diff --git a/lib/util/model/ModelCloneHelper.js b/lib/util/model/ModelCloneHelper.js
index 67b2aa71..6fd48fde 100644
--- a/lib/util/model/ModelCloneHelper.js
+++ b/lib/util/model/ModelCloneHelper.js
@@ -106,7 +106,9 @@ ModelCloneHelper.prototype.clone = function(refElement, newElement, properties)
       newProperty = self._deepClone(refElementProp, context);
 
       if (context.hasNestedProperty) {
-        newElement[name] = newProperty;
+        newProperty.$parent = newElement;
+
+        newElement.set(name, newProperty);
       }
 
       context.hasNestedProperty = false;
diff --git a/test/spec/features/copy-paste/BpmnCopyPasteSpec.js b/test/spec/features/copy-paste/BpmnCopyPasteSpec.js
index 634ad657..5fd735d2 100644
--- a/test/spec/features/copy-paste/BpmnCopyPasteSpec.js
+++ b/test/spec/features/copy-paste/BpmnCopyPasteSpec.js
@@ -664,7 +664,11 @@ describe('features/copy-paste', function() {
 
         expect(copiedBo.asyncBefore).to.eql(bo.asyncBefore);
         expect(copiedBo.documentation).to.jsonEqual(bo.documentation);
-        expect(copiedBo.extensionElements).to.jsonEqual(bo.extensionElements);
+
+        var copiedExtensions = copiedBo.extensionElements;
+
+        expect(copiedExtensions).to.jsonEqual(bo.extensionElements);
+        expect(copiedExtensions.$parent).to.equal(copiedBo);
       })
     );