diff --git a/src/ORM/Association/HasMany.php b/src/ORM/Association/HasMany.php
index 2de3a2b6d4f..f462a6a43b9 100644
--- a/src/ORM/Association/HasMany.php
+++ b/src/ORM/Association/HasMany.php
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@ public function link(EntityInterface $sourceEntity, array $targetEntities, array
 
         if ($ok) {
             $sourceEntity->set($property, $savedEntity->get($property));
-            $sourceEntity->clean();
+            $sourceEntity->dirty($property, false);
         }
 
         return $ok;
@@ -297,7 +297,7 @@ function ($assoc) use ($targetEntities) {
             );
         }
 
-        $sourceEntity->clean();
+        $sourceEntity->dirty($property, false);
     }
 
     /**