diff --git a/src/Execution/ModelsLoader/PaginatedModelsLoader.php b/src/Execution/ModelsLoader/PaginatedModelsLoader.php
index c251d77f86..72c90321f5 100644
--- a/src/Execution/ModelsLoader/PaginatedModelsLoader.php
+++ b/src/Execution/ModelsLoader/PaginatedModelsLoader.php
@@ -48,6 +48,20 @@ public function extract(Model $model): mixed
      */
     protected function loadRelatedModels(EloquentCollection $parents): EloquentCollection
     {
+        if ($this->paginationArgs->first === null) {
+            $relation = $this->relationInstance($parents);
+            $relation->addEagerConstraints($parents->all());
+
+            ($this->decorateBuilder)($relation);
+
+            if ($relation instanceof BelongsToMany || $relation instanceof HasManyThrough) {
+                $select = Utils::callProtected($relation, 'shouldSelect', ['*']);
+                $relation->addSelect($select);
+            }
+
+            return $relation->get();
+        }
+
         $relations = $parents->toBase()
             ->map(function (Model $model) use ($parents): Relation {
                 $relation = $this->relationInstance($parents);
@@ -184,9 +198,13 @@ protected function convertRelationToPaginator(EloquentCollection $parents): void
         foreach ($parents as $model) {
             $total = CountModelsLoader::extractCount($model, $this->relation);
 
-            $paginator = $first === 0
-                ? new ZeroPerPageLengthAwarePaginator($total, $page)
-                : new LengthAwarePaginator($model->getRelation($this->relation), $total, $first, $page);
+            if ($first === null) {
+                $paginator = new LengthAwarePaginator($model->getRelation($this->relation), $total, max(1, $total), $page);
+            } elseif ($first === 0) {
+                $paginator = new ZeroPerPageLengthAwarePaginator($total, $page);
+            } else {
+                $paginator = new LengthAwarePaginator($model->getRelation($this->relation), $total, $first, $page);
+            }
 
             $model->setRelation($this->relation, $paginator);
         }
diff --git a/src/Pagination/PaginationArgs.php b/src/Pagination/PaginationArgs.php
index a06316c1b2..388bbffedd 100644
--- a/src/Pagination/PaginationArgs.php
+++ b/src/Pagination/PaginationArgs.php
@@ -3,10 +3,12 @@
 namespace Nuwave\Lighthouse\Pagination;
 
 use GraphQL\Error\Error;
-use Illuminate\Contracts\Pagination\Paginator;
+use Illuminate\Contracts\Pagination\Paginator as PaginatorContract;
 use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Builder as EloquentBuilder;
 use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Relations\Relation;
 use Illuminate\Database\Query\Builder as QueryBuilder;
+use Illuminate\Pagination\LengthAwarePaginator;
+use Illuminate\Pagination\Paginator;
 use Illuminate\Support\Arr;
 use Laravel\Scout\Builder as ScoutBuilder;
 use Nuwave\Lighthouse\Cache\CacheDirective;
@@ -17,7 +19,7 @@ class PaginationArgs
 {
     public function __construct(
         public int $page,
-        public int $first,
+        public ?int $first,
         public PaginationType $type,
     ) {}
 
@@ -28,7 +30,7 @@ public function __construct(
      */
     public static function extractArgs(array $args, ResolveInfo $resolveInfo, PaginationType $proposedPaginationType, ?int $paginateMaxCount): self
     {
-        $first = $args['first'];
+        $first = $args['first'] ?? null;
 
         $page = $proposedPaginationType->isConnection()
             ? self::calculateCurrentPage(
@@ -38,13 +40,14 @@ public static function extractArgs(array $args, ResolveInfo $resolveInfo, Pagina
             // Handles cases "paginate" and "simple", which both take the same args.
             : Arr::get($args, 'page') ?? 1;
 
-        if ($first < 0) {
+        if ($first !== null && $first < 0) {
             throw new Error(self::requestedLessThanZeroItems($first));
         }
 
         // Make sure the maximum pagination count is not exceeded
         if (
-            $paginateMaxCount !== null
+            $first !== null
+            && $paginateMaxCount !== null
             && $first > $paginateMaxCount
         ) {
             throw new Error(self::requestedTooManyItems($paginateMaxCount, $first));
@@ -66,7 +69,7 @@ public static function requestedTooManyItems(int $maxCount, int $actualCount): s
     }
 
     /** Calculate the current page to inform the user about the pagination state. */
-    protected static function calculateCurrentPage(int $first, int $after, int $defaultPage = 1): int
+    protected static function calculateCurrentPage(?int $first, int $after, int $defaultPage = 1): int
     {
         return $first && $after
             ? (int) floor(($first + $after) / $first)
@@ -108,8 +111,18 @@ protected static function optimalPaginationType(PaginationType $proposedType, Re
      *
      * @return \Illuminate\Contracts\Pagination\Paginator<array-key, TModel>
      */
-    public function applyToBuilder(QueryBuilder|ScoutBuilder|EloquentBuilder|Relation $builder): Paginator
+    public function applyToBuilder(QueryBuilder|ScoutBuilder|EloquentBuilder|Relation $builder): PaginatorContract
     {
+        if ($this->first === null) {
+            $results = $builder->get();
+            $count = $results->count();
+
+            // @phpstan-ignore return.type (generic type does not matter)
+            return $this->type->isSimple()
+                ? new Paginator($results, max(1, $count), $this->page)
+                : new LengthAwarePaginator($results, $count, max(1, $count), $this->page);
+        }
+
         if ($this->first === 0) {
             if ($this->type->isSimple()) {
                 return new ZeroPerPagePaginator($this->page); // @phpstan-ignore return.type (generic type does not matter)
diff --git a/src/Pagination/PaginationManipulator.php b/src/Pagination/PaginationManipulator.php
index 71d6cbe0cc..f32a963ea1 100644
--- a/src/Pagination/PaginationManipulator.php
+++ b/src/Pagination/PaginationManipulator.php
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ protected static function countArgument(?int $defaultCount = null, ?int $maxCoun
 
         $description .= "\"\n";
 
-        $definition = 'first: Int!';
+        $definition = 'first: Int';
         if ($defaultCount) {
             $definition .= " =  {$defaultCount}";
         }
diff --git a/tests/Integration/Pagination/PaginateDirectiveDBTest.php b/tests/Integration/Pagination/PaginateDirectiveDBTest.php
index b49ac5e718..5143bce752 100644
--- a/tests/Integration/Pagination/PaginateDirectiveDBTest.php
+++ b/tests/Integration/Pagination/PaginateDirectiveDBTest.php
@@ -1051,4 +1051,211 @@ public function testSimplePaginationWithNullPageUsesDefaultPage(): void
             ],
         ])->assertJsonCount(2, 'data.users.data');
     }
+
+    public function testPaginateWithoutFirst(): void
+    {
+        factory(User::class, 3)->create();
+
+        $this->schema = /** @lang GraphQL */ <<<'GRAPHQL'
+        type User {
+            id: ID!
+        }
+
+        type Query {
+            users: [User!]! @paginate
+        }
+        GRAPHQL;
+
+        $this->graphQL(/** @lang GraphQL */ <<<'GRAPHQL'
+        {
+            users {
+                paginatorInfo {
+                    count
+                    total
+                }
+                data {
+                    id
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        GRAPHQL)->assertJson([
+            'data' => [
+                'users' => [
+                    'paginatorInfo' => [
+                        'count' => 3,
+                        'total' => 3,
+                    ],
+                ],
+            ],
+        ])->assertJsonCount(3, 'data.users.data');
+    }
+
+    public function testPaginateWithFirstNull(): void
+    {
+        factory(User::class, 3)->create();
+
+        $this->schema = /** @lang GraphQL */ <<<'GRAPHQL'
+        type User {
+            id: ID!
+        }
+
+        type Query {
+            users: [User!]! @paginate
+        }
+        GRAPHQL;
+
+        $this->graphQL(/** @lang GraphQL */ <<<'GRAPHQL'
+        {
+            users(first: null) {
+                paginatorInfo {
+                    count
+                    total
+                }
+                data {
+                    id
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        GRAPHQL)->assertJson([
+            'data' => [
+                'users' => [
+                    'paginatorInfo' => [
+                        'count' => 3,
+                        'total' => 3,
+                    ],
+                ],
+            ],
+        ])->assertJsonCount(3, 'data.users.data');
+    }
+
+    public function testConnectionWithoutFirst(): void
+    {
+        factory(User::class, 3)->create();
+
+        $this->schema = /** @lang GraphQL */ <<<'GRAPHQL'
+        type User {
+            id: ID!
+        }
+
+        type Query {
+            users: [User!]! @paginate(type: CONNECTION)
+        }
+        GRAPHQL;
+
+        $this->graphQL(/** @lang GraphQL */ <<<'GRAPHQL'
+        {
+            users {
+                pageInfo {
+                    count
+                    total
+                    hasNextPage
+                }
+                edges {
+                    node {
+                        id
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        GRAPHQL)->assertJson([
+            'data' => [
+                'users' => [
+                    'pageInfo' => [
+                        'count' => 3,
+                        'total' => 3,
+                        'hasNextPage' => false,
+                    ],
+                ],
+            ],
+        ])->assertJsonCount(3, 'data.users.edges');
+    }
+
+    public function testNestedConnectionWithoutFirst(): void
+    {
+        $user = factory(User::class)->create();
+        $posts = factory(Post::class, 3)->make();
+        $user->posts()->saveMany($posts);
+
+        $this->schema = /** @lang GraphQL */ <<<'GRAPHQL'
+        type Post {
+            id: ID!
+        }
+
+        type User {
+            id: ID!
+            posts: [Post!]! @hasMany(type: CONNECTION)
+        }
+
+        type Query {
+            user(id: ID! @eq): User @find
+        }
+        GRAPHQL;
+
+        $this->graphQL(/** @lang GraphQL */ <<<GRAPHQL
+        {
+            user(id: {$user->id}) {
+                posts {
+                    pageInfo {
+                        count
+                        total
+                    }
+                    edges {
+                        node {
+                            id
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        GRAPHQL)->assertJson([
+            'data' => [
+                'user' => [
+                    'posts' => [
+                        'pageInfo' => [
+                            'count' => 3,
+                            'total' => 3,
+                        ],
+                    ],
+                ],
+            ],
+        ])->assertJsonCount(3, 'data.user.posts.edges');
+    }
+
+    public function testPaginateSimpleWithoutFirst(): void
+    {
+        factory(User::class, 3)->create();
+
+        $this->schema = /** @lang GraphQL */ <<<'GRAPHQL'
+        type User {
+            id: ID!
+        }
+
+        type Query {
+            users: [User!]! @paginate(type: SIMPLE)
+        }
+        GRAPHQL;
+
+        $this->graphQL(/** @lang GraphQL */ <<<'GRAPHQL'
+        {
+            users {
+                paginatorInfo {
+                    count
+                    hasMorePages
+                }
+                data {
+                    id
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        GRAPHQL)->assertJson([
+            'data' => [
+                'users' => [
+                    'paginatorInfo' => [
+                        'count' => 3,
+                        'hasMorePages' => false,
+                    ],
+                ],
+            ],
+        ])->assertJsonCount(3, 'data.users.data');
+    }
 }
diff --git a/tests/Unit/Pagination/PaginateDirectiveTest.php b/tests/Unit/Pagination/PaginateDirectiveTest.php
index 9ff5a74024..8c874e245b 100644
--- a/tests/Unit/Pagination/PaginateDirectiveTest.php
+++ b/tests/Unit/Pagination/PaginateDirectiveTest.php
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ public function testManipulatesPaginator(): void
 type Query {
   users(
     "Limits number of fetched items."
-    first: Int!
+    first: Int
 
     "The offset from which items are returned."
     page: Int
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ public function testManipulatesSimplePaginator(): void
 type Query {
   users(
     "Limits number of fetched items."
-    first: Int!
+    first: Int
 
     "The offset from which items are returned."
     page: Int
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ public function testManipulatesConnection(): void
 type Query {
   users(
     "Limits number of fetched items."
-    first: Int!
+    first: Int
 
     "A cursor after which elements are returned."
     after: String
@@ -545,16 +545,16 @@ public function testCountExplicitlyRequiredFromDirective(): void
     {
         config(['lighthouse.pagination.default_count' => 2]);
 
-        $this->schema = /** @lang GraphQL */ <<<'GRAPHQL'
+        $this->schema = /** @lang GraphQL */ <<<GRAPHQL
         type User {
             id: ID!
             name: String!
         }
 
         type Query {
-            users: [User!]! @paginate(defaultCount: null)
+            users: [User!]! @paginate(defaultCount: null, resolver: "{$this->qualifyTestResolver('returnPaginatedDataInsteadOfBuilder')}")
         }
-        GRAPHQL;
+GRAPHQL;
 
         $this
             ->graphQL(/** @lang GraphQL */ <<<'GRAPHQL'
@@ -566,7 +566,16 @@ public function testCountExplicitlyRequiredFromDirective(): void
                 }
             }
             GRAPHQL)
-            ->assertGraphQLErrorMessage('Field "users" argument "first" of type "Int!" is required but not provided.');
+            ->assertJson([
+                'data' => [
+                    'users' => [
+                        'data' => [
+                            ['id' => 1],
+                            ['id' => 2],
+                        ],
+                    ],
+                ],
+            ]);
     }
 
     public function testThrowsWhenPaginationWithNegativeCountIsRequested(): void
@@ -644,17 +653,17 @@ public function testAllowsMultiplePaginatedFieldsOfTheSameModel(): void
         $this->assertCount(1, $ast->directives);
     }
 
-    public function testDisallowFirstNull(): void
+    public function testAllowFirstNull(): void
     {
-        $this->schema = /** @lang GraphQL */ <<<'GRAPHQL'
+        $this->schema = /** @lang GraphQL */ <<<GRAPHQL
         type User {
             id: ID!
         }
 
         type Query {
-            users: [User!]! @paginate(defaultCount: 2)
+            users: [User!]! @paginate(defaultCount: 2, resolver: "{$this->qualifyTestResolver('returnPaginatedDataInsteadOfBuilder')}")
         }
-        GRAPHQL;
+GRAPHQL;
 
         $this->graphQL(/** @lang GraphQL */ <<<'GRAPHQL'
         {
@@ -664,7 +673,16 @@ public function testDisallowFirstNull(): void
                 }
             }
         }
-        GRAPHQL)->assertGraphQLErrorMessage('Expected value of type "Int!", found null.');
+        GRAPHQL)->assertJson([
+            'data' => [
+                'users' => [
+                    'data' => [
+                        ['id' => 1],
+                        ['id' => 2],
+                    ],
+                ],
+            ],
+        ]);
     }
 
     public function testQueriesFirst0SimplePaginator(): void
@@ -697,12 +715,14 @@ public function testQueriesFirst0SimplePaginator(): void
     }
 
     /**
-     * @param  array{first: int}  $args
+     * @param  array{first?: int|null}  $args
      *
      * @return \Illuminate\Pagination\LengthAwarePaginator<int, array{id: int}>
      */
     public static function returnPaginatedDataInsteadOfBuilder(mixed $root, array $args): LengthAwarePaginator
     {
+        $first = $args['first'] ?? 2;
+
         return new LengthAwarePaginator([ // @phpstan-ignore return.type (pagination generics changed between Laravel versions)
             [
                 'id' => 1,
@@ -710,7 +730,7 @@ public static function returnPaginatedDataInsteadOfBuilder(mixed $root, array $a
             [
                 'id' => 2,
             ],
-        ], 2, $args['first']);
+        ], 2, $first ?: 2);
     }
 
     public function testPaginatorResolver(): void