diff --git a/mongoengine/fields.py b/mongoengine/fields.py
index f8f527a3..0c29d1bc 100644
--- a/mongoengine/fields.py
+++ b/mongoengine/fields.py
@@ -2502,6 +2502,15 @@ class LazyReferenceField(BaseField):
         else:
             return pk
 
+    def to_python(self, value):
+        """Convert a MongoDB-compatible type to a Python type."""
+        if not self.dbref and not isinstance(
+            value, (DBRef, Document, EmbeddedDocument)
+        ):
+            collection = self.document_type._get_collection_name()
+            value = DBRef(collection, self.document_type.id.to_python(value))
+        return value
+
     def validate(self, value):
         if isinstance(value, LazyReference):
             if value.collection != self.document_type._get_collection_name():
diff --git a/tests/document/test_instance.py b/tests/document/test_instance.py
index 6ba6827e..07376b4b 100644
--- a/tests/document/test_instance.py
+++ b/tests/document/test_instance.py
@@ -3321,7 +3321,7 @@ class TestInstance(MongoDBTestCase):
 
     def test_embedded_document_equality_with_lazy_ref(self):
         class Job(EmbeddedDocument):
-            boss = LazyReferenceField('Person')
+            boss = LazyReferenceField("Person")
 
         class Person(Document):
             job = EmbeddedDocumentField(Job)