diff --git a/server/controllers/user.controller.js b/server/controllers/user.controller.js
index b3d6894a1b..da5f4c615c 100644
--- a/server/controllers/user.controller.js
+++ b/server/controllers/user.controller.js
@@ -171,9 +171,7 @@ export async function validateResetPasswordToken(req, res) {
   const user = await User.findOne({
     resetPasswordToken: req.params.token,
     resetPasswordExpires: { $gt: Date.now() }
-  })
-    .lean()
-    .exec();
+  }).exec();
   if (!user) {
     res.status(401).json({
       success: false,
diff --git a/server/models/project.js b/server/models/project.js
index 492782541f..a909591f1f 100644
--- a/server/models/project.js
+++ b/server/models/project.js
@@ -76,7 +76,5 @@ projectSchema.methods.isSlugUnique = async function isSlugUnique() {
   };
 };
 
-projectSchema.index({ user: 1 }, { collation: { locale: 'en', strength: 2 } });
-
 export default mongoose.models.Project ||
   mongoose.model('Project', projectSchema);
diff --git a/server/models/user.js b/server/models/user.js
index e1a2b843e1..d1c5e16bf2 100644
--- a/server/models/user.js
+++ b/server/models/user.js
@@ -310,7 +310,6 @@ userSchema.statics.findByEmailOrUsername = async function findByEmailOrUsername(
     const foundUser = await user
       .findOne(query)
       .collation({ locale: 'en', strength: 2 })
-      .lean()
       .exec();
 
     return foundUser;
@@ -344,7 +343,6 @@ userSchema.statics.findByEmailAndUsername = async function findByEmailAndUsernam
   const foundUser = await user
     .findOne(query)
     .collation({ locale: 'en', strength: 2 })
-    .lean()
     .exec();
 
   return foundUser;
diff --git a/server/views/404Page.js b/server/views/404Page.js
index 72b7de54f8..7c864f4009 100644
--- a/server/views/404Page.js
+++ b/server/views/404Page.js
@@ -78,13 +78,13 @@ export const get404Sketch = async () => {
     </html>`);
 
   try {
-    const p5User = await User.findOne({ username: 'p5' }).lean().exec();
+    const p5User = await User.findOne({ username: 'p5' }).exec();
 
     if (!p5User) {
       return errorMessage;
     }
 
-    const projects = await Project.find({ user: p5User._id }).lean().exec();
+    const projects = await Project.find({ user: p5User._id }).exec();
 
     if (!projects.length) {
       return errorMessage;