diff --git a/django/db/models/fields/related.py b/django/db/models/fields/related.py
index fbb40d9175c..a16f9553c68 100644
--- a/django/db/models/fields/related.py
+++ b/django/db/models/fields/related.py
@@ -364,7 +364,7 @@ class ReverseSingleRelatedObjectDescriptor(object):
 
     def __set__(self, instance, value):
         if instance is None:
-            raise AttributeError("%s must be accessed via instance" % self._field.name)
+            raise AttributeError("%s must be accessed via instance" % self.field.name)
 
         # If null=True, we can assign null here, but otherwise the value needs
         # to be an instance of the related class.
diff --git a/tests/regressiontests/many_to_one_regress/tests.py b/tests/regressiontests/many_to_one_regress/tests.py
index 9e04fb45422..481a0371394 100644
--- a/tests/regressiontests/many_to_one_regress/tests.py
+++ b/tests/regressiontests/many_to_one_regress/tests.py
@@ -58,6 +58,10 @@ class ManyToOneRegressionTests(TestCase):
         self.assertRaises(ValueError, Child, name='xyzzy', parent=None)
         self.assertRaises(ValueError, Child.objects.create, name='xyzzy', parent=None)
 
+        # Trying to assign to unbound attribute raises AttributeError
+        self.assertRaisesRegexp(AttributeError, "must be accessed via instance",
+            Child.parent.__set__, None, p)
+
         # Creation using keyword argument should cache the related object.
         p = Parent.objects.get(name="Parent")
         c = Child(parent=p)