diff --git a/packages/client/src/components/app/forms/BBReferenceField.svelte b/packages/client/src/components/app/forms/BBReferenceField.svelte
index 4573452973..f93c955be2 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/components/app/forms/BBReferenceField.svelte
+++ b/packages/client/src/components/app/forms/BBReferenceField.svelte
@@ -1,17 +1,31 @@
 <script>
   import RelationshipField from "./RelationshipField.svelte"
   import { sdk } from "@budibase/shared-core"
+
+  export let defaultValue
+
+  function updateUserIDs(value) {
+    if (Array.isArray(value)) {
+      return value.map(val => sdk.users.getGlobalUserID(val))
+    } else {
+      return sdk.users.getGlobalUserID(value)
+    }
+  }
+
+  function updateReferences(value) {
+    if (sdk.users.containsUserID(value)) {
+      return updateUserIDs(value)
+    }
+    return value
+  }
 </script>
 
 <RelationshipField
   {...$$props}
   datasourceType={"user"}
   primaryDisplay={"email"}
-  valueConversion={value => {
-    if (Array.isArray(value)) {
-      return value.map(val => sdk.users.getGlobalUserID(val))
-    } else {
-      return sdk.users.getGlobalUserID(value)
-    }
+  defaultValue={updateReferences(defaultValue)}
+  onChange={value => {
+    return updateReferences(value)
   }}
 />
diff --git a/packages/client/src/components/app/forms/RelationshipField.svelte b/packages/client/src/components/app/forms/RelationshipField.svelte
index c114a51f87..52faf46615 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/components/app/forms/RelationshipField.svelte
+++ b/packages/client/src/components/app/forms/RelationshipField.svelte
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@
   export let filter
   export let datasourceType = "table"
   export let primaryDisplay
-  export let valueConversion
 
   let fieldState
   let fieldApi
@@ -162,7 +161,7 @@
     const changed = fieldApi.setValue(value)
     if (onChange && changed) {
       onChange({
-        value: valueConversion ? valueConversion(value) : value,
+        value,
       })
     }
   }
@@ -179,9 +178,7 @@
   {field}
   {disabled}
   {validation}
-  defaultValue={valueConversion
-    ? valueConversion(expandedDefaultValue)
-    : expandedDefaultValue}
+  defaultValue={expandedDefaultValue}
   {type}
   bind:fieldState
   bind:fieldApi
diff --git a/packages/shared-core/src/sdk/documents/users.ts b/packages/shared-core/src/sdk/documents/users.ts
index cb171cfd5b..03d86daa85 100644
--- a/packages/shared-core/src/sdk/documents/users.ts
+++ b/packages/shared-core/src/sdk/documents/users.ts
@@ -84,3 +84,10 @@ export function getGlobalUserID(userId?: string): string | undefined {
   }
   return userId.split(prefix)[1]
 }
+
+export function containsUserID(value: string | undefined): boolean {
+  if (typeof value !== "string") {
+    return false
+  }
+  return value.includes(`${DocumentType.USER}${SEPARATOR}`)
+}