diff --git a/lib/protobuf/field/base_field.rb b/lib/protobuf/field/base_field.rb
index 440bbd72..35ffe930 100644
--- a/lib/protobuf/field/base_field.rb
+++ b/lib/protobuf/field/base_field.rb
@@ -194,6 +194,11 @@ def define_array_setter
 
         message_class.class_eval do
           define_method(method_name) do |val|
+            if val.nil? || (val.respond_to?(:empty?) && val.empty?)
+              @values.delete(field.name)
+              return
+            end
+
             if val.is_a?(Array)
               val = val.dup
               val.compact!
@@ -204,12 +209,8 @@ def define_array_setter
               TYPE_ERROR
             end
 
-            if val.nil? || (val.respond_to?(:empty?) && val.empty?)
-              @values.delete(field.name)
-            else
-              @values[field.name] ||= ::Protobuf::Field::FieldArray.new(field)
-              @values[field.name].replace(val)
-            end
+            @values[field.name] ||= ::Protobuf::Field::FieldArray.new(field)
+            @values[field.name].replace(val)
           end
         end
 
diff --git a/lib/protobuf/field/field_array.rb b/lib/protobuf/field/field_array.rb
index 78bb79e0..8cc521aa 100644
--- a/lib/protobuf/field/field_array.rb
+++ b/lib/protobuf/field/field_array.rb
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ def normalize(value)
         elsif field.is_a?(::Protobuf::Field::MessageField) && value.respond_to?(:to_hash)
           field.type_class.new(value.to_hash)
         else
-          value
+          field.coerce!(value)
         end
       end
 
diff --git a/spec/lib/protobuf/field/field_array_spec.rb b/spec/lib/protobuf/field/field_array_spec.rb
index 48133381..c980d46c 100644
--- a/spec/lib/protobuf/field/field_array_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/protobuf/field/field_array_spec.rb
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ class SomeRepeatMessage < ::Protobuf::Message
     optional :string, :some_string, 1
     repeated :string, :multiple_strings, 2
     repeated SomeBasicMessage, :multiple_basic_msgs, 3
+    repeated :int64, :multiple_integers, 4
   end
 
   let(:instance) { SomeRepeatMessage.new }
@@ -64,6 +65,24 @@ class SomeRepeatMessage < ::Protobuf::Message
           expect(instance.multiple_basic_msgs.first).to be_a(MoreComplexMessage)
         end
       end
+
+      context 'when applied to an Integer field array' do
+        it 'does conversion if adding a string' do
+          expect(instance.multiple_integers).to be_empty
+          instance.multiple_integers.send(method, '1')
+          expect(instance.multiple_integers).to eq([1])
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
+    describe 'assign' do
+      context 'nil to an array' do
+        it 'empties the array' do
+          instance.multiple_strings = ['string 1']
+          instance.multiple_strings = nil
+          expect(instance.multiple_strings).to be_empty
+        end
+      end
     end
   end
 end