diff --git a/lib/options/SchemaTypeOptions.js b/lib/options/SchemaTypeOptions.js
index b19f7b2e7ca..20a33213df2 100644
--- a/lib/options/SchemaTypeOptions.js
+++ b/lib/options/SchemaTypeOptions.js
@@ -119,6 +119,19 @@ Object.defineProperty(SchemaTypeOptions.prototype, 'default', opts);
 
 Object.defineProperty(SchemaTypeOptions.prototype, 'ref', opts);
 
+/**
+ * The path in the document that `populate()` should use to find the model
+ * to use.
+ *
+ * @api public
+ * @property ref
+ * @memberOf SchemaTypeOptions
+ * @type Function|String
+ * @instance
+ */
+
+ Object.defineProperty(SchemaTypeOptions.prototype, 'refPath', opts);
+
 /**
  * Whether to include or exclude this path by default when loading documents
  * using `find()`, `findOne()`, etc.
diff --git a/test/types/populate.test.ts b/test/types/populate.test.ts
index 122d5ec3168..6963e915342 100644
--- a/test/types/populate.test.ts
+++ b/test/types/populate.test.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { Schema, model, Document, PopulatedDoc, Types, HydratedDocument } from 'mongoose';
+import mongoose, { Schema, model, Document, PopulatedDoc, Types, HydratedDocument, SchemaTypeOptions } from 'mongoose';
 // Use the mongodb ObjectId to make instanceof calls possible
 import { ObjectId } from 'mongodb';
 import { expectAssignable, expectError, expectType } from 'tsd';
@@ -205,6 +205,9 @@ function gh11862() {
     userType: string;
     friend: Types.ObjectId;
   }
+
+  const t: SchemaTypeOptions<mongoose.Types.ObjectId> = { type: 'ObjectId', refPath: 'userType' };
+
   const userSchema = new Schema<IUser>({
     userType: String,
     friend: { type: 'ObjectId', refPath: 'userType' }