diff --git a/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/aggregation/Aggregation.java b/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/aggregation/Aggregation.java
index cc09f54ec..cb9e70dd1 100644
--- a/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/aggregation/Aggregation.java
+++ b/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/aggregation/Aggregation.java
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.aggregation.AddFieldsOperation.AddF
 import org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.aggregation.CountOperation.CountOperationBuilder;
 import org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.aggregation.FacetOperation.FacetOperationBuilder;
 import org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.aggregation.GraphLookupOperation.StartWithBuilder;
+import org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.aggregation.LookupOperation.LookupOperationBuilder;
 import org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.aggregation.MergeOperation.MergeOperationBuilder;
 import org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.aggregation.ReplaceRootOperation.ReplaceRootDocumentOperationBuilder;
 import org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.aggregation.ReplaceRootOperation.ReplaceRootOperationBuilder;
@@ -665,16 +666,21 @@ public class Aggregation {
 		return new LookupOperation(from, localField, foreignField, as);
 	}
 
-	public static LookupOperation lookup(String from, String localField, String foreignField, String as, List<AggregationOperation> aggregationOperations) {
-		return lookup(field(from), field(localField), field(foreignField), field(as), null, new AggregationPipeline(aggregationOperations));
-	}
-
-	public static LookupOperation lookup(String from, String localField, String foreignField, String as, List<LookupOperation.Let.ExpressionVariable> letExpressionVars, List<AggregationOperation> aggregationOperations) {
-		return lookup(field(from), field(localField), field(foreignField), field(as), new LookupOperation.Let(letExpressionVars), new AggregationPipeline(aggregationOperations));
-	}
-
-	public static LookupOperation lookup(Field from, Field localField, Field foreignField, Field as, LookupOperation.Let let, AggregationPipeline pipeline) {
-		return new LookupOperation(from, localField, foreignField, as, let, pipeline);
+	/**
+	 * Entrypoint for creating {@link LookupOperation $lookup} using a fluent builder API.
+	 * <pre class="code">
+	 * Aggregation.lookup().from("restaurants")
+	 * 	.localField("restaurant_name")
+	 * 	.foreignField("name")
+	 * 	.let(newVariable("orders_drink").forField("drink"))
+	 * 	.pipeline(match(ctx -> new Document("$expr", new Document("$in", List.of("$$orders_drink", "$beverages")))))
+	 * 	.as("matches")
+	 * </pre>
+	 * @return new instance of {@link LookupOperationBuilder}.
+	 * @since 4.1
+	 */
+	public static LookupOperationBuilder lookup() {
+		return new LookupOperationBuilder();
 	}
 
 	/**
diff --git a/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/aggregation/LookupOperation.java b/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/aggregation/LookupOperation.java
index ff7999e43..44d0f1569 100644
--- a/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/aggregation/LookupOperation.java
+++ b/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/aggregation/LookupOperation.java
@@ -15,17 +15,19 @@
  */
 package org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.aggregation;
 
-import java.util.List;
+import java.util.function.Supplier;
 
 import org.bson.Document;
 import org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.aggregation.ExposedFields.ExposedField;
 import org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.aggregation.FieldsExposingAggregationOperation.InheritsFieldsAggregationOperation;
+import org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.aggregation.VariableOperators.Let;
+import org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.aggregation.VariableOperators.Let.ExpressionVariable;
 import org.springframework.lang.Nullable;
 import org.springframework.util.Assert;
 
 /**
- * Encapsulates the aggregation framework {@code $lookup}-operation. We recommend to use the static factory method
- * {@link Aggregation#lookup(String, String, String, String)} instead of creating instances of this class directly.
+ * Encapsulates the aggregation framework {@code $lookup}-operation. We recommend to use the builder provided via
+ * {@link #newLookup()} instead of creating instances of this class directly.
  *
  * @author Alessio Fachechi
  * @author Christoph Strobl
@@ -37,16 +39,22 @@ import org.springframework.util.Assert;
  */
 public class LookupOperation implements FieldsExposingAggregationOperation, InheritsFieldsAggregationOperation {
 
-	private final Field from;
+	private final String from;
+
+	@Nullable //
 	private final Field localField;
+
+	@Nullable //
 	private final Field foreignField;
-	private final ExposedField as;
 
-	@Nullable
+	@Nullable //
 	private final Let let;
-	@Nullable
+
+	@Nullable //
 	private final AggregationPipeline pipeline;
 
+	private final ExposedField as;
+
 	/**
 	 * Creates a new {@link LookupOperation} for the given {@link Field}s.
 	 *
@@ -56,13 +64,47 @@ public class LookupOperation implements FieldsExposingAggregationOperation, Inhe
 	 * @param as must not be {@literal null}.
 	 */
 	public LookupOperation(Field from, Field localField, Field foreignField, Field as) {
-		this(from, localField, foreignField, as, null, null);
+		this(((Supplier<String>) () -> {
+
+			Assert.notNull(from, "From must not be null");
+			return from.getTarget();
+		}).get(), localField, foreignField, null, null, as);
 	}
 
-	public LookupOperation(Field from, Field localField, Field foreignField, Field as, @Nullable Let let, @Nullable AggregationPipeline pipeline) {
+	/**
+	 * Creates a new {@link LookupOperation} for the given combination of {@link Field}s and {@link AggregationPipeline
+	 * pipeline}.
+	 *
+	 * @param from must not be {@literal null}.
+	 * @param let must not be {@literal null}.
+	 * @param as must not be {@literal null}.
+	 * @since 4.1
+	 */
+	public LookupOperation(String from, @Nullable Let let, AggregationPipeline pipeline, Field as) {
+		this(from, null, null, let, pipeline, as);
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Creates a new {@link LookupOperation} for the given combination of {@link Field}s and {@link AggregationPipeline
+	 * pipeline}.
+	 *
+	 * @param from must not be {@literal null}.
+	 * @param localField can be {@literal null} if {@literal pipeline} is present.
+	 * @param foreignField can be {@literal null} if {@literal pipeline} is present.
+	 * @param let can be {@literal null} if {@literal localField} and {@literal foreignField} are present.
+	 * @param as must not be {@literal null}.
+	 * @since 4.1
+	 */
+	public LookupOperation(String from, @Nullable Field localField, @Nullable Field foreignField, @Nullable Let let,
+			@Nullable AggregationPipeline pipeline, Field as) {
+
 		Assert.notNull(from, "From must not be null");
-		Assert.notNull(localField, "LocalField must not be null");
-		Assert.notNull(foreignField, "ForeignField must not be null");
+		if (pipeline == null) {
+			Assert.notNull(localField, "LocalField must not be null");
+			Assert.notNull(foreignField, "ForeignField must not be null");
+		} else if (localField == null && foreignField == null) {
+			Assert.notNull(pipeline, "Pipeline must not be null");
+		}
 		Assert.notNull(as, "As must not be null");
 
 		this.from = from;
@@ -83,19 +125,22 @@ public class LookupOperation implements FieldsExposingAggregationOperation, Inhe
 
 		Document lookupObject = new Document();
 
-		lookupObject.append("from", from.getTarget());
-		lookupObject.append("localField", localField.getTarget());
-		lookupObject.append("foreignField", foreignField.getTarget());
-		lookupObject.append("as", as.getTarget());
-
+		lookupObject.append("from", from);
+		if (localField != null) {
+			lookupObject.append("localField", localField.getTarget());
+		}
+		if (foreignField != null) {
+			lookupObject.append("foreignField", foreignField.getTarget());
+		}
 		if (let != null) {
-			lookupObject.append("let", let.toDocument(context));
+			lookupObject.append("let", let.toDocument(context).get("$let", Document.class).get("vars"));
 		}
-
 		if (pipeline != null) {
 			lookupObject.append("pipeline", pipeline.toDocuments(context));
 		}
 
+		lookupObject.append("as", as.getTarget());
+
 		return new Document(getOperator(), lookupObject);
 	}
 
@@ -122,7 +167,7 @@ public class LookupOperation implements FieldsExposingAggregationOperation, Inhe
 		LocalFieldBuilder from(String name);
 	}
 
-	public static interface LocalFieldBuilder {
+	public static interface LocalFieldBuilder extends PipelineBuilder {
 
 		/**
 		 * @param name the field from the documents input to the {@code $lookup} stage, must not be {@literal null} or
@@ -141,7 +186,67 @@ public class LookupOperation implements FieldsExposingAggregationOperation, Inhe
 		AsBuilder foreignField(String name);
 	}
 
-	public static interface AsBuilder {
+	/**
+	 * @since 4.1
+	 * @author Christoph Strobl
+	 */
+	public interface LetBuilder {
+
+		/**
+		 * Specifies {@link Let#getVariableNames() variables) that can be used in the
+		 * {@link PipelineBuilder#pipeline(AggregationOperation...) pipeline stages}.
+		 *
+		 * @param let must not be {@literal null}.
+		 * @return never {@literal null}.
+		 * @see PipelineBuilder
+		 */
+		PipelineBuilder let(Let let);
+
+		/**
+		 * Specifies {@link Let#getVariableNames() variables) that can be used in the
+		 * {@link PipelineBuilder#pipeline(AggregationOperation...) pipeline stages}.
+		 *
+		 * @param variables must not be {@literal null}.
+		 * @return never {@literal null}.
+		 * @see PipelineBuilder
+		 */
+		default PipelineBuilder let(ExpressionVariable... variables) {
+			return let(Let.just(variables));
+		}
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @since 4.1
+	 * @author Christoph Strobl
+	 */
+	public interface PipelineBuilder extends LetBuilder {
+
+		/**
+		 * Specifies the {@link AggregationPipeline pipeline} that determines the resulting documents.
+		 *
+		 * @param pipeline must not be {@literal null}.
+		 * @return never {@literal null}.
+		 */
+		AsBuilder pipeline(AggregationPipeline pipeline);
+
+		/**
+		 * Specifies the {@link AggregationPipeline#getOperations() stages} that determine the resulting documents.
+		 *
+		 * @param stages must not be {@literal null} can be empty.
+		 * @return never {@literal null}.
+		 */
+		default AsBuilder pipeline(AggregationOperation... stages) {
+			return pipeline(AggregationPipeline.of(stages));
+		}
+
+		/**
+		 * @param name the name of the new array field to add to the input documents, must not be {@literal null} or empty.
+		 * @return new instance of {@link LookupOperation}.
+		 */
+		LookupOperation as(String name);
+	}
+
+	public static interface AsBuilder extends PipelineBuilder {
 
 		/**
 		 * @param name the name of the new array field to add to the input documents, must not be {@literal null} or empty.
@@ -159,10 +264,12 @@ public class LookupOperation implements FieldsExposingAggregationOperation, Inhe
 	public static final class LookupOperationBuilder
 			implements FromBuilder, LocalFieldBuilder, ForeignFieldBuilder, AsBuilder {
 
-		private @Nullable Field from;
+		private @Nullable String from;
 		private @Nullable Field localField;
 		private @Nullable Field foreignField;
 		private @Nullable ExposedField as;
+		private @Nullable Let let;
+		private @Nullable AggregationPipeline pipeline;
 
 		/**
 		 * Creates new builder for {@link LookupOperation}.
@@ -177,18 +284,10 @@ public class LookupOperation implements FieldsExposingAggregationOperation, Inhe
 		public LocalFieldBuilder from(String name) {
 
 			Assert.hasText(name, "'From' must not be null or empty");
-			from = Fields.field(name);
+			from = name;
 			return this;
 		}
 
-		@Override
-		public LookupOperation as(String name) {
-
-			Assert.hasText(name, "'As' must not be null or empty");
-			as = new ExposedField(Fields.field(name), true);
-			return new LookupOperation(from, localField, foreignField, as);
-		}
-
 		@Override
 		public AsBuilder foreignField(String name) {
 
@@ -204,50 +303,29 @@ public class LookupOperation implements FieldsExposingAggregationOperation, Inhe
 			localField = Fields.field(name);
 			return this;
 		}
-	}
-
-	public static class Let implements AggregationExpression{
-
-		private final List<ExpressionVariable> vars;
-
-		public Let(List<ExpressionVariable> vars) {
-			Assert.notEmpty(vars, "'let' must not be null or empty");
-			this.vars = vars;
-		}
 
 		@Override
-		public Document toDocument(AggregationOperationContext context) {
-			return toLet();
-		}
-
-		private Document toLet() {
-			Document mappedVars = new Document();
+		public PipelineBuilder let(Let let) {
 
-			for (ExpressionVariable var : this.vars) {
-				mappedVars.putAll(getMappedVariable(var));
-			}
-
-			return mappedVars;
+			Assert.notNull(let, "Let must not be null");
+			this.let = let;
+			return this;
 		}
 
-		private Document getMappedVariable(ExpressionVariable var) {
-			return new Document(var.variableName, prefixDollarSign(var.expression));
-		}
+		@Override
+		public AsBuilder pipeline(AggregationPipeline pipeline) {
 
-		private String prefixDollarSign(String expression) {
-			return "$" + expression;
+			Assert.notNull(pipeline, "Pipeline must not be null");
+			this.pipeline = pipeline;
+			return this;
 		}
 
-		public static class ExpressionVariable {
-
-			private final String variableName;
-
-			private final String expression;
+		@Override
+		public LookupOperation as(String name) {
 
-			public ExpressionVariable(String variableName, String expression) {
-				this.variableName = variableName;
-				this.expression = expression;
-			}
+			Assert.hasText(name, "'As' must not be null or empty");
+			as = new ExposedField(Fields.field(name), true);
+			return new LookupOperation(from, localField, foreignField, let, pipeline, as);
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/aggregation/VariableOperators.java b/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/aggregation/VariableOperators.java
index 53cbd4c5e..e8cf46802 100644
--- a/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/aggregation/VariableOperators.java
+++ b/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/aggregation/VariableOperators.java
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@
 package org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.aggregation;
 
 import java.util.ArrayList;
-import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.Collection;
 import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.List;
@@ -224,28 +223,41 @@ public class VariableOperators {
 	public static class Let implements AggregationExpression {
 
 		private final List<ExpressionVariable> vars;
+
+		@Nullable //
 		private final AggregationExpression expression;
 
-		private Let(List<ExpressionVariable> vars, AggregationExpression expression) {
+		private Let(List<ExpressionVariable> vars, @Nullable AggregationExpression expression) {
 
 			this.vars = vars;
 			this.expression = expression;
 		}
 
+		/**
+		 * Create a new {@link Let} holding just the given {@literal variables}.
+		 *
+		 * @param variables must not be {@literal null}.
+		 * @return new instance of {@link Let}.
+		 * @since 4.1
+		 */
+		public static Let just(ExpressionVariable... variables) {
+			return new Let(List.of(variables), null);
+		}
+
 		/**
 		 * Start creating new {@link Let} by defining the variables for {@code $vars}.
 		 *
 		 * @param variables must not be {@literal null}.
 		 * @return
 		 */
-		public static LetBuilder define(final Collection<ExpressionVariable> variables) {
+		public static LetBuilder define(Collection<ExpressionVariable> variables) {
 
 			Assert.notNull(variables, "Variables must not be null");
 
 			return new LetBuilder() {
 
 				@Override
-				public Let andApply(final AggregationExpression expression) {
+				public Let andApply(AggregationExpression expression) {
 
 					Assert.notNull(expression, "Expression must not be null");
 					return new Let(new ArrayList<ExpressionVariable>(variables), expression);
@@ -259,19 +271,10 @@ public class VariableOperators {
 		 * @param variables must not be {@literal null}.
 		 * @return
 		 */
-		public static LetBuilder define(final ExpressionVariable... variables) {
+		public static LetBuilder define(ExpressionVariable... variables) {
 
 			Assert.notNull(variables, "Variables must not be null");
-
-			return new LetBuilder() {
-
-				@Override
-				public Let andApply(final AggregationExpression expression) {
-
-					Assert.notNull(expression, "Expression must not be null");
-					return new Let(Arrays.asList(variables), expression);
-				}
-			};
+			return define(List.of(variables));
 		}
 
 		public interface LetBuilder {
@@ -283,10 +286,11 @@ public class VariableOperators {
 			 * @return
 			 */
 			Let andApply(AggregationExpression expression);
+
 		}
 
 		@Override
-		public Document toDocument(final AggregationOperationContext context) {
+		public Document toDocument(AggregationOperationContext context) {
 			return toLet(ExposedFields.synthetic(Fields.fields(getVariableNames())), context);
 		}
 
@@ -312,16 +316,22 @@ public class VariableOperators {
 			}
 
 			letExpression.put("vars", mappedVars);
-			letExpression.put("in", getMappedIn(operationContext));
+			if (expression != null) {
+				letExpression.put("in", getMappedIn(operationContext));
+			}
 
 			return new Document("$let", letExpression);
 		}
 
 		private Document getMappedVariable(ExpressionVariable var, AggregationOperationContext context) {
 
-			return new Document(var.variableName,
-					var.expression instanceof AggregationExpression ? ((AggregationExpression) var.expression).toDocument(context)
-							: var.expression);
+			if (var.expression instanceof AggregationExpression expression) {
+				return new Document(var.variableName, expression.toDocument(context));
+			}
+			if (var.expression instanceof Field field) {
+				return new Document(var.variableName, context.getReference(field).toString());
+			}
+			return new Document(var.variableName, var.expression);
 		}
 
 		private Object getMappedIn(AggregationOperationContext context) {
@@ -373,6 +383,10 @@ public class VariableOperators {
 				return new ExpressionVariable(variableName, expression);
 			}
 
+			public ExpressionVariable forField(String fieldRef) {
+				return new ExpressionVariable(variableName, Fields.field(fieldRef));
+			}
+
 			/**
 			 * Create a new {@link ExpressionVariable} with current name and given {@literal expressionObject}.
 			 *
diff --git a/spring-data-mongodb/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/aggregation/AggregationTests.java b/spring-data-mongodb/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/aggregation/AggregationTests.java
index 77f06796c..b992a5ecb 100644
--- a/spring-data-mongodb/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/aggregation/AggregationTests.java
+++ b/spring-data-mongodb/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/aggregation/AggregationTests.java
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ import org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.TestEntities;
 import org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.Venue;
 import org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.aggregation.AggregationTests.CarDescriptor.Entry;
 import org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.aggregation.BucketAutoOperation.Granularities;
+import org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.aggregation.VariableOperators.Let;
 import org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.aggregation.VariableOperators.Let.ExpressionVariable;
 import org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.geo.GeoJsonPoint;
 import org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.index.GeoSpatialIndexType;
@@ -1518,12 +1519,12 @@ public class AggregationTests {
 		assertThat(firstItem).containsEntry("linkedPerson.[0].firstname", "u1");
 	}
 
-	@Test
+	@Test // GH-3322
 	void shouldLookupPeopleCorrectlyWithPipeline() {
 		createUsersWithReferencedPersons();
 
 		TypedAggregation<User> agg = newAggregation(User.class, //
-				lookup("person", "_id", "firstname", "linkedPerson", List.of(match(where("firstname").is("u1")))), //
+				lookup().from("person").localField("_id").foreignField("firstname").pipeline(match(where("firstname").is("u1"))).as("linkedPerson"), //
 				sort(ASC, "id"));
 
 		AggregationResults<Document> results = mongoTemplate.aggregate(agg, User.class, Document.class);
@@ -1536,18 +1537,13 @@ public class AggregationTests {
 		assertThat(firstItem).containsEntry("linkedPerson.[0].firstname", "u1");
 	}
 
-	@Test
+	@Test // GH-3322
 	void shouldLookupPeopleCorrectlyWithPipelineAndLet() {
 		createUsersWithReferencedPersons();
 
 		TypedAggregation<User> agg = newAggregation(User.class, //
-				lookup(
-						"person",
-						"_id",
-						"firstname",
-						"linkedPerson",
-						List.of(new LookupOperation.Let.ExpressionVariable("personFirstname", "firstname")),
-						List.of(match(where("firstname").is("u1")))),
+				lookup().from("person").localField("_id").foreignField("firstname").let(Let.ExpressionVariable.newVariable("the_id").forField("_id")).pipeline(
+						match(ctx -> new Document("$expr", new Document("$eq", List.of("$$the_id", "u1"))))).as("linkedPerson"),
 				sort(ASC, "id"));
 
 		AggregationResults<Document> results = mongoTemplate.aggregate(agg, User.class, Document.class);
@@ -1561,7 +1557,7 @@ public class AggregationTests {
 	}
 
 	@Test // DATAMONGO-1326
-	void shouldGroupByAndLookupPeopleCorectly() {
+	void shouldGroupByAndLookupPeopleCorrectly() {
 
 		createUsersWithReferencedPersons();
 
diff --git a/spring-data-mongodb/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/aggregation/LookupOperationUnitTests.java b/spring-data-mongodb/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/aggregation/LookupOperationUnitTests.java
index 360a23776..45b63763c 100644
--- a/spring-data-mongodb/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/aggregation/LookupOperationUnitTests.java
+++ b/spring-data-mongodb/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/aggregation/LookupOperationUnitTests.java
@@ -16,11 +16,16 @@
 package org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.aggregation;
 
 import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.*;
+import static org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.aggregation.Aggregation.*;
+import static org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.aggregation.VariableOperators.Let.ExpressionVariable.*;
+import static org.springframework.data.mongodb.test.util.Assertions.assertThat;
+
+import java.util.List;
 
 import org.bson.Document;
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
-
 import org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.DocumentTestUtils;
+import org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.query.Criteria;
 
 /**
  * Unit tests for {@link LookupOperation}.
@@ -62,7 +67,7 @@ public class LookupOperationUnitTests {
 
 		Document lookupClause = extractDocumentFromLookupOperation(lookupOperation);
 
-		assertThat(lookupClause).containsEntry("from", "a") //
+		org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThat(lookupClause).containsEntry("from", "a") //
 				.containsEntry("localField", "b") //
 				.containsEntry("foreignField", "c") //
 				.containsEntry("as", "d");
@@ -114,7 +119,7 @@ public class LookupOperationUnitTests {
 
 		Document lookupClause = extractDocumentFromLookupOperation(lookupOperation);
 
-		assertThat(lookupClause).containsEntry("from", "a") //
+		org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThat(lookupClause).containsEntry("from", "a") //
 				.containsEntry("localField", "b") //
 				.containsEntry("foreignField", "c") //
 				.containsEntry("as", "d");
@@ -129,4 +134,86 @@ public class LookupOperationUnitTests {
 		assertThat(lookupOperation.getFields().exposesSingleFieldOnly()).isTrue();
 		assertThat(lookupOperation.getFields().getField("d")).isNotNull();
 	}
+
+	@Test // GH-3322
+	void buildsLookupWithLetAndPipeline() {
+
+		LookupOperation lookupOperation = LookupOperation.newLookup().from("warehouses")
+				.let(newVariable("order_item").forField("item"), newVariable("order_qty").forField("ordered"))
+				.pipeline(match(ctx -> new Document("$expr",
+						new Document("$and", List.of(Document.parse("{ $eq: [ \"$stock_item\",  \"$$order_item\" ] }"),
+								Document.parse("{ $gte: [ \"$instock\", \"$$order_qty\" ] }"))))))
+				.as("stockdata");
+
+		assertThat(lookupOperation.toDocument(Aggregation.DEFAULT_CONTEXT)).isEqualTo("""
+				{ $lookup: {
+					from: "warehouses",
+					let: { order_item: "$item", order_qty: "$ordered" },
+					pipeline: [
+						{ $match:
+							{ $expr:
+								{ $and:
+									[
+										{ $eq: [ "$stock_item",  "$$order_item" ] },
+										{ $gte: [ "$instock", "$$order_qty" ] }
+									]
+								}
+							}
+						}
+					],
+					as: "stockdata"
+				}}
+				""");
+	}
+
+	@Test // GH-3322
+	void buildsLookupWithJustPipeline() {
+
+		LookupOperation lookupOperation = LookupOperation.newLookup().from("holidays") //
+				.pipeline( //
+						match(Criteria.where("year").is(2018)), //
+						project().andExclude("_id").and(ctx -> new Document("name", "$name").append("date", "$date")).as("date"), //
+						Aggregation.replaceRoot("date") //
+				).as("holidays");
+
+		assertThat(lookupOperation.toDocument(Aggregation.DEFAULT_CONTEXT)).isEqualTo("""
+				{ $lookup:
+					{
+						from: "holidays",
+						pipeline: [
+							{ $match: { year: 2018 } },
+							{ $project: { _id: 0, date: { name: "$name", date: "$date" } } },
+							{ $replaceRoot: { newRoot: "$date" } }
+						],
+						as: "holidays"
+					}
+				}}
+				""");
+	}
+
+	@Test // GH-3322
+	void buildsLookupWithLocalAndForeignFieldAsWellAsLetAndPipeline() {
+
+		LookupOperation lookupOperation = Aggregation.lookup().from("restaurants") //
+				.localField("restaurant_name")
+				.foreignField("name")
+				.let(newVariable("orders_drink").forField("drink")) //
+				.pipeline(match(ctx -> new Document("$expr", new Document("$in", List.of("$$orders_drink", "$beverages")))))
+				.as("matches");
+
+		assertThat(lookupOperation.toDocument(Aggregation.DEFAULT_CONTEXT)).isEqualTo("""
+				{ $lookup: {
+					from: "restaurants",
+					localField: "restaurant_name",
+					foreignField: "name",
+					let: { orders_drink: "$drink" },
+					pipeline: [{
+						$match: {
+							$expr: { $in: [ "$$orders_drink", "$beverages" ] }
+						}
+					}],
+					as: "matches"
+				}}
+				""");
+	}
 }