diff --git a/django/db/models/base.py b/django/db/models/base.py
index fc38224345..53b62df135 100644
--- a/django/db/models/base.py
+++ b/django/db/models/base.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ from django.db.models.options import Options
 from django.db.models import signals
 from django.db.models.loading import register_models, get_model
 from django.utils.translation import ugettext_lazy as _
-from django.utils.functional import curry
+from django.utils.functional import curry, Promise
 from django.utils.encoding import smart_str, force_unicode
 from django.utils.text import get_text_list, capfirst
 
@@ -297,10 +297,14 @@ class Model(object):
             # is *not* consumed. We rely on this, so don't change the order
             # without changing the logic.
             for val, field in izip(args, fields_iter):
+                if isinstance(val, Promise):
+                    val = force_unicode(val)
                 setattr(self, field.attname, val)
         else:
             # Slower, kwargs-ready version.
             for val, field in izip(args, fields_iter):
+                if isinstance(val, Promise):
+                    val = force_unicode(val)
                 setattr(self, field.attname, val)
                 kwargs.pop(field.name, None)
                 # Maintain compatibility with existing calls.
@@ -354,6 +358,8 @@ class Model(object):
                 # checked) by the RelatedObjectDescriptor.
                 setattr(self, field.name, rel_obj)
             else:
+                if isinstance(val, Promise):
+                    val = force_unicode(val)
                 setattr(self, field.attname, val)
 
         if kwargs:
diff --git a/tests/modeltests/many_to_one/tests.py b/tests/modeltests/many_to_one/tests.py
index bc9fe64be4..d9d67bbb98 100644
--- a/tests/modeltests/many_to_one/tests.py
+++ b/tests/modeltests/many_to_one/tests.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ from datetime import datetime
 
 from django.core.exceptions import MultipleObjectsReturned
 from django.test import TestCase
+from django.utils.translation import ugettext_lazy
 
 from .models import Article, Reporter
 
@@ -412,3 +413,14 @@ class ManyToOneTests(TestCase):
 
         # Same as each other
         self.assertTrue(r1.article_set.__class__ is r2.article_set.__class__)
+
+    def test_create_relation_with_ugettext_lazy(self):
+        reporter = Reporter.objects.create(first_name='John',
+                                           last_name='Smith',
+                                           email='john.smith@example.com')
+        lazy = ugettext_lazy(u'test')
+        reporter.article_set.create(headline=lazy,
+                                    pub_date=datetime(2011, 6, 10))
+        notlazy = unicode(lazy)
+        article = reporter.article_set.get()
+        self.assertEqual(article.headline, notlazy)