diff --git a/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/server/core/DefaultServer.java b/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/server/core/DefaultServer.java
index 09d8721e8..d2498dba5 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/server/core/DefaultServer.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/server/core/DefaultServer.java
@@ -1351,8 +1351,9 @@ public final class DefaultServer implements SpiServer, SpiEbeanServer {
   @Override
   public <T> boolean exists(SpiQuery<?> ormQuery, SpiTransaction transaction) {
 
-    ormQuery.setMaxRows(1);
-    SpiOrmQueryRequest<?> request = createQueryRequest(Type.ID_LIST, ormQuery, transaction);
+    Query<?> ormQueryCopy = ormQuery.copy();
+    ormQueryCopy.setMaxRows(1);
+    SpiOrmQueryRequest<?> request = createQueryRequest(Type.ID_LIST, ormQueryCopy, transaction);
     try {
       request.initTransIfRequired();
       List<Object> ids = request.findIds();