diff --git a/packages/ember-metal/lib/tags.js b/packages/ember-metal/lib/tags.js
index 6fe427743f4..8579152f0eb 100644
--- a/packages/ember-metal/lib/tags.js
+++ b/packages/ember-metal/lib/tags.js
@@ -41,9 +41,12 @@ if (hasGlimmer) {
   makeTag = () => new DirtyableTag();
 
   markObjectAsDirty = function(meta) {
-    ensureRunloop();
-    let tag = (meta && meta.readableTag()) || CURRENT_TAG;
-    tag.dirty();
+    let tag = meta && meta.readableTag();
+
+    if (tag) {
+      ensureRunloop();
+      tag.dirty();
+    }
   };
 } else {
   markObjectAsDirty = function() {};
diff --git a/packages/ember-metal/tests/accessors/set_test.js b/packages/ember-metal/tests/accessors/set_test.js
index 491ed79c862..4dbe3a94d29 100644
--- a/packages/ember-metal/tests/accessors/set_test.js
+++ b/packages/ember-metal/tests/accessors/set_test.js
@@ -1,7 +1,12 @@
 import { get } from 'ember-metal/property_get';
 import { set } from 'ember-metal/property_set';
+import { setHasViews } from 'ember-metal/tags';
 
-QUnit.module('set');
+QUnit.module('set', {
+  teardown() {
+    setHasViews(() => false);
+  }
+});
 
 QUnit.test('should set arbitrary properties on an object', function() {
   let obj = {
@@ -69,3 +74,12 @@ QUnit.test('warn on attempts of calling set on a destroyed object', function() {
 
   expectAssertion(() => set(obj, 'favoriteFood', 'hot dogs'), 'calling set on destroyed object: [object Object].favoriteFood = hot dogs');
 });
+
+QUnit.test('does not trigger auto-run assertion for objects that have not been tagged', function(assert) {
+  setHasViews(() => true);
+  let obj = {};
+
+  set(obj, 'foo', 'bar');
+
+  assert.equal(obj.foo, 'bar');
+});