diff --git a/mongoengine/base/fields.py b/mongoengine/base/fields.py
index 304c084d..4167720b 100644
--- a/mongoengine/base/fields.py
+++ b/mongoengine/base/fields.py
@@ -135,6 +135,10 @@ class BaseField(object):
         EmbeddedDocument = _import_class('EmbeddedDocument')
         if isinstance(value, EmbeddedDocument):
             value._instance = weakref.proxy(instance)
+        elif isinstance(value, (list, tuple)):
+            for v in value:
+                if isinstance(v, EmbeddedDocument):
+                    v._instance = weakref.proxy(instance)
         instance._data[self.name] = value
 
     def error(self, message="", errors=None, field_name=None):