diff --git a/django/db/models/base.py b/django/db/models/base.py
index b2d92a2aee5..82283d591c9 100644
--- a/django/db/models/base.py
+++ b/django/db/models/base.py
@@ -468,8 +468,15 @@ class Model(object):
                 return
 
             update_fields = frozenset(update_fields)
-            field_names = set([field.name for field in self._meta.fields
-                               if not field.primary_key])
+            field_names = set()
+
+            for field in self._meta.fields:
+                if not field.primary_key:
+                    field_names.add(field.name)
+
+                    if field.name != field.attname:
+                        field_names.add(field.attname)
+
             non_model_fields = update_fields.difference(field_names)
 
             if non_model_fields:
@@ -534,7 +541,7 @@ class Model(object):
             non_pks = [f for f in meta.local_fields if not f.primary_key]
 
             if update_fields:
-                non_pks = [f for f in non_pks if f.name in update_fields]
+                non_pks = [f for f in non_pks if f.name in update_fields or f.attname in update_fields]
 
             # First, try an UPDATE. If that doesn't update anything, do an INSERT.
             pk_val = self._get_pk_val(meta)
diff --git a/tests/modeltests/update_only_fields/tests.py b/tests/modeltests/update_only_fields/tests.py
index e843bd7ab94..bce53ca621d 100644
--- a/tests/modeltests/update_only_fields/tests.py
+++ b/tests/modeltests/update_only_fields/tests.py
@@ -55,6 +55,14 @@ class UpdateOnlyFieldsTests(TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(e3.name, 'Ian')
         self.assertEqual(e3.profile, profile_receptionist)
 
+        with self.assertNumQueries(1):
+            e3.profile = profile_boss
+            e3.save(update_fields=['profile_id'])
+
+        e4 = Employee.objects.get(pk=e3.pk)
+        self.assertEqual(e4.profile, profile_boss)
+        self.assertEqual(e4.profile_id, profile_boss.pk)
+
     def test_update_fields_inheritance_with_proxy_model(self):
         profile_boss = Profile.objects.create(name='Boss', salary=3000)
         profile_receptionist = Profile.objects.create(name='Receptionist', salary=1000)