diff --git a/docs/changelog.rst b/docs/changelog.rst
index cd99b73e..0da97e90 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.rst
+++ b/docs/changelog.rst
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@ Changelog
 
 Development
 ===========
-- (Fill this out as you fix issues and develop you features).
+- (Fill this out as you fix issues and develop your features).
+- Fixed using sets in field choices #1481
 - POTENTIAL BREAKING CHANGE: Fixed limit/skip/hint/batch_size chaining #1476
 - POTENTIAL BREAKING CHANGE: Changed a public `QuerySet.clone_into` method to a private `QuerySet._clone_into` #1476
 - Fixed connecting to a replica set with PyMongo 2.x #1436
diff --git a/docs/guide/defining-documents.rst b/docs/guide/defining-documents.rst
index e656dee0..d41ae7e6 100644
--- a/docs/guide/defining-documents.rst
+++ b/docs/guide/defining-documents.rst
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ arguments can be set on all fields:
     .. note:: If set, this field is also accessible through the `pk` field.
 
 :attr:`choices` (Default: None)
-    An iterable (e.g. a list or tuple) of choices to which the value of this
+    An iterable (e.g. list, tuple or set) of choices to which the value of this
     field should be limited.
 
     Can be either be a nested tuples of value (stored in mongo) and a
@@ -214,8 +214,8 @@ document class as the first argument::
 
 Dictionary Fields
 -----------------
-Often, an embedded document may be used instead of a dictionary – generally 
-embedded documents are recommended as dictionaries don’t support validation 
+Often, an embedded document may be used instead of a dictionary – generally
+embedded documents are recommended as dictionaries don’t support validation
 or custom field types. However, sometimes you will not know the structure of what you want to
 store; in this situation a :class:`~mongoengine.fields.DictField` is appropriate::
 
diff --git a/mongoengine/base/fields.py b/mongoengine/base/fields.py
index 9ba9dc9a..5658b185 100644
--- a/mongoengine/base/fields.py
+++ b/mongoengine/base/fields.py
@@ -193,7 +193,8 @@ class BaseField(object):
         EmbeddedDocument = _import_class('EmbeddedDocument')
 
         choice_list = self.choices
-        if isinstance(choice_list[0], (list, tuple)):
+        if isinstance(next(iter(choice_list)), (list, tuple)):
+            # next(iter) is useful for sets
             choice_list = [k for k, _ in choice_list]
 
         # Choices which are other types of Documents
diff --git a/tests/fields/fields.py b/tests/fields/fields.py
index 5c83d58c..f24bcae4 100644
--- a/tests/fields/fields.py
+++ b/tests/fields/fields.py
@@ -1,13 +1,12 @@
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
-import six
-from nose.plugins.skip import SkipTest
-
 import datetime
 import unittest
 import uuid
 import math
 import itertools
 import re
+
+from nose.plugins.skip import SkipTest
 import six
 
 try:
@@ -27,21 +26,13 @@ from mongoengine import *
 from mongoengine.connection import get_db
 from mongoengine.base import (BaseDict, BaseField, EmbeddedDocumentList,
                               _document_registry)
-from mongoengine.errors import NotRegistered, DoesNotExist
+
+from tests.utils import MongoDBTestCase
 
 __all__ = ("FieldTest", "EmbeddedDocumentListFieldTestCase")
 
 
-class FieldTest(unittest.TestCase):
-
-    def setUp(self):
-        connect(db='mongoenginetest')
-        self.db = get_db()
-
-    def tearDown(self):
-        self.db.drop_collection('fs.files')
-        self.db.drop_collection('fs.chunks')
-        self.db.drop_collection('mongoengine.counters')
+class FieldTest(MongoDBTestCase):
 
     def test_default_values_nothing_set(self):
         """Ensure that default field values are used when creating a document.
@@ -3186,26 +3177,42 @@ class FieldTest(unittest.TestCase):
         att.delete()
         self.assertEqual(0, Attachment.objects.count())
 
-    def test_choices_validation(self):
-        """Ensure that value is in a container of allowed values.
+    def test_choices_allow_using_sets_as_choices(self):
+        """Ensure that sets can be used when setting choices
         """
         class Shirt(Document):
-            size = StringField(max_length=3, choices=(
-                ('S', 'Small'), ('M', 'Medium'), ('L', 'Large'),
-                ('XL', 'Extra Large'), ('XXL', 'Extra Extra Large')))
+            size = StringField(choices={'M', 'L'})
 
-        Shirt.drop_collection()
+        Shirt(size='M').validate()
+
+    def test_choices_validation_allow_no_value(self):
+        """Ensure that .validate passes and no value was provided
+        for a field setup with choices
+        """
+        class Shirt(Document):
+            size = StringField(choices=('S', 'M'))
 
         shirt = Shirt()
         shirt.validate()
 
-        shirt.size = "S"
+    def test_choices_validation_accept_possible_value(self):
+        """Ensure that value is in a container of allowed values.
+        """
+        class Shirt(Document):
+            size = StringField(choices=('S', 'M'))
+
+        shirt = Shirt(size='S')
         shirt.validate()
 
-        shirt.size = "XS"
-        self.assertRaises(ValidationError, shirt.validate)
+    def test_choices_validation_reject_unknown_value(self):
+        """Ensure that unallowed value are rejected upon validation
+        """
+        class Shirt(Document):
+            size = StringField(choices=('S', 'M'))
 
-        Shirt.drop_collection()
+        shirt = Shirt(size="XS")
+        with self.assertRaises(ValidationError):
+            shirt.validate()
 
     def test_choices_validation_documents(self):
         """
@@ -4420,7 +4427,8 @@ class EmbeddedDocumentListFieldTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
             my_list = ListField(EmbeddedDocumentField(EmbeddedWithUnique))
 
         A(my_list=[]).save()
-        self.assertRaises(NotUniqueError, lambda: A(my_list=[]).save())
+        with self.assertRaises(NotUniqueError):
+            A(my_list=[]).save()
 
         class EmbeddedWithSparseUnique(EmbeddedDocument):
             number = IntField(unique=True, sparse=True)
@@ -4431,6 +4439,9 @@ class EmbeddedDocumentListFieldTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
         B(my_list=[]).save()
         B(my_list=[]).save()
 
+        A.drop_collection()
+        B.drop_collection()
+
     def test_filtered_delete(self):
         """
         Tests the delete method of a List of Embedded Documents
diff --git a/tests/fields/file_tests.py b/tests/fields/file_tests.py
index b266a5e5..8364d5ef 100644
--- a/tests/fields/file_tests.py
+++ b/tests/fields/file_tests.py
@@ -18,15 +18,13 @@ try:
 except ImportError:
     HAS_PIL = False
 
+from tests.utils import MongoDBTestCase
+
 TEST_IMAGE_PATH = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), 'mongoengine.png')
 TEST_IMAGE2_PATH = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), 'mongodb_leaf.png')
 
 
-class FileTest(unittest.TestCase):
-
-    def setUp(self):
-        connect(db='mongoenginetest')
-        self.db = get_db()
+class FileTest(MongoDBTestCase):
 
     def tearDown(self):
         self.db.drop_collection('fs.files')
diff --git a/tests/utils.py b/tests/utils.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..128bbff0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/utils.py
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+import unittest
+
+from mongoengine import connect
+from mongoengine.connection import get_db
+
+MONGO_TEST_DB = 'mongoenginetest'
+
+
+class MongoDBTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
+    """Base class for tests that need a mongodb connection
+    db is being dropped automatically
+    """
+
+    @classmethod
+    def setUpClass(cls):
+        cls._connection = connect(db=MONGO_TEST_DB)
+        cls._connection.drop_database(MONGO_TEST_DB)
+        cls.db = get_db()
+
+    @classmethod
+    def tearDownClass(cls):
+        cls._connection.drop_database(MONGO_TEST_DB)