diff --git a/session_cols_test.go b/session_cols_test.go
index 5f5954c72..96cb1620e 100644
--- a/session_cols_test.go
+++ b/session_cols_test.go
@@ -7,21 +7,38 @@ package xorm
 import (
 	"testing"
 
-	"xorm.io/core"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"xorm.io/builder"
+	"xorm.io/core"
 )
 
 func TestSetExpr(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.NoError(t, prepareEngine())
 
+	type UserExprIssue struct {
+		Id    int64
+		Title string
+	}
+
+	assert.NoError(t, testEngine.Sync2(new(UserExprIssue)))
+
+	var issue = UserExprIssue{
+		Title: "my issue",
+	}
+	cnt, err := testEngine.Insert(&issue)
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.EqualValues(t, 1, cnt)
+	assert.EqualValues(t, 1, issue.Id)
+
 	type UserExpr struct {
-		Id   int64
-		Show bool
+		Id      int64
+		IssueId int64 `xorm:"index"`
+		Show    bool
 	}
 
 	assert.NoError(t, testEngine.Sync2(new(UserExpr)))
 
-	cnt, err := testEngine.Insert(&UserExpr{
+	cnt, err = testEngine.Insert(&UserExpr{
 		Show: true,
 	})
 	assert.NoError(t, err)
@@ -34,6 +51,16 @@ func TestSetExpr(t *testing.T) {
 	cnt, err = testEngine.SetExpr("show", not+" `show`").ID(1).Update(new(UserExpr))
 	assert.NoError(t, err)
 	assert.EqualValues(t, 1, cnt)
+
+	tableName := testEngine.TableName(new(UserExprIssue), true)
+	cnt, err = testEngine.SetExpr("issue_id",
+		builder.Select("id").
+			From(tableName).
+			Where(builder.Eq{"id": issue.Id})).
+		ID(1).
+		Update(new(UserExpr))
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.EqualValues(t, 1, cnt)
 }
 
 func TestCols(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/session_update.go b/session_update.go
index 402470e5a..c5c65a452 100644
--- a/session_update.go
+++ b/session_update.go
@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@ func (session *Session) Update(bean interface{}, condiBean ...interface{}) (int6
 			if err != nil {
 				return 0, err
 			}
-			colNames = append(colNames, session.engine.Quote(colName)+" = "+subQuery)
+			colNames = append(colNames, session.engine.Quote(colName)+" = ("+subQuery+")")
 			args = append(args, subArgs...)
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/statement_args.go b/statement_args.go
index c6168db1f..5353ae1ad 100644
--- a/statement_args.go
+++ b/statement_args.go
@@ -17,9 +17,15 @@ func writeArg(w *builder.BytesWriter, arg interface{}) error {
 			return err
 		}
 	case *builder.Builder:
+		if _, err := w.WriteString("("); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
 		if err := argv.WriteTo(w); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
+		if _, err := w.WriteString(")"); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
 	default:
 		if _, err := w.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("%v", argv)); err != nil {
 			return err
diff --git a/statement_exprparam.go b/statement_exprparam.go
index a72f0aeac..0cddca024 100644
--- a/statement_exprparam.go
+++ b/statement_exprparam.go
@@ -60,9 +60,15 @@ func (exprs *exprParams) writeArgs(w *builder.BytesWriter) error {
 	for _, expr := range exprs.args {
 		switch arg := expr.(type) {
 		case *builder.Builder:
+			if _, err := w.WriteString("("); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
 			if err := arg.WriteTo(w); err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
+			if _, err := w.WriteString(")"); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
 		default:
 			if _, err := w.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("%v", arg)); err != nil {
 				return err
@@ -83,9 +89,15 @@ func (exprs *exprParams) writeNameArgs(w *builder.BytesWriter) error {
 
 		switch arg := exprs.args[i].(type) {
 		case *builder.Builder:
+			if _, err := w.WriteString("("); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
 			if err := arg.WriteTo(w); err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
+			if _, err := w.WriteString("("); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
 		default:
 			w.Append(exprs.args[i])
 		}