diff --git a/packages/realm_dart/lib/src/handles/native/init.dart b/packages/realm_dart/lib/src/handles/native/init.dart
index dcad10696..ec8c2117b 100644
--- a/packages/realm_dart/lib/src/handles/native/init.dart
+++ b/packages/realm_dart/lib/src/handles/native/init.dart
@@ -153,7 +153,13 @@ EJsonValue encodeRealmValue(RealmValue value) {
   return toEJson(v);
 }
 
-RealmValue decodeRealmValue(EJsonValue ejson) => RealmValue.from(fromEJson(ejson, allowCustom: false));
+RealmValue decodeRealmValue(EJsonValue ejson) {
+  Object? decoded = fromEJson(ejson, allowCustom: false);
+  if (decoded is DBRef) {
+//    return RealmValue.from(null);
+  }
+  return RealmValue.from(decoded);
+}
 
 /// @nodoc
 // Initializes Realm library
diff --git a/packages/realm_dart/test/serialization_test.dart b/packages/realm_dart/test/serialization_test.dart
index 1bf93f9c5..69fb6e00b 100644
--- a/packages/realm_dart/test/serialization_test.dart
+++ b/packages/realm_dart/test/serialization_test.dart
@@ -49,17 +49,19 @@ void main() {
           expect(fromEJson<RealmValue>(r.toEJson()), r);
         }
       });
+    }
 
-      test('RealmValue with RealmObject', () {
-        // load custom codecs for Player and Game. This is done to test that it
-        // doesn't interfere with the RealmValue codecs.
-        Realm(Configuration.inMemory([Player.schema, Game.schema]));
+    test('RealmObject', () {
+      // load custom codecs for Player and Game. This is done to test that it
+      // doesn't interfere with the RealmValue codecs.
+      Realm(Configuration.inMemory([Player.schema, Game.schema]));
 
-        final rv = RealmValue.from(Player('Christian Eriksen'));
-        expect(rv.toEJson(), {'\$id': 'Christian Eriksen', '\$ref': 'Player'});
-        expect(fromEJson<DBRef>(rv.toEJson()), isA<DBRef>().having((r) => r.id, '\$id', 'Christian Eriksen'));
-      });
-    }
+      final p = Player('Christian Eriksen');
+      final rv = RealmValue.from(p);
+      expect(rv.toEJson(), {'\$id': 'Christian Eriksen', '\$ref': 'Player'});
+      expect(fromEJson<DBRef>(rv.toEJson()), isA<DBRef>().having((r) => r.id, '\$id', 'Christian Eriksen'));
+      expect((fromEJson<RealmValue>(rv.toEJson()).value as Player).name, p.name);
+    });
   });
 
   test('Decimal128', () {