diff --git a/frappe/core/doctype/communication/email.py b/frappe/core/doctype/communication/email.py
index 49e2f11ed0..7e0d12dda3 100755
--- a/frappe/core/doctype/communication/email.py
+++ b/frappe/core/doctype/communication/email.py
@@ -61,6 +61,10 @@ def make(doctype=None, name=None, content=None, subject=None, sent_or_received =
 	})
 	comm.insert(ignore_permissions=True)
 
+	if not doctype:
+		# if no reference given, then send it against the communication
+		comm.db_set(dict(reference_doctype='Communication', reference_name=comm.name))
+
 	# if not committed, delayed task doesn't find the communication
 	frappe.db.commit()
 
diff --git a/frappe/database.py b/frappe/database.py
index 474038377e..29dea0e6cc 100644
--- a/frappe/database.py
+++ b/frappe/database.py
@@ -586,7 +586,7 @@ class Database:
 
 		:param dt: DocType name.
 		:param dn: Document name.
-		:param field: Property / field name.
+		:param field: Property / field name or dictionary of values to be updated
 		:param value: Value to be updated.
 		:param modified: Use this as the `modified` timestamp.
 		:param modified_by: Set this user as `modified_by`.
@@ -598,28 +598,39 @@ class Database:
 		if not modified_by:
 			modified_by = frappe.session.user
 
+		if update_modified:
+			to_update = {"modified": modified, "modified_by": modified_by}
+
+		if isinstance(field, dict):
+			to_update.update(field)
+		else:
+			to_update.update({field: val})
+
 		if dn and dt!=dn:
+			# with table
 			conditions, values = self.build_conditions(dn)
 
-			values.update({"val": val, "modified": modified, "modified_by": modified_by})
+			values.update(to_update)
 
-			if update_modified:
-				self.sql("""update `tab{0}` set `{1}`=%(val)s, modified=%(modified)s, modified_by=%(modified_by)s where
-					{2}""".format(dt, field, conditions), values, debug=debug)
-			else:
-				self.sql("""update `tab{0}` set `{1}`=%(val)s where
-					{2}""".format(dt, field, conditions), values, debug=debug)
+			set_values = []
+			for key in to_update:
+				set_values.append('`{0}`=%({0})s'.format(key))
 
+			self.sql("""update `tab{0}`
+				set {1} where {2}""".format(dt, ', '.join(set_values), conditions),
+				values, debug=debug)
 
 		else:
-			self.sql("delete from tabSingles where field=%s and doctype=%s", (field, dt))
-			self.sql("insert into tabSingles(doctype, field, value) values (%s, %s, %s)",
-				(dt, field, val), debug=debug)
-
-			if update_modified and (field not in ("modified", "modified_by")):
-				self.set_value(dt, dn, "modified", modified)
-				self.set_value(dt, dn, "modified_by", modified_by)
-
+			# for singles
+			keys = to_update.keys()
+			self.sql('''
+				delete from tabSingles
+				where field in ({0}) and
+					doctype=%s'''.format(', '.join(['%s']*len(keys))),
+					keys + [dt], debug=debug)
+			for key, value in to_update.iteritems():
+				self.sql('''insert into tabSingles(doctype, field, value) values (%s, %s, %s)''',
+					(dt, key, value), debug=debug)
 
 		if dt in self.value_cache:
 			del self.value_cache[dt]
diff --git a/frappe/email/doctype/email_account/email_account.py b/frappe/email/doctype/email_account/email_account.py
index 63bc2c30ed..fbf04e1d31 100755
--- a/frappe/email/doctype/email_account/email_account.py
+++ b/frappe/email/doctype/email_account/email_account.py
@@ -386,7 +386,7 @@ class EmailAccount(Document):
 
 				# set in_reply_to of current communication
 				if parent_doctype=='Communication':
-					communication.in_reply_to = in_reply_to
+					communication.in_reply_to = parent_name
 
 					if parent.reference_name:
 						# the true parent is the communication parent
diff --git a/frappe/email/doctype/email_account/test_email_account.py b/frappe/email/doctype/email_account/test_email_account.py
index 57645a2b29..7a29a16f5a 100644
--- a/frappe/email/doctype/email_account/test_email_account.py
+++ b/frappe/email/doctype/email_account/test_email_account.py
@@ -54,8 +54,8 @@ class TestEmailAccount(unittest.TestCase):
 		frappe.delete_doc("File", existing_file.name)
 		delete_file_from_filesystem(existing_file)
 
-		with open(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), "test_mails", "incoming-2.raw"), "r") as f:
-			test_mails = [f.read()]
+		with open(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), "test_mails", "incoming-2.raw"), "r") as testfile:
+			test_mails = [testfile.read()]
 
 		email_account = frappe.get_doc("Email Account", "_Test Email Account 1")
 		email_account.receive(test_mails=test_mails)
diff --git a/frappe/model/base_document.py b/frappe/model/base_document.py
index 4121a9ec46..f80f267961 100644
--- a/frappe/model/base_document.py
+++ b/frappe/model/base_document.py
@@ -360,8 +360,21 @@ class BaseDocument(object):
 		# this is used to preserve traceback
 		raise frappe.UniqueValidationError, (self.doctype, self.name, e), traceback
 
-	def db_set(self, fieldname, value, update_modified=True):
-		self.set(fieldname, value)
+	def db_set(self, fieldname, value=None, update_modified=True):
+		'''Set a value in the document object, update the timestamp and update the database.
+
+		WARNING: This method does not trigger controller validations and should
+		be used very carefully.
+
+		:param fieldname: fieldname of the property to be updated, or a {"field":"value"} dictionary
+		:param value: value of the property to be updated
+		:param update_modified: default True. updates the `modified` and `modified_by` properties
+		'''
+		if isinstance(fieldname, dict):
+			self.update(fieldname)
+		else:
+			self.set(fieldname, value)
+
 		if update_modified and (self.doctype, self.name) not in frappe.flags.currently_saving:
 			# don't update modified timestamp if called from post save methods
 			# like on_update or on_submit