diff --git a/mongoengine/base/datastructures.py b/mongoengine/base/datastructures.py
index fddd945a2..3ba01252a 100644
--- a/mongoengine/base/datastructures.py
+++ b/mongoengine/base/datastructures.py
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 import itertools
-import weakref
 
 from bson import DBRef
 import six
@@ -22,7 +21,7 @@ def __init__(self, dict_items, instance, name):
         EmbeddedDocument = _import_class('EmbeddedDocument')
 
         if isinstance(instance, (Document, EmbeddedDocument)):
-            self._instance = weakref.proxy(instance)
+            self._instance = instance
         self._name = name
         super(BaseDict, self).__init__(dict_items)
 
@@ -107,7 +106,7 @@ def __init__(self, list_items, instance, name):
         EmbeddedDocument = _import_class('EmbeddedDocument')
 
         if isinstance(instance, (Document, EmbeddedDocument)):
-            self._instance = weakref.proxy(instance)
+            self._instance = instance
         self._name = name
         super(BaseList, self).__init__(list_items)