diff --git a/docs/changelog.rst b/docs/changelog.rst
index 0c85973a..76545559 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.rst
+++ b/docs/changelog.rst
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ Development
 - (Fill this out as you fix issues and develop your features).
 - ATTENTION: Drop support for Python2
 - Add Mongo 4.0 to Travis
+- Fix error when setting a string as a ComplexDateTimeField #2253
 - Bump development Status classifier to Production/Stable #2232
 - Improve Queryset.get to avoid confusing MultipleObjectsReturned message in case multiple match are found #630
 - Fixed a bug causing inaccurate query results, while combining ``__raw__`` and regular filters for the same field #2264
diff --git a/mongoengine/fields.py b/mongoengine/fields.py
index 17aa0b57..b05e726a 100644
--- a/mongoengine/fields.py
+++ b/mongoengine/fields.py
@@ -677,7 +677,10 @@ class ComplexDateTimeField(StringField):
         super().__set__(instance, value)
         value = instance._data[self.name]
         if value is not None:
-            instance._data[self.name] = self._convert_from_datetime(value)
+            if isinstance(value, datetime.datetime):
+                instance._data[self.name] = self._convert_from_datetime(value)
+            else:
+                instance._data[self.name] = value
 
     def validate(self, value):
         value = self.to_python(value)
diff --git a/tests/fields/test_complex_datetime_field.py b/tests/fields/test_complex_datetime_field.py
index 5bd6c56b..d118ad23 100644
--- a/tests/fields/test_complex_datetime_field.py
+++ b/tests/fields/test_complex_datetime_field.py
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ import itertools
 import math
 import re
 
+import pytest
+
 from mongoengine import *
 
 from tests.utils import MongoDBTestCase
@@ -191,3 +193,18 @@ class ComplexDateTimeFieldTest(MongoDBTestCase):
 
         fetched_log = Log.objects.with_id(log.id)
         assert fetched_log.timestamp >= NOW
+
+    def test_setting_bad_value_does_not_raise_unless_validate_is_called(self):
+        # test regression of #2253
+
+        class Log(Document):
+            timestamp = ComplexDateTimeField()
+
+        Log.drop_collection()
+
+        log = Log(timestamp="garbage")
+        with pytest.raises(ValidationError):
+            log.validate()
+
+        with pytest.raises(ValidationError):
+            log.save()