diff --git a/django_mongodb/compiler.py b/django_mongodb/compiler.py
index c187542..a21ce9b 100644
--- a/django_mongodb/compiler.py
+++ b/django_mongodb/compiler.py
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ class SQLCompiler(compiler.SQLCompiler):
     """Base class for all Mongo compilers."""
 
     query_class = MongoQuery
-    GROUP_SEPARATOR = "___"
     PARENT_FIELD_TEMPLATE = "parent__field__{}"
 
     def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
@@ -37,34 +36,6 @@ def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
         self.order_by_objs = None
         self.subqueries = []
 
-    def _unfold_column(self, col):
-        """
-        Flatten a field by returning its target or by replacing dots with
-        GROUP_SEPARATOR for foreign fields.
-        """
-        if self.collection_name == col.alias:
-            return col.target.column
-        # If this is a foreign field, replace the normal dot (.) with
-        # GROUP_SEPARATOR since FieldPath field names may not contain '.'.
-        return f"{col.alias}{self.GROUP_SEPARATOR}{col.target.column}"
-
-    def _fold_columns(self, unfold_columns):
-        """
-        Convert flat columns into a nested dictionary, grouping fields by
-        table name.
-        """
-        result = defaultdict(dict)
-        for key in unfold_columns:
-            value = f"$_id.{key}"
-            if self.GROUP_SEPARATOR in key:
-                table, field = key.split(self.GROUP_SEPARATOR)
-                result[table][field] = value
-            else:
-                result[key] = value
-        # Convert defaultdict to dict so it doesn't appear as
-        # "defaultdict(<CLASS 'dict'>, ..." in query logging.
-        return dict(result)
-
     def _get_group_alias_column(self, expr, annotation_group_idx):
         """Generate a dummy field for use in the ids fields in $group."""
         replacement = None
@@ -75,7 +46,7 @@ def _get_group_alias_column(self, expr, annotation_group_idx):
             alias = f"__annotation_group{next(annotation_group_idx)}"
             col = self._get_column_from_expression(expr, alias)
             replacement = col
-        return self._unfold_column(col), replacement
+        return col.target.column, replacement
 
     def _get_column_from_expression(self, expr, alias):
         """
@@ -198,18 +169,15 @@ def _get_group_id_expressions(self, order_by):
         else:
             annotation_group_idx = itertools.count(start=1)
             ids = {}
+            columns = []
             for col in group_expressions:
                 alias, replacement = self._get_group_alias_column(col, annotation_group_idx)
-                try:
-                    ids[alias] = col.as_mql(self, self.connection)
-                except EmptyResultSet:
-                    ids[alias] = Value(False).as_mql(self, self.connection)
-                except FullResultSet:
-                    ids[alias] = Value(True).as_mql(self, self.connection)
+                columns.append((alias, col))
                 if replacement is not None:
                     replacements[col] = replacement
                     if isinstance(col, Ref):
                         replacements[col.source] = replacement
+            ids = self.get_project_fields(tuple(columns), force_expression=True)
         return ids, replacements
 
     def _build_aggregation_pipeline(self, ids, group):
@@ -234,7 +202,7 @@ def _build_aggregation_pipeline(self, ids, group):
         else:
             group["_id"] = ids
             pipeline.append({"$group": group})
-            projected_fields = self._fold_columns(ids)
+            projected_fields = {key: f"$_id.{key}" for key in ids}
             pipeline.append({"$addFields": projected_fields})
             if "_id" not in projected_fields:
                 pipeline.append({"$unset": "_id"})
@@ -522,15 +490,18 @@ def get_combinator_queries(self):
             else:
                 combinator_pipeline = inner_pipeline
         if not self.query.combinator_all:
-            ids = {}
+            ids = defaultdict(dict)
             for alias, expr in main_query_columns:
                 # Unfold foreign fields.
                 if isinstance(expr, Col) and expr.alias != self.collection_name:
-                    ids[self._unfold_column(expr)] = expr.as_mql(self, self.connection)
+                    ids[expr.alias][expr.target.column] = expr.as_mql(self, self.connection)
                 else:
                     ids[alias] = f"${alias}"
+            # Convert defaultdict to dict so it doesn't appear as
+            # "defaultdict(<CLASS 'dict'>, ..." in query logging.
+            ids = dict(ids)
             combinator_pipeline.append({"$group": {"_id": ids}})
-            projected_fields = self._fold_columns(ids)
+            projected_fields = {key: f"$_id.{key}" for key in ids}
             combinator_pipeline.append({"$addFields": projected_fields})
             if "_id" not in projected_fields:
                 combinator_pipeline.append({"$unset": "_id"})