diff --git a/mongoengine/base/fields.py b/mongoengine/base/fields.py
index 85a10ff23..ba035f5c9 100644
--- a/mongoengine/base/fields.py
+++ b/mongoengine/base/fields.py
@@ -162,6 +162,10 @@ def __set__(self, instance, value):
             for v in value:
                 if isinstance(v, EmbeddedDocument):
                     v._instance = weakref.proxy(instance)
+        elif isinstance(value, dict):
+            for v in value.values():
+                if isinstance(v, EmbeddedDocument):
+                    v._instance = weakref.proxy(instance)
 
         instance._data[self.name] = value