diff --git a/src/models/plugins/toJSON.plugin.js b/src/models/plugins/toJSON.plugin.js
index 12af055f..d2cd22e2 100644
--- a/src/models/plugins/toJSON.plugin.js
+++ b/src/models/plugins/toJSON.plugin.js
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@
  *  - replaces _id with id
  */
 
-
 const deleteAtPath = (obj, path, index) => {
   if (index === path.length - 1) {
     delete obj[path[index]];
diff --git a/tests/unit/models/plugins/toJSON.plugin.test.js b/tests/unit/models/plugins/toJSON.plugin.test.js
index 7e7fb92d..7931828d 100644
--- a/tests/unit/models/plugins/toJSON.plugin.test.js
+++ b/tests/unit/models/plugins/toJSON.plugin.test.js
@@ -46,6 +46,25 @@ describe('toJSON plugin', () => {
     expect(doc.toJSON()).toHaveProperty('public');
   });
 
+  it('should remove any nested paths set as private', () => {
+    const schema = mongoose.Schema({
+      public: { type: String },
+      nested: {
+        private: { type: String, private: true },
+      },
+    });
+    schema.plugin(toJSON);
+    const Model = connection.model('Model', schema);
+    const doc = new Model({
+      public: 'some public value',
+      nested: {
+        private: 'some nested private value',
+      },
+    });
+    expect(doc.toJSON()).not.toHaveProperty('nested.private');
+    expect(doc.toJSON()).toHaveProperty('public');
+  });
+
   it('should also call the schema toJSON transform function', () => {
     const schema = mongoose.Schema(
       {