diff --git a/lib/document.js b/lib/document.js
index 917910ac5d4..8893c91f101 100644
--- a/lib/document.js
+++ b/lib/document.js
@@ -878,6 +878,13 @@ Document.prototype.$__set = function(pathToMark, path, constructing, parts, sche
     if (val && val.isMongooseArray) {
       val._registerAtomic('$set', val);
 
+      // Update embedded document parent references (gh-5189)
+      if (val.isMongooseDocumentArray) {
+        val.forEach(function(item) {
+          item && item.__parentArray && (item.__parentArray = val);
+        });
+      }
+
       // Small hack for gh-1638: if we're overwriting the entire array, ignore
       // paths that were modified before the array overwrite
       this.$__.activePaths.forEach(function(modifiedPath) {
diff --git a/test/document.modified.test.js b/test/document.modified.test.js
index 2eecd53ca80..1f1ff26e24d 100644
--- a/test/document.modified.test.js
+++ b/test/document.modified.test.js
@@ -465,6 +465,28 @@ describe('document modified', function() {
 
         done();
       });
+
+      it('updates embedded doc parents upon direct assignment (gh-5189)', function(done) {
+        var db = start();
+        var familySchema = new Schema({
+          children: [{name: {type: String, required: true}}]
+        });
+        var Family = db.model('Family', familySchema);
+        Family.create({
+          children: [
+            {name: 'John'},
+            {name: 'Mary'}
+          ]
+        }, function(err, family) {
+          family.set({children: family.children.slice(1)});
+          family.children.forEach(function(child) {
+            child.set({name: 'Maryanne'});
+          });
+
+          assert.equal(family.validateSync(), undefined);
+          done();
+        });
+      });
     });
 
     it('should support setting mixed paths by string (gh-1418)', function(done) {