diff --git a/packages/payload/src/auth/operations/refresh.ts b/packages/payload/src/auth/operations/refresh.ts
index 969fa57e15a..7889ebc1b3a 100644
--- a/packages/payload/src/auth/operations/refresh.ts
+++ b/packages/payload/src/auth/operations/refresh.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 import url from 'url'
-import { v4 as uuid } from 'uuid'
 
 import type { Collection } from '../../collections/config/types.js'
 import type { Document, PayloadRequest } from '../../types/index.js'
@@ -74,11 +73,10 @@ export const refreshOperation = async (incomingArgs: Arguments): Promise<Result>
     const parsedURL = url.parse(args.req.url!)
     const isGraphQL = parsedURL.pathname === config.routes.graphQL
 
-    const user = await args.req.payload.findByID({
-      id: args.req.user.id,
-      collection: args.req.user.collection,
-      depth: isGraphQL ? 0 : args.collection.config.auth.depth,
-      req: args.req,
+    let user = await req.payload.db.findOne<any>({
+      collection: collectionConfig.slug,
+      req,
+      where: { id: { equals: args.req.user.id } },
     })
 
     const sid = args.req.user._sid
@@ -88,7 +86,7 @@ export const refreshOperation = async (incomingArgs: Arguments): Promise<Result>
         throw new Forbidden(args.req.t)
       }
 
-      const existingSession = user.sessions.find(({ id }) => id === sid)
+      const existingSession = user.sessions.find(({ id }: { id: number }) => id === sid)
 
       const now = new Date()
       const tokenExpInMs = collectionConfig.auth.tokenExpiration * 1000
@@ -106,6 +104,13 @@ export const refreshOperation = async (incomingArgs: Arguments): Promise<Result>
       })
     }
 
+    user = await req.payload.findByID({
+      id: user.id,
+      collection: collectionConfig.slug,
+      depth: isGraphQL ? 0 : args.collection.config.auth.depth,
+      req: args.req,
+    })
+
     if (user) {
       user.collection = args.req.user.collection
       user._strategy = args.req.user._strategy
diff --git a/test/auth/int.spec.ts b/test/auth/int.spec.ts
index 29a7d92581e..6a89df60047 100644
--- a/test/auth/int.spec.ts
+++ b/test/auth/int.spec.ts
@@ -262,6 +262,42 @@ describe('Auth', () => {
         expect(data.user.custom).toBe('Goodbye, world!')
       })
 
+      it('keeps apiKey encrypted in DB after refresh operation', async () => {
+        const apiKey = '987e6543-e21b-12d3-a456-426614174999'
+        const user = await payload.create({
+          collection: slug,
+          data: { email: 'user@example.com', password: 'Password123', apiKey, enableAPIKey: true },
+        })
+        const { token } = await payload.login({
+          collection: 'users',
+          data: { email: 'user@example.com', password: 'Password123' },
+        })
+        await restClient.POST('/users/refresh-token', {
+          headers: { Authorization: `JWT ${token}` },
+        })
+        const raw = await payload.db.findOne<any>({
+          collection: 'users',
+          req: { locale: 'en' } as any,
+          where: { id: { equals: user.id } },
+        })
+        expect(raw?.apiKey).not.toContain('-') // still ciphertext
+      })
+
+      it('returns a user with decrypted apiKey after refresh', async () => {
+        const { token } = await payload.login({
+          collection: 'users',
+          data: { email: 'user@example.com', password: 'Password123' },
+        })
+
+        const res = await restClient
+          .POST('/users/refresh-token', {
+            headers: { Authorization: `JWT ${token}` },
+          })
+          .then((r) => r.json())
+
+        expect(res.user.apiKey).toMatch(/[0-9a-f-]{36}/) // UUID string
+      })
+
       it('should allow a user to be created', async () => {
         const response = await restClient.POST(`/${slug}`, {
           body: JSON.stringify({