diff --git a/lib/cast.js b/lib/cast.js
index ecb96e74fdf..1cb88406de4 100644
--- a/lib/cast.js
+++ b/lib/cast.js
@@ -264,12 +264,7 @@ module.exports = function cast(schema, obj, options, context) {
         }
 
         const strict = 'strict' in options ? options.strict : schema.options.strict;
-        const strictQuery = 'strictQuery' in options ?
-          options.strictQuery :
-          'strict' in options ?
-            options.strict :
-            'strict' in schema._userProvidedOptions ? schema._userProvidedOptions.strict :
-              schema.options.strictQuery;
+        const strictQuery = getStrictQuery(options, schema._userProvidedOptions, schema.options);
         if (options.upsert && strict) {
           if (strict === 'throw') {
             throw new StrictModeError(path);
@@ -378,3 +373,19 @@ function _cast(val, numbertype, context) {
     }
   }
 }
+
+function getStrictQuery(queryOptions, schemaUserProvidedOptions, schemaOptions) {
+  if ('strictQuery' in queryOptions) {
+    return queryOptions.strictQuery;
+  }
+  if ('strict' in queryOptions) {
+    return queryOptions.strict;
+  }
+  if ('strictQuery' in schemaUserProvidedOptions) {
+    return schemaUserProvidedOptions.strictQuery;
+  }
+  if ('strict' in schemaUserProvidedOptions) {
+    return schemaUserProvidedOptions.strict;
+  }
+  return schemaOptions.strictQuery;
+}
diff --git a/test/cast.test.js b/test/cast.test.js
index d0dea887104..51b97518ff3 100644
--- a/test/cast.test.js
+++ b/test/cast.test.js
@@ -178,4 +178,19 @@ describe('cast: ', function() {
       roles: { $ne: 'super' }
     });
   });
+
+  it('uses schema-level strictQuery over schema-level strict (gh-12508)', function() {
+    const schema = new Schema({}, {
+      strict: 'throw',
+      strictQuery: false
+    });
+
+    const res = cast(schema, {
+      name: 'foo'
+    });
+
+    assert.deepEqual(res, {
+      name: 'foo'
+    });
+  });
 });