diff --git a/src/Bundle/ChillPersonBundle/Controller/HouseholdMemberController.php b/src/Bundle/ChillPersonBundle/Controller/HouseholdMemberController.php
index da361abda..996c195cc 100644
--- a/src/Bundle/ChillPersonBundle/Controller/HouseholdMemberController.php
+++ b/src/Bundle/ChillPersonBundle/Controller/HouseholdMemberController.php
@@ -54,6 +54,11 @@ class HouseholdMemberController extends ApiController
         //
         $em = $this->getDoctrine()->getManager();
 
+        // if new household, persist it
+        if (FALSE === $em->contains($editor->getHousehold())) {
+            $em->persist($editor->getHousehold());
+        }
+
         foreach ($editor->getPersistable() as $el) {
            $em->persist($el); 
         }
diff --git a/src/Bundle/ChillPersonBundle/Household/MembersEditor.php b/src/Bundle/ChillPersonBundle/Household/MembersEditor.php
index 527404c75..970010288 100644
--- a/src/Bundle/ChillPersonBundle/Household/MembersEditor.php
+++ b/src/Bundle/ChillPersonBundle/Household/MembersEditor.php
@@ -35,9 +35,9 @@ class MembersEditor
             ->setPerson($person)
             ->setPosition($position)
             ->setHolder($holder)
-            ->setHousehold($this->household)
             ->setComment($comment)
             ;
+        $this->household->addMember($membership);
 
         if ($position->getShareHousehold()) {
             foreach ($person->getHouseholdParticipations() as $participation) {
diff --git a/src/Bundle/ChillPersonBundle/Serializer/Normalizer/MembersEditorNormalizer.php b/src/Bundle/ChillPersonBundle/Serializer/Normalizer/MembersEditorNormalizer.php
index 603c1a9e5..12fe4ab5c 100644
--- a/src/Bundle/ChillPersonBundle/Serializer/Normalizer/MembersEditorNormalizer.php
+++ b/src/Bundle/ChillPersonBundle/Serializer/Normalizer/MembersEditorNormalizer.php
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ class MembersEditorNormalizer implements DenormalizerInterface, DenormalizerAwar
 
         $editor = $this->factory->createEditor($household);
 
-        if (NULL == $data['concerned'] ?? [] 
+        if (NULL == $data['concerned'] ?? NULL 
             && FALSE === ·\is_array('concerned')) {
             throw new Exception\UnexpectedValueException("The schema does not have any key 'concerned'");
         }