diff --git a/lib/cast.js b/lib/cast.js
index b65c1e3737b..ea0bccdca3f 100644
--- a/lib/cast.js
+++ b/lib/cast.js
@@ -387,12 +387,11 @@ function getStrictQuery(queryOptions, schemaUserProvidedOptions, schemaOptions,
   if ('strict' in schemaUserProvidedOptions) {
     return schemaUserProvidedOptions.strict;
   }
-  if (
-    context.mongooseCollection &&
+  const mongooseOptions = context.mongooseCollection &&
     context.mongooseCollection.conn &&
     context.mongooseCollection.conn.base &&
-    context.mongooseCollection.conn.base.options) {
-    const mongooseOptions = context.mongooseCollection.conn.base.options;
+    context.mongooseCollection.conn.base.options;
+  if (mongooseOptions) {
     if ('strictQuery' in mongooseOptions) {
       return mongooseOptions.strictQuery;
     }