diff --git a/include/class.orm.php b/include/class.orm.php
index b403617b2e71a0b5211d0274eb0942c1fc2e948a..b4f65e551122d6261e80c26effe8f5ce297d3288 100644
--- a/include/class.orm.php
+++ b/include/class.orm.php
@@ -73,15 +73,23 @@ class VerySimpleModel {
                 $this->ht[$field] = $value;
                 return;
             }
-            // XXX: Ensure $value instanceof $j['fkey'][0]
-            if ($value->__new__)
-                $value->save();
-            // Capture the object under the object's field name
-            $this->ht[$field] = $value;
+            if ($value === null) {
+                // Pass. Set local field to NULL in logic below
+            }
+            elseif ($value instanceof $j['fkey'][0]) {
+                if ($value->__new__)
+                    $value->save();
+                // Capture the object under the object's field name
+                $this->ht[$field] = $value;
+                $value = $value->get($j['fkey'][1]);
+                // Fall through to the standard logic below
+            }
+            else
+                throw new InvalidArgumentException(
+                    'Expecting NULL or instance of ' . $j['fkey'][0]);
+
             // Capture the foreign key id value
             $field = $j['local'];
-            $value = $value->get($j['fkey'][1]);
-            // Fall through to the standard logic below
         }
         // XXX: Fully support or die if updating pk
         // XXX: The contents of $this->dirty should be the value after the
diff --git a/include/class.user.php b/include/class.user.php
index f736501fc807c82b75fecf79e4389add1eac9ef2..c169c48cca060cfc019c781e45de1e6620d0f134 100644
--- a/include/class.user.php
+++ b/include/class.user.php
@@ -111,12 +111,7 @@ class UserModel extends VerySimpleModel {
 
     function setOrganization($org, $save=true) {
 
-        if (is_null($org))
-            $this->set('org_id', 0);
-        elseif ($org instanceof Organization)
-            $this->set('org', $org);
-        else // noop
-            return false;
+        $this->set('org', $org);
 
         if ($save)
             $this->save();