diff --git a/src/calibre/db/write.py b/src/calibre/db/write.py
index b12094225c..14ddea8dfb 100644
--- a/src/calibre/db/write.py
+++ b/src/calibre/db/write.py
@@ -145,7 +145,8 @@ class Writer(object):
         self.field = field
         dt = field.metadata['datatype']
         self.accept_vals = lambda x: True
-        if dt == 'composite' or field.name in {'id', 'cover', 'size', 'path'}:
+        if dt == 'composite' or field.name in {
+            'id', 'cover', 'size', 'path', 'formats', 'news'}:
             self.set_books_func = dummy
         elif field.is_many:
             # TODO: Implement this