diff --git a/registry.go b/registry.go
index 949bc1f..15c9972 100644
--- a/registry.go
+++ b/registry.go
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ func makeRef(idx int, modelName string, fieldName string, ht reflect.Type) Refer
 	panic("model name was empty")
 }
 
-func parseTags(t reflect.Type, v reflect.Value) (map[string][]InternalIndex, map[string]Reference, map[string]gridFSReference, string) {
+func parseTags(t reflect.Type, v reflect.Value, lastParsed string) (map[string][]InternalIndex, map[string]Reference, map[string]gridFSReference, string) {
 	coll := ""
 	refs := make(map[string]Reference)
 	idcs := make(map[string][]InternalIndex)
@@ -130,9 +130,9 @@ func parseTags(t reflect.Type, v reflect.Value) (map[string][]InternalIndex, map
 			switch ft.Kind() {
 			case reflect.Slice:
 				ft = ft.Elem()
-				if _, ok := tags.Get("ref"); ok != nil {
+				if _, ok := tags.Get("ref"); ok == nil && lastParsed != ft.String() {
 					if ft.Kind() == reflect.Struct {
-						ii2, rr2, gg2, _ := parseTags(ft, reflect.New(ft).Elem())
+						ii2, rr2, gg2, _ := parseTags(ft, reflect.New(ft).Elem(), ft.String())
 						for k, vv := range ii2 {
 							idcs[sft.Name+"."+k] = vv
 						}
@@ -285,7 +285,7 @@ func (r TModelRegistry) Model(mdl ...any) {
 		if idx < 0 {
 			panic("A model must embed the Document struct!")
 		}
-		inds, refs, gfs, coll := parseTags(t, v)
+		inds, refs, gfs, coll := parseTags(t, v, "")
 		if coll == "" {
 			panic(fmt.Sprintf("a Document needs to be given a collection name! (passed type: %s)", n))
 		}