diff --git a/backbone.js b/backbone.js
index d63cd850..37626fc2 100644
--- a/backbone.js
+++ b/backbone.js
@@ -138,13 +138,13 @@
     if (defaults = getValue(this, 'defaults')) {
       attributes = _.extend({}, defaults, attributes);
     }
+    if (options && options.collection) this.collection = options.collection;
     this.attributes = {};
     this._escapedAttributes = {};
     this.cid = _.uniqueId('c');
     this.set(attributes, {silent : true});
     this._changed = false;
     this._previousAttributes = _.clone(this.attributes);
-    if (options && options.collection) this.collection = options.collection;
     this.initialize(attributes, options);
   };
 
diff --git a/test/collection.js b/test/collection.js
index c08fa2b1..c0c8a79a 100644
--- a/test/collection.js
+++ b/test/collection.js
@@ -448,4 +448,16 @@ $(document).ready(function() {
     ok(attrs === models[0]);
   });
 
+  test("#714: access `model.collection` in a brand new model.", 2, function() {
+    var col = new Backbone.Collection;
+    var Model = Backbone.Model.extend({
+      set: function(attrs) {
+        equals(attrs.prop, 'value');
+        equals(this.collection, col);
+      }
+    });
+    col.model = Model;
+    col.create({prop: 'value'});
+  });
+
 });