diff --git a/packages/repository/src/__tests__/integration/repositories/resolve-has-many-metadata.integration.ts b/packages/repository/src/__tests__/integration/repositories/resolve-has-many-metadata.integration.ts
index 40f244388377..bcf494ca11ac 100644
--- a/packages/repository/src/__tests__/integration/repositories/resolve-has-many-metadata.integration.ts
+++ b/packages/repository/src/__tests__/integration/repositories/resolve-has-many-metadata.integration.ts
@@ -29,18 +29,17 @@ describe('keyTo and keyFrom with resolveHasManyMetadata', () => {
     });
   });
 
-  it('resolves metadata using keyTo, but not keyFrom', () => {
+  it('infers keyFrom if it is not provided', () => {
     const meta = resolveHasManyMetadata(Category.definition.relations[
       'items'
     ] as HasManyDefinition);
 
-    expect(meta).to.not.have.property('keyFrom');
-
     expect(meta).to.eql({
       name: 'items',
       type: 'hasMany',
       targetsMany: true,
       source: Category,
+      keyFrom: 'id',
       target: () => Item,
       keyTo: 'categoryId',
     });
diff --git a/packages/repository/src/__tests__/integration/repositories/resolve-has-one-metadata.integration.ts b/packages/repository/src/__tests__/integration/repositories/resolve-has-one-metadata.integration.ts
index 60d4b974fc09..3db13b0d66b4 100644
--- a/packages/repository/src/__tests__/integration/repositories/resolve-has-one-metadata.integration.ts
+++ b/packages/repository/src/__tests__/integration/repositories/resolve-has-one-metadata.integration.ts
@@ -29,18 +29,17 @@ describe('keyTo and keyFrom with resolveHasOneMetadata', () => {
     });
   });
 
-  it('resolves metadata using keyTo, but not keyFrom', () => {
+  it('infers keyFrom if it is not provided', () => {
     const meta = resolveHasOneMetadata(Category.definition.relations[
       'item'
     ] as HasOneDefinition);
 
-    expect(meta).to.not.have.property('keyFrom');
-
     expect(meta).to.eql({
       name: 'item',
       type: 'hasOne',
       targetsMany: false,
       source: Category,
+      keyFrom: 'id',
       target: () => Item,
       keyTo: 'categoryId',
     });
diff --git a/packages/repository/src/relations/has-many/has-many.helpers.ts b/packages/repository/src/relations/has-many/has-many.helpers.ts
index 5e27fb321546..702f44721e43 100644
--- a/packages/repository/src/relations/has-many/has-many.helpers.ts
+++ b/packages/repository/src/relations/has-many/has-many.helpers.ts
@@ -39,13 +39,6 @@ export function resolveHasManyMetadata(
   const targetModelProperties =
     targetModel.definition && targetModel.definition.properties;
 
-  // Make sure that if it already keys to the foreign key property,
-  // the key exists in the target model
-  if (relationMeta.keyTo && targetModelProperties[relationMeta.keyTo]) {
-    // The explicit cast is needed because of a limitation of type inference
-    return relationMeta as HasManyResolvedDefinition;
-  }
-
   const sourceModel = relationMeta.source;
   if (!sourceModel || !sourceModel.modelName) {
     const reason = 'source model must be defined';
@@ -54,8 +47,10 @@ export function resolveHasManyMetadata(
 
   const keyFrom = sourceModel.getIdProperties()[0];
 
-  if (relationMeta.keyTo) {
-    // The explict cast is needed because of a limitation of type inference
+  // Make sure that if it already keys to the foreign key property,
+  // the key exists in the target model
+  if (relationMeta.keyTo && targetModelProperties[relationMeta.keyTo]) {
+    // The explicit cast is needed because of a limitation of type inference
     return Object.assign(relationMeta, {keyFrom}) as HasManyResolvedDefinition;
   }
 
diff --git a/packages/repository/src/relations/has-one/has-one.helpers.ts b/packages/repository/src/relations/has-one/has-one.helpers.ts
index c880fd4efbf8..b91f1643d67a 100644
--- a/packages/repository/src/relations/has-one/has-one.helpers.ts
+++ b/packages/repository/src/relations/has-one/has-one.helpers.ts
@@ -39,13 +39,6 @@ export function resolveHasOneMetadata(
   const targetModelProperties =
     targetModel.definition && targetModel.definition.properties;
 
-  // Make sure that if it already keys to the foreign key property,
-  // the key exists in the target model
-  if (relationMeta.keyTo && targetModelProperties[relationMeta.keyTo]) {
-    // The explicit cast is needed because of a limitation of type inference
-    return relationMeta as HasOneResolvedDefinition;
-  }
-
   const sourceModel = relationMeta.source;
   if (!sourceModel || !sourceModel.modelName) {
     const reason = 'source model must be defined';
@@ -54,8 +47,10 @@ export function resolveHasOneMetadata(
 
   const keyFrom = sourceModel.getIdProperties()[0];
 
-  if (relationMeta.keyTo) {
-    // The explict cast is needed because of a limitation of type inference
+  // Make sure that if it already keys to the foreign key property,
+  // the key exists in the target model
+  if (relationMeta.keyTo && targetModelProperties[relationMeta.keyTo]) {
+    // The explicit cast is needed because of a limitation of type inference
     return Object.assign(relationMeta, {keyFrom}) as HasOneResolvedDefinition;
   }