diff --git a/packages/runtime/src/client/crud/dialects/base.ts b/packages/runtime/src/client/crud/dialects/base.ts
index a38cb479..e3d6e3d0 100644
--- a/packages/runtime/src/client/crud/dialects/base.ts
+++ b/packages/runtime/src/client/crud/dialects/base.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { invariant, isPlainObject } from '@zenstackhq/common-helpers';
 import type { Expression, ExpressionBuilder, ExpressionWrapper, SqlBool, ValueNode } from 'kysely';
-import { sql, type SelectQueryBuilder } from 'kysely';
+import { expressionBuilder, sql, type SelectQueryBuilder } from 'kysely';
 import { match, P } from 'ts-pattern';
 import type { BuiltinType, DataSourceProviderType, FieldDef, GetModels, SchemaDef } from '../../../schema';
 import { enumerate } from '../../../utils/enumerate';
@@ -95,11 +95,9 @@ export abstract class BaseCrudDialect<Schema extends SchemaDef> {
                 result = this.and(eb, result, this.buildRelationFilter(eb, model, modelAlias, key, fieldDef, payload));
             } else {
                 // if the field is from a base model, build a reference from that model
-                const fieldRef = buildFieldRef(
-                    this.schema,
+                const fieldRef = this.fieldRef(
                     fieldDef.originModel ?? model,
                     key,
-                    this.options,
                     eb,
                     fieldDef.originModel ?? modelAlias,
                 );
@@ -727,7 +725,8 @@ export abstract class BaseCrudDialect<Schema extends SchemaDef> {
                     for (const [k, v] of Object.entries<string>(value)) {
                         invariant(v === 'asc' || v === 'desc', `invalid orderBy value for field "${field}"`);
                         result = result.orderBy(
-                            (eb) => aggregate(eb, sql.ref(`${modelAlias}.${k}`), field as AGGREGATE_OPERATORS),
+                            (eb) =>
+                                aggregate(eb, this.fieldRef(model, k, eb, modelAlias), field as AGGREGATE_OPERATORS),
                             sql.raw(this.negateSort(v, negated)),
                         );
                     }
@@ -740,7 +739,7 @@ export abstract class BaseCrudDialect<Schema extends SchemaDef> {
                         for (const [k, v] of Object.entries<string>(value)) {
                             invariant(v === 'asc' || v === 'desc', `invalid orderBy value for field "${field}"`);
                             result = result.orderBy(
-                                (eb) => eb.fn.count(sql.ref(k)),
+                                (eb) => eb.fn.count(this.fieldRef(model, k, eb, modelAlias)),
                                 sql.raw(this.negateSort(v, negated)),
                             );
                         }
@@ -753,8 +752,9 @@ export abstract class BaseCrudDialect<Schema extends SchemaDef> {
                 const fieldDef = requireField(this.schema, model, field);
 
                 if (!fieldDef.relation) {
+                    const fieldRef = this.fieldRef(model, field, expressionBuilder(), modelAlias);
                     if (value === 'asc' || value === 'desc') {
-                        result = result.orderBy(sql.ref(`${modelAlias}.${field}`), this.negateSort(value, negated));
+                        result = result.orderBy(fieldRef, this.negateSort(value, negated));
                     } else if (
                         value &&
                         typeof value === 'object' &&
@@ -764,7 +764,7 @@ export abstract class BaseCrudDialect<Schema extends SchemaDef> {
                         (value.nulls === 'first' || value.nulls === 'last')
                     ) {
                         result = result.orderBy(
-                            sql.ref(`${modelAlias}.${field}`),
+                            fieldRef,
                             sql.raw(`${this.negateSort(value.sort, negated)} nulls ${value.nulls}`),
                         );
                     }
@@ -865,7 +865,7 @@ export abstract class BaseCrudDialect<Schema extends SchemaDef> {
         const fieldDef = requireField(this.schema, model, field);
         if (fieldDef.computed) {
             // TODO: computed field from delegate base?
-            return query.select((eb) => buildFieldRef(this.schema, model, field, this.options, eb).as(field));
+            return query.select((eb) => this.fieldRef(model, field, eb, modelAlias).as(field));
         } else if (!fieldDef.originModel) {
             // regular field
             return query.select(sql.ref(`${modelAlias}.${field}`).as(field));
@@ -993,6 +993,10 @@ export abstract class BaseCrudDialect<Schema extends SchemaDef> {
         return eb.not(this.and(eb, ...args));
     }
 
+    fieldRef(model: string, field: string, eb: ExpressionBuilder<any, any>, modelAlias?: string) {
+        return buildFieldRef(this.schema, model, field, this.options, eb, modelAlias);
+    }
+
     // #endregion
 
     // #region abstract methods
diff --git a/packages/runtime/src/client/crud/dialects/postgresql.ts b/packages/runtime/src/client/crud/dialects/postgresql.ts
index 5cb9c5de..65ff3988 100644
--- a/packages/runtime/src/client/crud/dialects/postgresql.ts
+++ b/packages/runtime/src/client/crud/dialects/postgresql.ts
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ import type { BuiltinType, FieldDef, GetModels, SchemaDef } from '../../../schem
 import { DELEGATE_JOINED_FIELD_PREFIX } from '../../constants';
 import type { FindArgs } from '../../crud-types';
 import {
-    buildFieldRef,
     buildJoinPairs,
     getDelegateDescendantModels,
     getIdFields,
@@ -227,10 +226,7 @@ export class PostgresCrudDialect<Schema extends SchemaDef> extends BaseCrudDiale
                 ...Object.entries(relationModelDef.fields)
                     .filter(([, value]) => !value.relation)
                     .filter(([name]) => !(typeof payload === 'object' && (payload.omit as any)?.[name] === true))
-                    .map(([field]) => [
-                        sql.lit(field),
-                        buildFieldRef(this.schema, relationModel, field, this.options, eb),
-                    ])
+                    .map(([field]) => [sql.lit(field), this.fieldRef(relationModel, field, eb)])
                     .flatMap((v) => v),
             );
         } else if (payload.select) {
@@ -253,7 +249,7 @@ export class PostgresCrudDialect<Schema extends SchemaDef> extends BaseCrudDiale
                                 ? // reference the synthesized JSON field
                                   eb.ref(`${parentAlias}$${relationField}$${field}.$j`)
                                 : // reference a plain field
-                                  buildFieldRef(this.schema, relationModel, field, this.options, eb);
+                                  this.fieldRef(relationModel, field, eb);
                             return [sql.lit(field), fieldValue];
                         }
                     })
diff --git a/packages/runtime/src/client/crud/dialects/sqlite.ts b/packages/runtime/src/client/crud/dialects/sqlite.ts
index 9277af48..127a13b4 100644
--- a/packages/runtime/src/client/crud/dialects/sqlite.ts
+++ b/packages/runtime/src/client/crud/dialects/sqlite.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ import type { BuiltinType, GetModels, SchemaDef } from '../../../schema';
 import { DELEGATE_JOINED_FIELD_PREFIX } from '../../constants';
 import type { FindArgs } from '../../crud-types';
 import {
-    buildFieldRef,
     getDelegateDescendantModels,
     getIdFields,
     getManyToManyRelation,
@@ -171,10 +170,7 @@ export class SqliteCrudDialect<Schema extends SchemaDef> extends BaseCrudDialect
                     ...Object.entries(relationModelDef.fields)
                         .filter(([, value]) => !value.relation)
                         .filter(([name]) => !(typeof payload === 'object' && (payload.omit as any)?.[name] === true))
-                        .map(([field]) => [
-                            sql.lit(field),
-                            buildFieldRef(this.schema, relationModel, field, this.options, eb),
-                        ])
+                        .map(([field]) => [sql.lit(field), this.fieldRef(relationModel, field, eb)])
                         .flatMap((v) => v),
                 );
             } else if (payload.select) {
@@ -203,10 +199,7 @@ export class SqliteCrudDialect<Schema extends SchemaDef> extends BaseCrudDialect
                                     );
                                     return [sql.lit(field), subJson];
                                 } else {
-                                    return [
-                                        sql.lit(field),
-                                        buildFieldRef(this.schema, relationModel, field, this.options, eb) as ArgsType,
-                                    ];
+                                    return [sql.lit(field), this.fieldRef(relationModel, field, eb) as ArgsType];
                                 }
                             }
                         })
diff --git a/packages/runtime/src/client/crud/operations/base.ts b/packages/runtime/src/client/crud/operations/base.ts
index cc79057f..237b3157 100644
--- a/packages/runtime/src/client/crud/operations/base.ts
+++ b/packages/runtime/src/client/crud/operations/base.ts
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ import type { FindArgs, SelectIncludeOmit, SortOrder, WhereInput } from '../../c
 import { InternalError, NotFoundError, QueryError } from '../../errors';
 import type { ToKysely } from '../../query-builder';
 import {
-    buildFieldRef,
     ensureArray,
     extractIdFields,
     flattenCompoundUniqueFilters,
@@ -187,9 +186,7 @@ export abstract class BaseOperationHandler<Schema extends SchemaDef> {
                 // make sure distinct fields are selected
                 query = distinct.reduce(
                     (acc, field) =>
-                        acc.select((eb) =>
-                            buildFieldRef(this.schema, model, field, this.options, eb).as(`$distinct$${field}`),
-                        ),
+                        acc.select((eb) => this.dialect.fieldRef(model, field, eb).as(`$distinct$${field}`)),
                     query,
                 );
             }
@@ -1267,7 +1264,7 @@ export abstract class BaseOperationHandler<Schema extends SchemaDef> {
         const key = Object.keys(payload)[0];
         const value = this.dialect.transformPrimitive(payload[key!], fieldDef.type as BuiltinType, false);
         const eb = expressionBuilder<any, any>();
-        const fieldRef = buildFieldRef(this.schema, model, field, this.options, eb);
+        const fieldRef = this.dialect.fieldRef(model, field, eb);
 
         return match(key)
             .with('set', () => value)
@@ -1290,7 +1287,7 @@ export abstract class BaseOperationHandler<Schema extends SchemaDef> {
         const key = Object.keys(payload)[0];
         const value = this.dialect.transformPrimitive(payload[key!], fieldDef.type as BuiltinType, true);
         const eb = expressionBuilder<any, any>();
-        const fieldRef = buildFieldRef(this.schema, model, field, this.options, eb);
+        const fieldRef = this.dialect.fieldRef(model, field, eb);
 
         return match(key)
             .with('set', () => value)
diff --git a/packages/runtime/src/client/crud/operations/group-by.ts b/packages/runtime/src/client/crud/operations/group-by.ts
index cdf99b8c..14bb77b5 100644
--- a/packages/runtime/src/client/crud/operations/group-by.ts
+++ b/packages/runtime/src/client/crud/operations/group-by.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
-import { sql } from 'kysely';
+import { expressionBuilder } from 'kysely';
 import { match } from 'ts-pattern';
 import type { SchemaDef } from '../../../schema';
-import { getField } from '../../query-utils';
+import { aggregate, getField } from '../../query-utils';
 import { BaseOperationHandler } from './base';
 
 export class GroupByOperationHandler<Schema extends SchemaDef> extends BaseOperationHandler<Schema> {
@@ -44,9 +44,11 @@ export class GroupByOperationHandler<Schema extends SchemaDef> extends BaseOpera
             return subQuery.as('$sub');
         });
 
+        const fieldRef = (field: string) => this.dialect.fieldRef(this.model, field, expressionBuilder(), '$sub');
+
         // groupBy
         const bys = typeof parsedArgs.by === 'string' ? [parsedArgs.by] : (parsedArgs.by as string[]);
-        query = query.groupBy(bys.map((by) => sql.ref(`$sub.${by}`)));
+        query = query.groupBy(bys.map((by) => fieldRef(by)));
 
         // orderBy
         if (parsedArgs.orderBy) {
@@ -59,7 +61,7 @@ export class GroupByOperationHandler<Schema extends SchemaDef> extends BaseOpera
 
         // select all by fields
         for (const by of bys) {
-            query = query.select(() => sql.ref(`$sub.${by}`).as(by));
+            query = query.select(() => fieldRef(by).as(by));
         }
 
         // aggregations
@@ -77,7 +79,7 @@ export class GroupByOperationHandler<Schema extends SchemaDef> extends BaseOpera
                                     );
                                 } else {
                                     query = query.select((eb) =>
-                                        eb.cast(eb.fn.count(sql.ref(`$sub.${field}`)), 'integer').as(`${key}.${field}`),
+                                        eb.cast(eb.fn.count(fieldRef(field)), 'integer').as(`${key}.${field}`),
                                     );
                                 }
                             }
@@ -92,15 +94,7 @@ export class GroupByOperationHandler<Schema extends SchemaDef> extends BaseOpera
                 case '_min': {
                     Object.entries(value).forEach(([field, val]) => {
                         if (val === true) {
-                            query = query.select((eb) => {
-                                const fn = match(key)
-                                    .with('_sum', () => eb.fn.sum)
-                                    .with('_avg', () => eb.fn.avg)
-                                    .with('_max', () => eb.fn.max)
-                                    .with('_min', () => eb.fn.min)
-                                    .exhaustive();
-                                return fn(sql.ref(`$sub.${field}`)).as(`${key}.${field}`);
-                            });
+                            query = query.select((eb) => aggregate(eb, fieldRef(field), key).as(`${key}.${field}`));
                         }
                     });
                     break;
diff --git a/packages/runtime/src/client/query-utils.ts b/packages/runtime/src/client/query-utils.ts
index 1cad9bb1..d2c7b649 100644
--- a/packages/runtime/src/client/query-utils.ts
+++ b/packages/runtime/src/client/query-utils.ts
@@ -318,11 +318,7 @@ export function getDelegateDescendantModels(
     return [...collected];
 }
 
-export function aggregate(
-    eb: ExpressionBuilder<any, any>,
-    expr: Expression<any>,
-    op: AGGREGATE_OPERATORS,
-): Expression<any> {
+export function aggregate(eb: ExpressionBuilder<any, any>, expr: Expression<any>, op: AGGREGATE_OPERATORS) {
     return match(op)
         .with('_count', () => eb.fn.count(expr))
         .with('_sum', () => eb.fn.sum(expr))
diff --git a/packages/runtime/test/client-api/computed-fields.test.ts b/packages/runtime/test/client-api/computed-fields.test.ts
index 6a28c4d3..353f495f 100644
--- a/packages/runtime/test/client-api/computed-fields.test.ts
+++ b/packages/runtime/test/client-api/computed-fields.test.ts
@@ -36,6 +36,58 @@ model User {
         ).resolves.toMatchObject({
             upperName: 'ALEX',
         });
+
+        await expect(
+            db.user.findFirst({
+                where: { upperName: 'ALEX' },
+            }),
+        ).resolves.toMatchObject({
+            upperName: 'ALEX',
+        });
+
+        await expect(
+            db.user.findFirst({
+                where: { upperName: 'Alex' },
+            }),
+        ).toResolveNull();
+
+        await expect(
+            db.user.findFirst({
+                orderBy: { upperName: 'desc' },
+            }),
+        ).resolves.toMatchObject({
+            upperName: 'ALEX',
+        });
+
+        await expect(
+            db.user.findFirst({
+                orderBy: { upperName: 'desc' },
+                take: -1,
+            }),
+        ).resolves.toMatchObject({
+            upperName: 'ALEX',
+        });
+
+        await expect(
+            db.user.aggregate({
+                _count: { upperName: true },
+            }),
+        ).resolves.toMatchObject({
+            _count: { upperName: 1 },
+        });
+
+        await expect(
+            db.user.groupBy({
+                by: ['upperName'],
+                _count: { upperName: true },
+                _max: { upperName: true },
+            }),
+        ).resolves.toEqual([
+            expect.objectContaining({
+                _count: { upperName: 1 },
+                _max: { upperName: 'ALEX' },
+            }),
+        ]);
     });
 
     it('is typed correctly for non-optional fields', async () => {