diff --git a/packages/builder/src/components/backend/DataTable/formula.js b/packages/builder/src/components/backend/DataTable/formula.js
index 42f203ca1c..ea024cdf81 100644
--- a/packages/builder/src/components/backend/DataTable/formula.js
+++ b/packages/builder/src/components/backend/DataTable/formula.js
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ export function getBindings({
     )
 
     const label = path == null ? column : `${path}.0.${column}`
+    const binding = path == null ? `[${column}]` : `${path}.0.[${column}]`
     // only supply a description for relationship paths
     const description =
       path == null
@@ -73,8 +74,8 @@ export function getBindings({
       description,
       // don't include path, it messes things up, relationship path
       // will be replaced by the main array binding
-      readableBinding: column,
-      runtimeBinding: `[${column}]`,
+      readableBinding: label,
+      runtimeBinding: binding,
     })
   }
   return bindings
diff --git a/packages/server/src/api/controllers/row/ExternalRequest.ts b/packages/server/src/api/controllers/row/ExternalRequest.ts
index c109a43afa..1465f20ac8 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/api/controllers/row/ExternalRequest.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/api/controllers/row/ExternalRequest.ts
@@ -323,6 +323,28 @@ module External {
       return { row: newRow, manyRelationships }
     }
 
+    squashRelationshipColumns(
+      table: Table,
+      row: Row,
+      relationships: RelationshipsJson[]
+    ): Row {
+      for (let relationship of relationships) {
+        const linkedTable = this.tables[relationship.tableName]
+        if (!linkedTable) {
+          continue
+        }
+        const display = linkedTable.primaryDisplay
+        for (let key of Object.keys(row[relationship.column])) {
+          const related: Row = row[relationship.column][key]
+          row[relationship.column][key] = {
+            primaryDisplay: display ? related[display] : undefined,
+            _id: related._id,
+          }
+        }
+      }
+      return row
+    }
+
     /**
      * This iterates through the returned rows and works out what elements of the rows
      * actually match up to another row (based on primary keys) - this is pretty specific
@@ -354,12 +376,6 @@ module External {
         if (!linked._id) {
           continue
         }
-        // if not returning full docs then get the minimal links out
-        const display = linkedTable.primaryDisplay
-        linked = {
-          primaryDisplay: display ? linked[display] : undefined,
-          _id: linked._id,
-        }
         columns[relationship.column] = linked
       }
       for (let [column, related] of Object.entries(columns)) {
@@ -417,7 +433,9 @@ module External {
           relationships
         )
       }
-      return processFormulas(table, Object.values(finalRows))
+      return processFormulas(table, Object.values(finalRows)).map((row: Row) =>
+        this.squashRelationshipColumns(table, row, relationships)
+      )
     }
 
     /**