diff --git a/lib/Doctrine/ORM/UnitOfWork.php b/lib/Doctrine/ORM/UnitOfWork.php
index a07abb49c7f..fa0ae38eed1 100644
--- a/lib/Doctrine/ORM/UnitOfWork.php
+++ b/lib/Doctrine/ORM/UnitOfWork.php
@@ -2216,12 +2216,12 @@ private function doRefresh($entity, array &$visited): void
             throw ORMInvalidArgumentException::entityNotManaged($entity);
         }
 
+        $this->cascadeRefresh($entity, $visited);
+
         $this->getEntityPersister($class->name)->refresh(
             array_combine($class->getIdentifierFieldNames(), $this->entityIdentifiers[$oid]),
             $entity
         );
-
-        $this->cascadeRefresh($entity, $visited);
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/tests/Doctrine/Tests/ORM/Functional/Ticket/GH4252Test.php b/tests/Doctrine/Tests/ORM/Functional/Ticket/GH4252Test.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..82927651473
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/Doctrine/Tests/ORM/Functional/Ticket/GH4252Test.php
@@ -0,0 +1,228 @@
+<?php
+
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+namespace Doctrine\Tests\ORM\Functional\Ticket;
+
+use Doctrine\Common\Collections\ArrayCollection;
+use Doctrine\Common\Collections\Collection;
+use Doctrine\ORM\Mapping\Column;
+use Doctrine\ORM\Mapping\Entity;
+use Doctrine\ORM\Mapping\GeneratedValue;
+use Doctrine\ORM\Mapping\Id;
+use Doctrine\ORM\Mapping\ManyToMany;
+use Doctrine\ORM\Mapping\ManyToOne;
+use Doctrine\ORM\Mapping\OneToMany;
+use Doctrine\Tests\OrmFunctionalTestCase;
+
+use function assert;
+
+/**
+ * @group GH-4252
+ */
+class GH4252Test extends OrmFunctionalTestCase
+{
+    protected function setUp(): void
+    {
+        parent::setUp();
+
+        $this->_schemaTool->createSchema([
+            $this->_em->getClassMetadata(GH4252City::class),
+            $this->_em->getClassMetadata(GH4252Resident::class),
+            $this->_em->getClassMetadata(GH4252Address::class),
+        ]);
+    }
+
+    public function testIssue(): void
+    {
+        $city = new GH4252City([new GH4252Resident([new GH4252Address()])]);
+
+        $this->_em->persist($city);
+        $this->_em->flush();
+        $this->_em->clear();
+
+        $city = $this->_em->find(GH4252City::class, $city->getId());
+        assert($city instanceof GH4252City);
+        $city->setFlag(false);
+        $resident = $city->getResidents()->first();
+        assert($resident instanceof GH4252Resident);
+        $resident->setFlag(false);
+        $address = $resident->getAddresses()->first();
+        assert($address instanceof GH4252Address);
+        $address->setFlag(false);
+
+        $this->_em->refresh($city);
+
+        $resident = $city->getResidents()->first();
+        $address  = $resident->getAddresses()->first();
+
+        $this->assertTrue($city->getFlag());
+        $this->assertTrue($resident->getFlag());
+        $this->assertTrue($address->getFlag());
+    }
+}
+
+/**
+ * @Entity
+ */
+class GH4252City
+{
+    /**
+     * @var int
+     * @Id
+     * @Column(type="integer")
+     * @GeneratedValue
+     */
+    private $id;
+
+    /**
+     * @var bool
+     * @Column(type="boolean")
+     */
+    private $flag;
+
+    /**
+     * @var GH4252Resident[]|Collection
+     * @OneToMany(targetEntity="Doctrine\Tests\ORM\Functional\Ticket\GH4252Resident", mappedBy="city", cascade={"persist","refresh"})
+     */
+    private $residents;
+
+    public function __construct(array $residents)
+    {
+        $this->residents = new ArrayCollection();
+        foreach ($residents as $resident) {
+            $this->residents->add($resident);
+            $resident->setCity($this);
+        }
+
+        $this->flag = true;
+    }
+
+    public function getId(): int
+    {
+        return $this->id;
+    }
+
+    public function getFlag(): bool
+    {
+        return $this->flag;
+    }
+
+    public function setFlag(bool $flag): void
+    {
+        $this->flag = $flag;
+    }
+
+    public function getResidents(): Collection
+    {
+        return $this->residents;
+    }
+}
+
+/**
+ * @Entity
+ */
+class GH4252Resident
+{
+    /**
+     * @var int
+     * @Id @Column(type="integer") @GeneratedValue
+     */
+    private $id;
+
+    /**
+     * @var GH4252City
+     * @ManyToOne(targetEntity="Doctrine\Tests\ORM\Functional\Ticket\GH4252City", inversedBy="residents")
+     */
+    private $city;
+
+    /**
+     * @var bool
+     * @Column(type="boolean")
+     */
+    private $flag;
+
+    /**
+     * @var GH4252Address[]|Collection
+     * @ManyToMany(targetEntity="Doctrine\Tests\ORM\Functional\Ticket\GH4252Address", fetch="EXTRA_LAZY", cascade={"persist","refresh"})
+     */
+    private $addresses;
+
+    public function __construct(array $addresses)
+    {
+        $this->addresses = new ArrayCollection();
+        foreach ($addresses as $address) {
+            $this->addresses->add($address);
+        }
+
+        $this->flag = true;
+    }
+
+    public function getId(): int
+    {
+        return $this->id;
+    }
+
+    public function getCity(): GH4252City
+    {
+        return $this->city;
+    }
+
+    public function setCity(GH4252City $city): void
+    {
+        $this->city = $city;
+    }
+
+    public function getFlag(): bool
+    {
+        return $this->flag;
+    }
+
+    public function setFlag(bool $flag): void
+    {
+        $this->flag = $flag;
+    }
+
+    public function getAddresses(): Collection
+    {
+        return $this->addresses;
+    }
+}
+
+/** @Entity */
+class GH4252Address
+{
+    /**
+     * @var int
+     * @Id
+     * @Column(type="integer")
+     * @GeneratedValue
+     */
+    private $id;
+
+    /**
+     * @var bool
+     * @Column(type="boolean")
+     */
+    private $flag;
+
+    public function __construct()
+    {
+        $this->flag = true;
+    }
+
+    public function getId(): int
+    {
+        return $this->id;
+    }
+
+    public function getFlag(): bool
+    {
+        return $this->flag;
+    }
+
+    public function setFlag(bool $flag): void
+    {
+        $this->flag = $flag;
+    }
+}