diff --git a/rest_framework/compat.py b/rest_framework/compat.py
index 470490042..8c91431db 100644
--- a/rest_framework/compat.py
+++ b/rest_framework/compat.py
@@ -305,15 +305,6 @@ def set_rollback():
         pass
 
 
-# TODO: Remove
-def set_many(instance, field, value):
-    if django.VERSION < (1, 10):
-        setattr(instance, field, value)
-    else:
-        field = getattr(instance, field)
-        field.set(value)
-
-
 # TODO: Remove
 def include(module, namespace=None, app_name=None):
     from django.conf.urls import include
diff --git a/rest_framework/serializers.py b/rest_framework/serializers.py
index fa62044c8..59533be1e 100644
--- a/rest_framework/serializers.py
+++ b/rest_framework/serializers.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ from django.utils import six, timezone
 from django.utils.functional import cached_property
 from django.utils.translation import ugettext_lazy as _
 
-from rest_framework.compat import postgres_fields, set_many, unicode_to_repr
+from rest_framework.compat import postgres_fields, unicode_to_repr
 from rest_framework.exceptions import ErrorDetail, ValidationError
 from rest_framework.fields import get_error_detail, set_value
 from rest_framework.settings import api_settings
@@ -932,7 +932,8 @@ class ModelSerializer(Serializer):
         # Save many-to-many relationships after the instance is created.
         if many_to_many:
             for field_name, value in many_to_many.items():
-                set_many(instance, field_name, value)
+                field = getattr(instance, field_name)
+                field.set(value)
 
         return instance
 
@@ -946,7 +947,8 @@ class ModelSerializer(Serializer):
         # have an instance pk for the relationships to be associated with.
         for attr, value in validated_data.items():
             if attr in info.relations and info.relations[attr].to_many:
-                set_many(instance, attr, value)
+                field = getattr(instance, attr)
+                field.set(value)
             else:
                 setattr(instance, attr, value)
         instance.save()
diff --git a/tests/test_model_serializer.py b/tests/test_model_serializer.py
index 3411c44b5..203e1fe7f 100644
--- a/tests/test_model_serializer.py
+++ b/tests/test_model_serializer.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ from django.test import TestCase
 from django.utils import six
 
 from rest_framework import serializers
-from rest_framework.compat import set_many, unicode_repr
+from rest_framework.compat import unicode_repr
 
 
 def dedent(blocktext):
@@ -703,8 +703,7 @@ class TestIntegration(TestCase):
             foreign_key=self.foreign_key_target,
             one_to_one=self.one_to_one_target,
         )
-        set_many(self.instance, 'many_to_many', self.many_to_many_targets)
-        self.instance.save()
+        self.instance.many_to_many.set(self.many_to_many_targets)
 
     def test_pk_retrival(self):
         class TestSerializer(serializers.ModelSerializer):
diff --git a/tests/test_permissions.py b/tests/test_permissions.py
index f673c3671..7ccd43613 100644
--- a/tests/test_permissions.py
+++ b/tests/test_permissions.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ from rest_framework import (
     HTTP_HEADER_ENCODING, authentication, generics, permissions, serializers,
     status, views
 )
-from rest_framework.compat import ResolverMatch, guardian, set_many
+from rest_framework.compat import ResolverMatch, guardian
 from rest_framework.filters import DjangoObjectPermissionsFilter
 from rest_framework.routers import DefaultRouter
 from rest_framework.test import APIRequestFactory
@@ -73,13 +73,14 @@ class ModelPermissionsIntegrationTests(TestCase):
     def setUp(self):
         User.objects.create_user('disallowed', 'disallowed@example.com', 'password')
         user = User.objects.create_user('permitted', 'permitted@example.com', 'password')
-        set_many(user, 'user_permissions', [
+        user.user_permissions.set([
             Permission.objects.get(codename='add_basicmodel'),
             Permission.objects.get(codename='change_basicmodel'),
             Permission.objects.get(codename='delete_basicmodel')
         ])
+
         user = User.objects.create_user('updateonly', 'updateonly@example.com', 'password')
-        set_many(user, 'user_permissions', [
+        user.user_permissions.set([
             Permission.objects.get(codename='change_basicmodel'),
         ])
 
diff --git a/tests/test_prefetch_related.py b/tests/test_prefetch_related.py
index b87bc2f66..b07087c97 100644
--- a/tests/test_prefetch_related.py
+++ b/tests/test_prefetch_related.py
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ from django.contrib.auth.models import Group, User
 from django.test import TestCase
 
 from rest_framework import generics, serializers
-from rest_framework.compat import set_many
 from rest_framework.test import APIRequestFactory
 
 factory = APIRequestFactory()
@@ -23,8 +22,7 @@ class TestPrefetchRelatedUpdates(TestCase):
     def setUp(self):
         self.user = User.objects.create(username='tom', email='tom@example.com')
         self.groups = [Group.objects.create(name='a'), Group.objects.create(name='b')]
-        set_many(self.user, 'groups', self.groups)
-        self.user.save()
+        self.user.groups.set(self.groups)
 
     def test_prefetch_related_updates(self):
         view = UserUpdate.as_view()