diff --git a/packages/core/src/lib/createSystem.ts b/packages/core/src/lib/createSystem.ts
index 615fac636d2..2121bb9a088 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/lib/createSystem.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/lib/createSystem.ts
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ function formatUrl (provider: ResolvedKeystoneConfig['db']['provider'], url: str
 }
 
 export function createSystem (config_: KeystoneConfig | ResolvedKeystoneConfig) {
-  const config = resolveDefaults(config_ as KeystoneConfig)
+  const config = resolveDefaults(config_ as KeystoneConfig, true)
   const lists = initialiseLists(config)
   const adminMeta = createAdminMeta(config, lists)
   const graphQLSchema = createGraphQLSchema(config, lists, adminMeta, false)
diff --git a/packages/core/src/lib/defaults.ts b/packages/core/src/lib/defaults.ts
index 2772e902c00..d3caa91db4c 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/lib/defaults.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/lib/defaults.ts
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ function defaultIsAccessAllowed ({ session, sessionStrategy }: KeystoneContext)
 export async function noop () {}
 function identity<T> (x: T) { return x }
 
-export function resolveDefaults<TypeInfo extends BaseKeystoneTypeInfo> (config: KeystoneConfig<TypeInfo>): ResolvedKeystoneConfig<TypeInfo> {
+export function resolveDefaults<TypeInfo extends BaseKeystoneTypeInfo> (config: KeystoneConfig<TypeInfo>, injectIdField = false): ResolvedKeystoneConfig<TypeInfo> {
   if (!['postgresql', 'sqlite', 'mysql'].includes(config.db.provider)) {
     throw new TypeError(`"db.provider" only supports "sqlite", "postgresql" or "mysql"`)
   }
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ export function resolveDefaults<TypeInfo extends BaseKeystoneTypeInfo> (config:
       schemaPath: config.graphql?.schemaPath ?? 'schema.graphql',
       extendGraphqlSchema: config.graphql?.extendGraphqlSchema ?? ((s) => s),
     },
-    lists: injectDefaults(config, defaultIdField),
+    lists: injectIdField ? injectDefaults(config, defaultIdField) : config.lists,
     server: {
       maxFileSize: 200 * 1024 * 1024, // 200 MiB
       extendExpressApp: config.server?.extendExpressApp ?? noop,