullClassName = 'App\\Models' . '\\' . $file->getRelativePath() . '\\' . pathinfo($file->getRelativePathname(), PATHINFO_FILENAME);
+            $fullClassName = Str::replace('/', '\\', $fullClassName);
+
+            // Check if the class exists
+            if (class_exists($fullClassName) && is_subclass_of($fullClassName, Model::class)) {
+                // Create a ReflectionClass instance
+                $reflectionClass = new ReflectionClass($fullClassName);
+
+                // Check if the class is instantiable
+                if ($reflectionClass->isInstantiable()) {
+                    // Instantiate the class
+                    $instance = $reflectionClass->newInstance();
+                    $table = $instance->getTable();
+
+                    // Get all foreign keys for the table
+                    $tableForeignKeys = Schema::getConnection()->getDoctrineSchemaManager()->listTableForeignKeys($table);
+
+                    // Add the foreign keys to the array
+                    $foreignKeys[$table] = array_reduce($tableForeignKeys, function ($carry, $foreignKey) {
+                        return array_merge($carry, $foreignKey->getLocalColumns());
+                    }, []);
+
+                    // Add the primary key to the array
+                    $foreignKeys[$table][] = $instance->getKeyName();
+                } else {
+                    $this->error("The class $fullClassName is not instantiable.");
+                }
+            } else {
+                $this->warn("The class $fullClassName does not exist or does not extend " . Model::class . '.');
+            }
+        }
+        $this->info(PHP_EOL . 'Cached foreign keys for ' . count($foreignKeys) . ' tables.');
+
+        Cache::forever('QUERY_BUILDER_FKS', $foreignKeys);
+    }
+
+    public static function getForTable(string $table): array
+    {
+        return Cache::get('QUERY_BUILDER_FKS')[$table] ?? [];
+    }
+
+}
diff --git a/src/Concerns/AddsFieldsToQuery.php b/src/Concerns/AddsFieldsToQuery.php
index 120c000e..726574d1 100644
--- a/src/Concerns/AddsFieldsToQuery.php
+++ b/src/Concerns/AddsFieldsToQuery.php
@@ -4,13 +4,14 @@
 
 use Illuminate\Support\Collection;
 use Illuminate\Support\Str;
+use Spatie\QueryBuilder\AllowedField;
 use Spatie\QueryBuilder\Exceptions\AllowedFieldsMustBeCalledBeforeAllowedIncludes;
 use Spatie\QueryBuilder\Exceptions\InvalidFieldQuery;
 use Spatie\QueryBuilder\Exceptions\UnknownIncludedFieldsQuery;
 
 trait AddsFieldsToQuery
 {
-    protected ?Collection $allowedFields = null;
+    public ?Collection $allowedFields = null;
 
     public function allowedFields($fields): static
     {
@@ -20,10 +21,13 @@ public function allowedFields($fields): static
 
         $fields = is_array($fields) ? $fields : func_get_args();
 
-        $this->allowedFields = collect($fields)
-            ->map(function (string $fieldName) {
-                return $this->prependField($fieldName);
-            });
+        $this->allowedFields = collect($fields)->map(function ($field) {
+            if ($field instanceof AllowedField) {
+                return $field;
+            }
+
+            return AllowedField::partial($field);
+        });
 
         $this->ensureAllFieldsExist();
 
@@ -36,14 +40,34 @@ protected function addRequestedModelFieldsToQuery(): void
     {
         $modelTableName = $this->getModel()->getTable();
 
-        $fields = $this->request->fields();
-
-        $modelFields = $fields->has($modelTableName) ? $fields->get($modelTableName) : $fields->get('_');
+        $requestFields = $this->request->fields()->map(function ($field) {
+            return $field->name;
+        });
+
+        $modelFields = $this->allowedFields->mapWithKeys(function (AllowedField $field) {
+            return [
+                $field->getName() => $field->getInternalNames()->toArray(),
+            ];
+        });
+
+        if ($requestFields->count() > 0) {
+            // If fields are requested, only select those
+            $modelFields = $modelFields->filter(function ($internalName, $name) use ($requestFields) {
+                return $requestFields->contains($name);
+            })->toArray();
+        } else {
+            // If no fields are requested, select all allowed fields
+            $modelFields = $modelFields->toArray();
+        }
 
         if (empty($modelFields)) {
             return;
         }
 
+        // Flatten array
+        $modelFields = array_unique(array_merge(...array_values($modelFields)));
+
+        // Prepend the fields with the table name
         $prependedFields = $this->prependFieldsWithTableName($modelFields, $modelTableName);
 
         $this->select($prependedFields);
@@ -65,7 +89,6 @@ public function getRequestedFieldsForRelatedTable(string $relation): array
 
         if (! $this->allowedFields instanceof Collection) {
             // We have requested fields but no allowed fields (yet?)
-
             throw new UnknownIncludedFieldsQuery($fields);
         }
 
@@ -74,21 +97,17 @@ public function getRequestedFieldsForRelatedTable(string $relation): array
 
     protected function ensureAllFieldsExist(): void
     {
-        $modelTable = $this->getModel()->getTable();
+        // Map fieldnames from object
+        $allowedFields = $this->allowedFields->map(function (AllowedField $field) {
+            return $field->getName();
+        });
 
-        $requestedFields = $this->request->fields()
-            ->map(function ($fields, $model) use ($modelTable) {
-                $tableName = $model;
+        $requestedFields = $this->request->fields();
 
-                return $this->prependFieldsWithTableName($fields, $model === '_' ? $modelTable : $tableName);
-            })
-            ->flatten()
-            ->unique();
-
-        $unknownFields = $requestedFields->diff($this->allowedFields);
+        $unknownFields = $requestedFields->pluck('name')->diff($allowedFields);
 
         if ($unknownFields->isNotEmpty()) {
-            throw InvalidFieldQuery::fieldsNotAllowed($unknownFields, $this->allowedFields);
+            throw InvalidFieldQuery::fieldsNotAllowed($unknownFields, $allowedFields);
         }
     }
 
@@ -107,10 +126,14 @@ protected function prependField(string $field, ?string $table = null): string
 
         if (Str::contains($field, '.')) {
             // Already prepended
-
             return $field;
         }
 
         return "{$table}.{$field}";
     }
+
+    public function getAllowedFields(): ?Collection
+    {
+        return $this->allowedFields;
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/Concerns/FiltersQuery.php b/src/Concerns/FiltersQuery.php
index 9e932c23..b3cfda2c 100644
--- a/src/Concerns/FiltersQuery.php
+++ b/src/Concerns/FiltersQuery.php
@@ -76,4 +76,9 @@ protected function ensureAllFiltersExist(): void
             throw InvalidFilterQuery::filtersNotAllowed($diff, $allowedFilterNames);
         }
     }
+
+    public function getAllowedFilters(): ?Collection
+    {
+        return $this->allowedFilters;
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/Concerns/SortsQuery.php b/src/Concerns/SortsQuery.php
index c61d216f..15dded43 100644
--- a/src/Concerns/SortsQuery.php
+++ b/src/Concerns/SortsQuery.php
@@ -95,4 +95,9 @@ protected function ensureAllSortsExist(): void
             throw InvalidSortQuery::sortsNotAllowed($unknownSorts, $allowedSortNames);
         }
     }
+
+    public function getAllowedSorts(): ?Collection
+    {
+        return $this->allowedSorts;
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/Mappings/Column.php b/src/Mappings/Column.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3a582c11
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Mappings/Column.php
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace Spatie\QueryBuilder\Mappings;
+
+class Column
+{
+    /**
+     * Create a new currency instance.
+     *
+     * @param  string  $name
+     * @return void
+     */
+    public function __construct(string $name)
+    {
+        $this->name = $name;
+    }
+
+}
diff --git a/src/QueryBuilderRequest.php b/src/QueryBuilderRequest.php
index e2f30e14..ea500416 100644
--- a/src/QueryBuilderRequest.php
+++ b/src/QueryBuilderRequest.php
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 use Illuminate\Http\Request;
 use Illuminate\Support\Collection;
 use Illuminate\Support\Str;
+use Spatie\QueryBuilder\Mappings\Column;
 
 class QueryBuilderRequest extends Request
 {
@@ -65,32 +66,13 @@ public function fields(): Collection
 
         $fieldsPerTable = collect(is_string($fieldsData) ? explode(static::getFieldsArrayValueDelimiter(), $fieldsData) : $fieldsData);
 
-        if ($fieldsPerTable->isEmpty()) {
+        $data = $this->getRequestData($fieldsParameterName);
+
+        if (! $data) {
             return collect();
         }
 
-        $fields = [];
-
-        $fieldsPerTable->each(function ($tableFields, $model) use (&$fields) {
-            if (is_numeric($model)) {
-                // If the field is in dot notation, we'll grab the table without the field.
-                // If the field isn't in dot notation we want the base table. We'll use `_` and replace it later.
-                $model = Str::contains($tableFields, '.') ? Str::beforeLast($tableFields, '.') : '_';
-            }
-
-            if (! isset($fields[$model])) {
-                $fields[$model] = [];
-            }
-
-            // If the field is in dot notation, we'll grab the field without the tables:
-            $tableFields = array_map(function (string $field) {
-                return Str::afterLast($field, '.');
-            }, explode(static::getFieldsArrayValueDelimiter(), $tableFields));
-
-            $fields[$model] = array_merge($fields[$model], $tableFields);
-        });
-
-        return collect($fields);
+        return collect(explode(static::getFieldsArrayValueDelimiter(), $data))->mapInto(Column::class);
     }
 
     public function sorts(): Collection
diff --git a/src/QueryBuilderServiceProvider.php b/src/QueryBuilderServiceProvider.php
index da8b9313..e68206a0 100644
--- a/src/QueryBuilderServiceProvider.php
+++ b/src/QueryBuilderServiceProvider.php
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 use Spatie\LaravelPackageTools\Package;
 use Spatie\LaravelPackageTools\PackageServiceProvider;
+use Spatie\QueryBuilder\App\Console\Commands\CacheForeignKeys;
 
 class QueryBuilderServiceProvider extends PackageServiceProvider
 {
@@ -11,6 +12,7 @@ public function configurePackage(Package $package): void
     {
         $package
             ->name('laravel-query-builder')
+            ->hasConsoleCommands(CacheForeignKeys::class)
             ->hasConfigFile();
     }