diff --git a/cellular_automaton/automaton.py b/cellular_automaton/automaton.py
index d649ccc..2bc8eac 100644
--- a/cellular_automaton/automaton.py
+++ b/cellular_automaton/automaton.py
@@ -89,7 +89,14 @@ class CellularAutomaton(CellularAutomatonCreator, abc.ABC):
     def get_cells(self):
         return self._current_state
 
-    cells = property(get_cells)
+    def set_cells(self, cells):
+        """ Sets the cell states both as current and next states """
+        for (coordinate, c_cell), n_cell in zip(self._current_state.items(), self._next_state.values()):
+            new_cell_state = cells[coordinate].state
+            c_cell.state = new_cell_state
+            n_cell.state = new_cell_state
+
+    cells = property(get_cells, set_cells)
 
     def get_evolution_step(self):
         return self._evolution_step
diff --git a/tests/test_automaton.py b/tests/test_automaton.py
index 7b243d5..98d0f42 100644
--- a/tests/test_automaton.py
+++ b/tests/test_automaton.py
@@ -34,17 +34,14 @@ class TAutomaton(ca.CellularAutomaton):
 NEIGHBORHOOD = ca.MooreNeighborhood(ca.EdgeRule.FIRST_AND_LAST_CELL_OF_DIMENSION_ARE_NEIGHBORS)
 
 
-@pytest.fixture
-def automaton():
-    return TAutomaton(NEIGHBORHOOD, [3, 3])
-
-
-def test_process_evolution_steps(automaton):
+def test_process_evolution_steps():
+    automaton = TAutomaton(NEIGHBORHOOD, [3, 3])
     automaton.evolve(5)
     assert automaton.evolution_step == 5
 
 
-def test_process_evolution_calls(automaton):
+def test_process_evolution_calls():
+    automaton = TAutomaton(NEIGHBORHOOD, [3, 3])
     automaton.evolve(5)
     assert automaton.cells[(1, 1)].state[0] == 5
 
@@ -54,3 +51,11 @@ def test_dimensions(dimensions):
     automaton = TAutomaton(ca.MooreNeighborhood(), dimension=[3] * dimensions)
     automaton.evolve()
     assert automaton.cells[(1, ) * dimensions].state[0] == 1
+
+
+def test_process_evolution_calls():
+    automaton = TAutomaton(NEIGHBORHOOD, [3, 3])
+    automaton.evolve(5)
+    automaton2 = TAutomaton(NEIGHBORHOOD, [3, 3])
+    automaton2.cells = automaton.cells
+    assert automaton2.cells[(1, 1)].state[0] == 5