diff --git a/evennia/utils/dbserialize.py b/evennia/utils/dbserialize.py
index 0fbec4c9e3..11321d8dfd 100644
--- a/evennia/utils/dbserialize.py
+++ b/evennia/utils/dbserialize.py
@@ -18,19 +18,20 @@ in-situ, e.g `obj.db.mynestedlist[3][5] = 3` would never be saved and
 be out of sync with the database.
 
 """
+from collections import OrderedDict, defaultdict, deque
+from collections.abc import MutableMapping, MutableSequence, MutableSet
 from functools import update_wrapper
-from collections import deque, OrderedDict, defaultdict
-from collections.abc import MutableSequence, MutableSet, MutableMapping
 
 try:
-    from pickle import dumps, loads, UnpicklingError
+    from pickle import UnpicklingError, dumps, loads
 except ImportError:
     from pickle import dumps, loads
-from django.core.exceptions import ObjectDoesNotExist
+
 from django.contrib.contenttypes.models import ContentType
+from django.core.exceptions import ObjectDoesNotExist
 from django.utils.safestring import SafeString
-from evennia.utils.utils import uses_database, is_iter, to_bytes
 from evennia.utils import logger
+from evennia.utils.utils import is_iter, to_bytes, uses_database
 
 __all__ = ("to_pickle", "from_pickle", "do_pickle", "do_unpickle", "dbserialize", "dbunserialize")
 
@@ -786,6 +787,13 @@ def from_pickle(data, db_obj=None):
                 dat = _SaverList(_parent=parent)
                 dat._data.extend(process_tree(val, dat) for val in item)
                 return dat
+
+        if hasattr(item, "__deserialize_dbobjs__"):
+            try:
+                item.__deserialize_dbobjs__()
+            except (TypeError, UnpicklingError):
+                pass
+
         return item
 
     if db_obj:
diff --git a/evennia/utils/tests/test_dbserialize.py b/evennia/utils/tests/test_dbserialize.py
index d4fd101ef0..8d7950baef 100644
--- a/evennia/utils/tests/test_dbserialize.py
+++ b/evennia/utils/tests/test_dbserialize.py
@@ -2,10 +2,11 @@
 Tests for dbserialize module
 """
 
-from collections import deque
+from collections import defaultdict, deque
+
 from django.test import TestCase
-from evennia.utils import dbserialize
 from evennia.objects.objects import DefaultObject
+from evennia.utils import dbserialize
 from parameterized import parameterized
 
 
@@ -93,8 +94,6 @@ class TestDbSerialize(TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(self.obj.db.test, {"a": True, "b": False})
 
     def test_defaultdict(self):
-        from collections import defaultdict
-
         # baseline behavior for a defaultdict
         _dd = defaultdict(list)
         _dd["a"]
@@ -164,12 +163,45 @@ class DbObjWrappers(TestCase):
         con = _ValidContainer(self.dbobj2)
         self.dbobj1.db.testarg = con
 
-        # accessing the same data twice
+        # accessing the same data multiple times
         res1 = self.dbobj1.db.testarg
         res2 = self.dbobj1.db.testarg
+        res3 = self.dbobj1.db.testarg
 
         self.assertEqual(res1, res2)
+        self.assertEqual(res1, res3)
         self.assertEqual(res1, con)
         self.assertEqual(res2, con)
         self.assertEqual(res1.hidden_obj, self.dbobj2)
         self.assertEqual(res2.hidden_obj, self.dbobj2)
+        self.assertEqual(res3.hidden_obj, self.dbobj2)
+
+    def test_dbobj_hidden_dict(self):
+        con1 = _ValidContainer(self.dbobj2)
+        con2 = _ValidContainer(self.dbobj2)
+
+        self.dbobj1.db.dict = {}
+
+        self.dbobj1.db.dict["key1"] = con1
+        self.dbobj1.db.dict["key2"] = con2
+
+        self.assertEqual(self.dbobj1.db.dict["key1"].hidden_obj, self.dbobj2)
+        self.assertEqual(self.dbobj1.db.dict["key1"].hidden_obj, self.dbobj2)
+        self.assertEqual(self.dbobj1.db.dict["key2"].hidden_obj, self.dbobj2)
+        self.assertEqual(self.dbobj1.db.dict["key2"].hidden_obj, self.dbobj2)
+
+    def test_dbobj_hidden_defaultdict(self):
+
+        con1 = _ValidContainer(self.dbobj2)
+        con2 = _ValidContainer(self.dbobj2)
+
+        self.dbobj1.db.dfdict = defaultdict(dict)
+
+        self.dbobj1.db.dfdict["key"]["con1"] = con1
+        self.dbobj1.db.dfdict["key"]["con2"] = con2
+
+        self.assertEqual(self.dbobj1.db.dfdict["key"]["con1"].hidden_obj, self.dbobj2)
+
+        self.assertEqual(self.dbobj1.db.dfdict["key"]["con1"].hidden_obj, self.dbobj2)
+        self.assertEqual(self.dbobj1.db.dfdict["key"]["con2"].hidden_obj, self.dbobj2)
+        self.assertEqual(self.dbobj1.db.dfdict["key"]["con2"].hidden_obj, self.dbobj2)