diff --git a/lib/Cake/Model/Datasource/Database/Query.php b/lib/Cake/Model/Datasource/Database/Query.php
index fef536e7db7..b9997cd0cf9 100644
--- a/lib/Cake/Model/Datasource/Database/Query.php
+++ b/lib/Cake/Model/Datasource/Database/Query.php
@@ -1126,7 +1126,7 @@ public function insert() {
 	public function update($table) {
 		$this->_dirty = true;
 		$this->_type = 'update';
-		$this->_parts['update'][] = $table;
+		$this->_parts['update'][0] = $table;
 		return $this;
 	}
 
@@ -1135,19 +1135,24 @@ public function update($table) {
  *
  * @param string|array|QueryExpression $key The column name or array of keys
  *    + values to set. This can also be a QueryExpression containing a SQL fragment.
- * @param mixed $value The value to update $key to. Can be null if $key is an 
- *    array or QueryExpression
+ * @param mixed $value The value to update $key to. Can be null if $key is an
+ *    array or QueryExpression. When $key is an array, this parameter will be
+ *    used as $types instead.
+ * @param array $types The column types to treat data as.
  * @return Query
  */
-	public function set($key, $value = null) {
+	public function set($key, $value = null, $types = []) {
 		if (empty($this->_parts['set'])) {
-			$this->_parts['set'] = new QueryExpression([], [], ',');
+			$this->_parts['set'] = $this->newExpr()->type(',');
 		}
-		$set = $key;
-		if (!is_array($key) && !($key instanceof QueryExpression)) {
-			$set = [$key => $value];
+		if (is_array($key) || $key instanceof QueryExpression) {
+			$this->_parts['set']->add($key, (array)$value);
+		} else {
+			if (is_string($types)) {
+				$types = [$key => $types];
+			}
+			$this->_parts['set']->add([$key => $value], $types);
 		}
-		$this->_parts['set']->add($set, []);
 		return $this;
 	}
 
diff --git a/lib/Cake/Test/TestCase/Model/Datasource/Database/QueryTest.php b/lib/Cake/Test/TestCase/Model/Datasource/Database/QueryTest.php
index 163ae3d7ade..bca04cfb888 100644
--- a/lib/Cake/Test/TestCase/Model/Datasource/Database/QueryTest.php
+++ b/lib/Cake/Test/TestCase/Model/Datasource/Database/QueryTest.php
@@ -1659,8 +1659,8 @@ public function testUpdateMultipleFields() {
 		$this->_insertTwoRecords();
 		$query = new Query($this->connection);
 		$query->update('articles')
-			->set('title', 'mark')
-			->set('body', 'some text')
+			->set('title', 'mark', 'string')
+			->set('body', 'some text', 'string')
 			->where(['id' => 1]);
 		$result = $query->sql(false);
 
@@ -1686,7 +1686,7 @@ public function testUpdateMultipleFieldsArray() {
 			->set([
 				'title' => 'mark',
 				'body' => 'some text'
-			])
+			], ['title' => 'string', 'body' => 'string'])
 			->where(['id' => 1]);
 		$result = $query->sql(false);
 
@@ -1700,6 +1700,11 @@ public function testUpdateMultipleFieldsArray() {
 		$this->assertCount(1, $result);
 	}
 
+/**
+ * Test updates with an expression.
+ *
+ * @return void
+ */
 	public function testUpdateWithExpression() {
 		$this->_insertTwoRecords();
 		$query = new Query($this->connection);