diff --git a/wp-includes/nav-menu.php b/wp-includes/nav-menu.php
index 363c2ac4de..e01000c9cf 100644
--- a/wp-includes/nav-menu.php
+++ b/wp-includes/nav-menu.php
@@ -365,10 +365,6 @@ function wp_update_nav_menu_item( $menu_id = 0, $menu_item_db_id = 0, $menu_item
 
 	$update = 0 != $menu_item_db_id;
 
-	// Only set the menu term if it isn't set to avoid unnecessary wp_get_object_terms()
-	if ( $menu_id && ( ! $update || ! is_object_in_term( $menu_item_db_id, 'nav_menu', (int) $menu->term_id ) ) )
-		$post['tax_input'] = array( 'nav_menu' => array( intval( $menu->term_id ) ) );
-
 	// New menu item. Default is draft status
 	if ( ! $update ) {
 		$post['ID'] = 0;
@@ -378,6 +374,12 @@ function wp_update_nav_menu_item( $menu_id = 0, $menu_item_db_id = 0, $menu_item
 			return $menu_item_db_id;
 	}
 
+	// Associate the menu item with the menu term
+	// Only set the menu term if it isn't set to avoid unnecessary wp_get_object_terms()
+	 if ( $menu_id && ( ! $update || ! is_object_in_term( $menu_item_db_id, 'nav_menu', (int) $menu->term_id ) ) ) {
+		wp_set_object_terms( $menu_item_db_id, array( $menu->term_id ), 'nav_menu' );
+	}
+
 	if ( 'custom' == $args['menu-item-type'] ) {
 		$args['menu-item-object-id'] = $menu_item_db_id;
 		$args['menu-item-object'] = 'custom';