diff --git a/lisp/org-element.el b/lisp/org-element.el
index d7847a678..f8442511c 100644
--- a/lisp/org-element.el
+++ b/lisp/org-element.el
@@ -548,7 +548,14 @@ Return modified element."
   "Set ELEMENT's contents to CONTENTS.
 Return ELEMENT."
   (cond ((null element) contents)
-	((not (symbolp (car element))) contents)
+	((not (symbolp (car element)))
+         (if (not (listp element))
+             ;; Non-element.
+             contents
+           ;; Anonymous element (el1 el2 ...)
+           (setcar element (car contents))
+           (setcdr element (cdr contents))
+           element))
 	((cdr element) (setcdr (cdr element) contents) element)
 	(t (nconc element contents))))
 
diff --git a/testing/lisp/test-org-element.el b/testing/lisp/test-org-element.el
index 43f1d860f..957e99194 100644
--- a/testing/lisp/test-org-element.el
+++ b/testing/lisp/test-org-element.el
@@ -125,7 +125,13 @@ Some other text
    (org-test-with-temp-text "* Headline\n *a*"
      (let ((tree (org-element-parse-buffer)))
        (org-element-set-contents (org-element-map tree 'bold 'identity nil t))
-       (org-element-contents (org-element-map tree 'bold 'identity nil t))))))
+       (org-element-contents (org-element-map tree 'bold 'identity nil t)))))
+  ;; Set contents of anonymous elements.
+  (should
+   (equal '#1=((b (:parent #1#)))
+          (let ((element '#1=((a (:parent #1#)) (b (:parent #1#)))))
+            (org-element-set-contents element `(b (:parent ,element)))
+            element))))
 
 (ert-deftest test-org-element/secondary-p ()
   "Test `org-element-secondary-p' specifications."