diff --git a/src/Database/Adapter/Mongo.php b/src/Database/Adapter/Mongo.php
index 136ebac0f..760e9e79c 100644
--- a/src/Database/Adapter/Mongo.php
+++ b/src/Database/Adapter/Mongo.php
@@ -1366,7 +1366,7 @@ public function castingAfter(Document $collection, Document $document): Document
                 $value = [$value];
             }
 
-            foreach ($value as &$node) {
+            foreach ($value as $index => $node) {
                 switch ($type) {
                     case Database::VAR_INTEGER:
                     case Database::VAR_BIGINT:
@@ -1384,8 +1384,8 @@ public function castingAfter(Document $collection, Document $document): Document
                     default:
                         break;
                 }
+                $value[$index] = $node;
             }
-            unset($node);
             $document->setAttribute($key, ($array) ? $value : $value[0]);
         }
 
@@ -1468,7 +1468,7 @@ public function castingBefore(Document $collection, Document $document): Documen
                 $value = [$value];
             }
 
-            foreach ($value as &$node) {
+            foreach ($value as $index => $node) {
                 switch ($type) {
                     case Database::VAR_DATETIME:
                         if (!($node instanceof UTCDateTime)) {
@@ -1485,8 +1485,8 @@ public function castingBefore(Document $collection, Document $document): Documen
                     default:
                         break;
                 }
+                $value[$index] = $node;
             }
-            unset($node);
             $document->setAttribute($key, ($array) ? $value : $value[0]);
         }
         $indexes = $collection->getAttribute('indexes');
diff --git a/src/Database/Adapter/Postgres.php b/src/Database/Adapter/Postgres.php
index 124112326..3004e9780 100644
--- a/src/Database/Adapter/Postgres.php
+++ b/src/Database/Adapter/Postgres.php
@@ -2038,8 +2038,8 @@ protected function decodeArray(array $value): string
             return '{}';
         }
 
-        foreach ($value as &$item) {
-            $item = '"' . str_replace(['"', '(', ')'], ['\"', '\(', '\)'], $item) . '"';
+        foreach ($value as $index => $item) {
+            $value[$index] = '"' . str_replace(['"', '(', ')'], ['\"', '\(', '\)'], $item) . '"';
         }
 
         return '{' . implode(",", $value) . '}';
diff --git a/src/Database/Database.php b/src/Database/Database.php
index 144428665..7b00290ac 100644
--- a/src/Database/Database.php
+++ b/src/Database/Database.php
@@ -9315,7 +9315,11 @@ protected function removeUnknownAttributes(Document $collection, Document $docum
         }
 
         $dropped = [];
-        foreach (\array_keys($document->getArrayCopy()) as $key) {
+        $documentKeys = [];
+        foreach ($document as $key => $value) {
+            $documentKeys[] = $key;
+        }
+        foreach ($documentKeys as $key) {
             if (\str_starts_with($key, '$') || isset($known[$key])) {
                 continue;
             }
@@ -9396,12 +9400,14 @@ public function encode(Document $collection, Document $document, bool $applyDefa
                 $value = ($array) ? $value : [$value];
             }
 
-            foreach ($value as $index => $node) {
-                if ($node !== null) {
-                    foreach ($filters as $filter) {
-                        $node = $this->encodeAttribute($filter, $node, $document);
+            if (!empty($filters)) {
+                foreach ($value as $index => $node) {
+                    if ($node !== null) {
+                        foreach ($filters as $filter) {
+                            $node = $this->encodeAttribute($filter, $node, $document);
+                        }
+                        $value[$index] = $node;
                     }
-                    $value[$index] = $node;
                 }
             }
 
@@ -9499,9 +9505,10 @@ public function decode(Document $collection, Document $document, array $selectio
                 || \in_array($key, $selections)
                 || \in_array('*', $selections);
 
-            if ($selected || $hasRelationshipSelections) {
+            if (!empty($filters) && ($selected || $hasRelationshipSelections)) {
+                $filters = \array_reverse($filters);
                 foreach ($value as $index => $node) {
-                    foreach (\array_reverse($filters) as $filter) {
+                    foreach ($filters as $filter) {
                         $node = $this->decodeAttribute($filter, $node, $document, $key);
                     }
                     $value[$index] = $node;
@@ -9573,33 +9580,35 @@ public function casting(Document $collection, Document $document): Document
                 $value = [$value];
             }
 
-            foreach ($value as $index => $node) {
-                switch ($type) {
-                    case self::VAR_ID:
-                        // Disabled until Appwrite migrates to use real int ID's for MySQL
-                        //$type = $this->adapter->getIdAttributeType();
-                        //\settype($node, $type);
-                        $node = (string)$node;
-                        break;
-                    case self::VAR_BOOLEAN:
-                        $node = (bool)$node;
-                        break;
-                    case self::VAR_INTEGER:
-                        $node = (int)$node;
-                        break;
-                    case self::VAR_BIGINT:
-                        if (\is_string($node) && BigIntValidator::fitsPhpInt($node, $signed)) {
+            if (\in_array($type, [self::VAR_ID, self::VAR_BOOLEAN, self::VAR_INTEGER, self::VAR_BIGINT, self::VAR_FLOAT], true)) {
+                foreach ($value as $index => $node) {
+                    switch ($type) {
+                        case self::VAR_ID:
+                            // Disabled until Appwrite migrates to use real int ID's for MySQL
+                            //$type = $this->adapter->getIdAttributeType();
+                            //\settype($node, $type);
+                            $node = (string)$node;
+                            break;
+                        case self::VAR_BOOLEAN:
+                            $node = (bool)$node;
+                            break;
+                        case self::VAR_INTEGER:
                             $node = (int)$node;
-                        }
-                        break;
-                    case self::VAR_FLOAT:
-                        $node = (float)$node;
-                        break;
-                    default:
-                        break;
-                }
+                            break;
+                        case self::VAR_BIGINT:
+                            if (\is_string($node) && BigIntValidator::fitsPhpInt($node, $signed)) {
+                                $node = (int)$node;
+                            }
+                            break;
+                        case self::VAR_FLOAT:
+                            $node = (float)$node;
+                            break;
+                        default:
+                            break;
+                    }
 
-                $value[$index] = $node;
+                    $value[$index] = $node;
+                }
             }
 
             $document->setAttribute($key, ($array) ? $value : $value[0]);
diff --git a/src/Database/Document.php b/src/Database/Document.php
index 73bd458cd..e68495613 100644
--- a/src/Database/Document.php
+++ b/src/Database/Document.php
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ public function __construct(array $input = [])
                 continue;
             }
 
+            $converted = false;
             foreach ($value as $childKey => $child) {
                 // An array value is either a list of nested sub-documents or a list of
                 // plain items (dates, numbers, strings): wrap the former, leave the latter.
@@ -52,10 +53,13 @@ public function __construct(array $input = [])
                 // value (e.g. a UTCDateTime), which would otherwise fatal.
                 if (\is_array($child) && (isset($child['$id']) || isset($child['$collection']))) {
                     $value[$childKey] = new self($child);
+                    $converted = true;
                 }
             }
 
-            $input[$key] = $value;
+            if ($converted) {
+                $input[$key] = $value;
+            }
         }
 
         parent::__construct($input);
@@ -430,7 +434,7 @@ public function getArrayCopy(array $allow = [], array $disallow = []): array
 
         $output = [];
 
-        foreach ($array as $key => &$value) {
+        foreach ($array as $key => $value) {
             if (!empty($allow) && !\in_array($key, $allow)) { // Export only allow fields
                 continue;
             }
@@ -442,17 +446,12 @@ public function getArrayCopy(array $allow = [], array $disallow = []): array
             if ($value instanceof self) {
                 $output[$key] = $value->getArrayCopy($allow, $disallow);
             } elseif (\is_array($value)) {
-                foreach ($value as $childKey => &$child) {
-                    if ($child instanceof self) {
-                        $output[$key][$childKey] = $child->getArrayCopy($allow, $disallow);
-                    } else {
-                        $output[$key][$childKey] = $child;
-                    }
-                }
+                $value = \array_map(
+                    fn ($item) => $item instanceof self ? $item->getArrayCopy($allow, $disallow) : $item,
+                    $value
+                );
 
-                if (empty($value)) {
-                    $output[$key] = $value;
-                }
+                $output[$key] = $value;
             } else {
                 $output[$key] = $value;
             }
diff --git a/src/Database/Validator/Query/Order.php b/src/Database/Validator/Query/Order.php
index 5d9970a01..c14a98539 100644
--- a/src/Database/Validator/Query/Order.php
+++ b/src/Database/Validator/Query/Order.php
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 class Order extends Base
 {
     /**
-     * @var array<int|string, mixed>
+     * @var array<int|string, true>
      */
     protected array $schema = [];
 
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ class Order extends Base
     public function __construct(array $attributes = [], protected bool $supportForAttributes = true)
     {
         foreach ($attributes as $attribute) {
-            $this->schema[$attribute->getAttribute('key', $attribute->getAttribute('$id'))] = $attribute->getArrayCopy();
+            $this->schema[$attribute->getAttribute('key', $attribute->getAttribute('$id'))] = true;
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/Database/Validator/Query/Select.php b/src/Database/Validator/Query/Select.php
index 2df21c9a3..27daa79ab 100644
--- a/src/Database/Validator/Query/Select.php
+++ b/src/Database/Validator/Query/Select.php
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 class Select extends Base
 {
     /**
-     * @var array<int|string, mixed>
+     * @var array<int|string, true>
      */
     protected array $schema = [];
 
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ class Select extends Base
     public function __construct(array $attributes = [], protected bool $supportForAttributes = true)
     {
         foreach ($attributes as $attribute) {
-            $this->schema[$attribute->getAttribute('key', $attribute->getAttribute('$id'))] = $attribute->getArrayCopy();
+            $this->schema[$attribute->getAttribute('key', $attribute->getAttribute('$id'))] = true;
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/DocumentTest.php b/tests/unit/DocumentTest.php
index 9a41ab534..5eae1a17a 100644
--- a/tests/unit/DocumentTest.php
+++ b/tests/unit/DocumentTest.php
@@ -417,4 +417,94 @@ public function testEmptyDocumentSequence(): void
         $this->assertNull($empty->getSequence());
         $this->assertNotSame('', $empty->getSequence());
     }
+    public function testConstructionPreservesScalarArraysAndConvertsOnlyDocuments(): void
+    {
+        $object = new \stdClass();
+        $input = [
+            'empty' => [],
+            'values' => [7 => 'text', 'null' => null, 'bool' => false, 'object' => $object],
+            'child' => ['$id' => 'child', 'name' => 'nested'],
+            'children' => ['first' => ['$id' => 'first'], 9 => 'plain'],
+        ];
+        $document = new Document($input);
+
+        $this->assertSame([], $document->getAttribute('empty'));
+        $this->assertSame($input['values'], $document->getAttribute('values'));
+        $this->assertSame('child', $document->getAttribute('child')->getId());
+        $this->assertSame('first', $document->getAttribute('children')['first']->getId());
+        $this->assertSame('plain', $document->getAttribute('children')[9]);
+        $this->assertSame(['$id' => 'first'], $input['children']['first']);
+    }
+
+    public function testArrayCopyPreservesKeysAndFiltersNestedDocuments(): void
+    {
+        $document = new Document([
+            'name' => 'parent',
+            'secret' => 'hidden',
+            'values' => [7 => 'seven', 'null' => null, 'empty' => []],
+            'children' => ['child' => new Document(['name' => 'nested', 'secret' => 'hidden'])],
+        ]);
+        $copy = $document->getArrayCopy(['name', 'secret', 'values', 'children'], ['secret']);
+
+        $this->assertSame([
+            'name' => 'parent',
+            'values' => [7 => 'seven', 'null' => null, 'empty' => []],
+            'children' => ['child' => ['name' => 'nested']],
+        ], $copy);
+        $copy['values'][7] = 'changed';
+        $copy['children']['child']['name'] = 'changed';
+        $this->assertSame('seven', $document->getAttribute('values')[7]);
+        $this->assertSame('nested', $document->getAttribute('children')['child']->getAttribute('name'));
+    }
+
+    public function testClonePreservesScalarKeysAndIsolatesNestedDocuments(): void
+    {
+        $object = new \stdClass();
+        $original = new Document([
+            'empty' => [],
+            'values' => [7 => 'seven', 'object' => $object],
+            'children' => ['child' => new Document(['name' => 'nested']), 9 => 'plain'],
+        ]);
+        $copy = clone $original;
+        $copy['values'][7] = 'changed';
+        $copy->getAttribute('children')['child']->setAttribute('name', 'changed');
+
+        $this->assertSame([], $copy->getAttribute('empty'));
+        $this->assertSame([7, 'object'], array_keys($copy->getAttribute('values')));
+        $this->assertSame($object, $copy->getAttribute('values')['object']);
+        $this->assertSame('seven', $original->getAttribute('values')[7]);
+        $this->assertSame('nested', $original->getAttribute('children')['child']->getAttribute('name'));
+        $this->assertSame('plain', $copy->getAttribute('children')[9]);
+    }
+
+    public function testArrayCopyAndCloneDetachReferencedArrayElements(): void
+    {
+        $scalar = 'before';
+        $nested = ['value' => 'before'];
+        $document = new Document(['values' => ['first' => &$scalar, 7 => &$nested, 'last' => false]]);
+        $export = $document->getArrayCopy();
+        $clone = clone $document;
+        $scalar = 'after';
+        $nested['value'] = 'after';
+
+        $expected = ['first' => 'before', 7 => ['value' => 'before'], 'last' => false];
+        $this->assertSame($expected, $export['values']);
+        $this->assertSame($expected, $clone->getAttribute('values'));
+        $this->assertSame('after', $document->getAttribute('values')['first']);
+    }
+
+    public function testScalarArrayExportAvoidsReferenceAllocationOverhead(): void
+    {
+        $document = new Document(['values' => range(1, 100_000)]);
+        memory_reset_peak_usage();
+        $before = memory_get_usage();
+        $copy = $document->getArrayCopy();
+        $allocated = memory_get_peak_usage() - $before;
+
+        $this->assertCount(100_000, $copy['values']);
+        $this->assertLessThan(3 * 1024 * 1024, $allocated, 'Export should copy the array without wrapping every element in a reference');
+        $copy['values'][0] = 0;
+        $this->assertSame(1, $document->getAttribute('values')[0]);
+    }
+
 }