diff --git a/mongoengine/base.py b/mongoengine/base.py
index 369c10f3..3190de6f 100644
--- a/mongoengine/base.py
+++ b/mongoengine/base.py
@@ -339,7 +339,7 @@ class ComplexBaseField(BaseField):
                     # _types / _cls data so make it a generic reference allows
                     # us to dereference
                     meta = getattr(v, 'meta', getattr(v, '_meta', {}))
-                    if meta and not meta['allow_inheritance'] and not self.field:
+                    if meta and not meta.get('allow_inheritance', True) and not self.field:
                         from fields import GenericReferenceField
                         value_dict[k] = GenericReferenceField().to_mongo(v)
                     else:
diff --git a/mongoengine/dereference.py b/mongoengine/dereference.py
index 40ceb49c..ac01ac71 100644
--- a/mongoengine/dereference.py
+++ b/mongoengine/dereference.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import pymongo
 
 from base import (BaseDict, BaseList, TopLevelDocumentMetaclass, get_document)
-from fields import ReferenceField
+from fields import (ReferenceField, ListField, DictField, MapField)
 from connection import get_db
 from queryset import QuerySet
 from document import Document
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ class DeReference(object):
                 for key, doc in references.iteritems():
                     object_map[key] = doc
             else:  # Generic reference: use the refs data to convert to document
-                if doc_type:
+                if doc_type and not isinstance(doc_type, (ListField, DictField, MapField,) ):
                     references = doc_type._get_db()[col].find({'_id': {'$in': refs}})
                     for ref in references:
                         doc = doc_type._from_son(ref)
diff --git a/tests/dereference.py b/tests/dereference.py
index 88cf17ee..a23d78f2 100644
--- a/tests/dereference.py
+++ b/tests/dereference.py
@@ -783,3 +783,41 @@ class FieldTest(unittest.TestCase):
         root = root.reload()
         self.assertEquals(root.children, [company])
         self.assertEquals(company.parents, [root])
+    
+    def test_dict_in_dbref_instance(self):
+
+        class Person(Document):
+            name = StringField(max_length=250, required=True)
+
+            meta = { "ordering" : "name" }
+        
+        class Room(Document):
+            number = StringField(max_length=250, required=True)
+            staffs_with_position = ListField(DictField())
+
+            meta = { "ordering" : "number" }
+
+
+
+        Person.drop_collection()
+
+        # 201
+        bob = Person.objects.create(name='Bob')
+        bob.save()
+        keven = Person.objects.create(name='Keven')
+        keven.save()
+        sarah = Person.objects.create(name='Sarah')
+        sarah.save()
+
+        room_201 = Room.objects.create( number = "201")
+        room_201.staffs_with_position = [ {'position_key': 'window', 'staff' : sarah.to_dbref() },
+                                         { 'position_key': 'door', 'staff': bob.to_dbref() },
+                                         { 'position_key': 'center' , 'staff' : keven.to_dbref() } ]
+        room_201.save()
+
+        room = Room.objects.first().select_related()
+        room.to_mongo()
+
+
+
+