diff --git a/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/book/base.py b/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/book/base.py
index 799bdef8e6..4cca94a6c6 100644
--- a/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/book/base.py
+++ b/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/book/base.py
@@ -129,10 +129,7 @@ class Metadata(object):
                 val = NULL_VALUES.get(field, None)
             _data[field] = val
         elif field in _data['user_metadata'].iterkeys():
-            if _data['user_metadata'][field]['datatype'] == 'composite':
-                _data['user_metadata'][field]['#value#'] = None
-            else:
-                _data['user_metadata'][field]['#value#'] = val
+            _data['user_metadata'][field]['#value#'] = val
             _data['user_metadata'][field]['#extra#'] = extra
         else:
             # You are allowed to stick arbitrary attributes onto this object as
diff --git a/src/calibre/library/database2.py b/src/calibre/library/database2.py
index 5702b75317..b0497eb53e 100644
--- a/src/calibre/library/database2.py
+++ b/src/calibre/library/database2.py
@@ -787,7 +787,10 @@ class LibraryDatabase2(LibraryDatabase, SchemaUpgrade, CustomColumns):
         mi.id = id
         for key, meta in self.field_metadata.custom_iteritems():
             mi.set_user_metadata(key, meta)
-            mi.set(key, val=self.get_custom(idx, label=meta['label'],
+            if meta['datatype'] == 'composite':
+                mi.set(key, val=row[meta['rec_index']])
+            else:
+                mi.set(key, val=self.get_custom(idx, label=meta['label'],
                                             index_is_id=index_is_id),
                         extra=self.get_custom_extra(idx, label=meta['label'],
                                                     index_is_id=index_is_id))