diff --git a/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/modules/backend/implementations/memory/MemoryRecordStore.java b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/modules/backend/implementations/memory/MemoryRecordStore.java
index 16be9792..6cc00b8f 100644
--- a/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/modules/backend/implementations/memory/MemoryRecordStore.java
+++ b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/modules/backend/implementations/memory/MemoryRecordStore.java
@@ -173,8 +173,9 @@ public class MemoryRecordStore
                //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
                // make sure we're not giving back records that are all full of associations... //
                //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-               qRecord.setAssociatedRecords(new HashMap<>());
-               records.add(qRecord);
+               QRecord recordToReturn = new QRecord(qRecord);
+               recordToReturn.setAssociatedRecords(new HashMap<>());
+               records.add(recordToReturn);
             }
          }
       }