diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index d17c69b4e0..bff59a6d2a 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -136,10 +136,12 @@ Up requirements to Django 3.2+, Twisted 21+
   with a category (before only key was used, ignoring category entirely).
 - Move `create_*` functions into db managers, leaving `utils.create` only being
   wrapper functions (consistent with `utils.search`). No change of api otherwise.
+- Add support for `$dbref()` and `$search` when assigning an Attribute value
+  with the `set` command. This allows assigning real objects from in-game.
+
 
 ### Evennia 0.9.5 (2019-2020)
 
-
 Released 2020-11-14.
 A transitional release, including new doc system.
 
diff --git a/evennia/commands/default/building.py b/evennia/commands/default/building.py
index 5848d374ca..d07f60749b 100644
--- a/evennia/commands/default/building.py
+++ b/evennia/commands/default/building.py
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ from evennia.utils.ansi import raw as ansi_raw
 COMMAND_DEFAULT_CLASS = class_from_module(settings.COMMAND_DEFAULT_CLASS)
 
 _FUNCPARSER = None
+_ATTRFUNCPARSER = None
 
 # limit symbol import for API
 __all__ = (
@@ -1592,11 +1593,20 @@ class CmdSetAttribute(ObjManipCommand):
         char: Setting an attribute on a character (global search)
         character: Alias for char, as above.
 
+    Example:
+        set self/foo = "bar"
+        set/delete self/foo
+        set self/foo = $dbref(#53)
+
     Sets attributes on objects. The second example form above clears a
     previously set attribute while the third form inspects the current value of
     the attribute (if any). The last one (with the star) is a shortcut for
     operating on a player Account rather than an Object.
 
+    If you want <value> to be an object, use $dbef(#dbref) or
+    $search(key) to assign it. You need control or edit access to
+    the object you are adding.
+
     The most common data to save with this command are strings and
     numbers. You can however also set Python primitives such as lists,
     dictionaries and tuples on objects (this might be important for
@@ -1921,13 +1931,33 @@ class CmdSetAttribute(ObjManipCommand):
                     result.append(self.rm_attr(obj, attr, category))
         else:
             # setting attribute(s). Make sure to convert to real Python type before saving.
+            # add support for $dbref() and $search() in set argument
+            global _ATTRFUNCPARSER
+            if not _ATTRFUNCPARSER:
+                _ATTRFUNCPARSER = funcparser.FuncParser(
+                    {"dbref": funcparser.funcparser_callable_search,
+                     "search": funcparser.funcparser_callable_search}
+                )
+
             if not (obj.access(self.caller, "control") or obj.access(self.caller, "edit")):
                 caller.msg("You don't have permission to edit %s." % obj.key)
                 return
             for attr in attrs:
                 if not self.check_attr(obj, attr, category):
                     continue
-                value = _convert_from_string(self, value)
+                # from evennia import set_trace;set_trace()
+                parsed_value = _ATTRFUNCPARSER.parse(value, return_str=False, caller=caller)
+                if hasattr(parsed_value, "access"):
+                    # if this is an object we must have the right to read it, if so,
+                    # we will not convert it to a string
+                    if not (parsed_value.access(caller, "control")
+                            or parsed_value.access(self.caller, "edit")):
+                        caller.msg("You don't have permission to set "
+                                   f"object with identifier '{value}'.")
+                        continue
+                    value = parsed_value
+                else:
+                    value = _convert_from_string(self, value)
                 result.append(self.set_attr(obj, attr, value, category))
         # send feedback
         caller.msg("".join(result).strip("\n"))