diff --git a/dpath/options.py b/dpath/options.py
index 41f35c4..d9b4d68 100644
--- a/dpath/options.py
+++ b/dpath/options.py
@@ -1 +1,4 @@
 ALLOW_EMPTY_STRING_KEYS = False
+REPLACE_NONE_VALUES_IN_LISTS = False
+"""When creating a new subtree within a list, this option will cause dpath to treat None items as non-significant and \
+overwrite them. Default behavior will cause an exception to be thrown instead."""
diff --git a/dpath/segments.py b/dpath/segments.py
index 7a48817..21aa2f6 100644
--- a/dpath/segments.py
+++ b/dpath/segments.py
@@ -339,6 +339,7 @@ def set(
         if isinstance(segment, str) and isinstance(current, Sequence) and segment.isdigit():
             segment = int(segment)
 
+        create_current = False
         try:
             # Optimistically try to get the next value. This makes the
             # code agnostic to whether current is a list or a dict.
@@ -347,10 +348,13 @@ def set(
             current[segment]
         except:
             if creator is not None:
-                creator(current, segments, i, hints)
+                create_current = True
             else:
                 raise
 
+        if create_current or (options.REPLACE_NONE_VALUES_IN_LISTS and current[segment] is None):
+            creator(current, segments, i, hints)
+
         current = current[segment]
         if i != length - 1 and leaf(current):
             raise PathNotFound(f"Path: {segments}[{i}]")
diff --git a/dpath/version.py b/dpath/version.py
index b777579..4260069 100644
--- a/dpath/version.py
+++ b/dpath/version.py
@@ -1 +1 @@
-VERSION = "2.1.2"
+VERSION = "2.1.3"
diff --git a/tests/test_new.py b/tests/test_new.py
index 15b21c6..4b8a5a2 100644
--- a/tests/test_new.py
+++ b/tests/test_new.py
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
+from nose2.tools.such import helper
+
 import dpath
+from dpath import options
 
 
 def test_set_new_separator():
@@ -91,3 +94,19 @@ def mycreator(obj, pathcomp, nextpathcomp, hints):
     assert isinstance(d['a'], list)
     assert len(d['a']) == 3
     assert d['a'][2] == 3
+
+
+def test_new_overwrite_none_in_list():
+    a = {}
+    dpath.new(a, ['b'], [])
+    dpath.new(a, ['b', 3], 5)
+    with helper.assertRaises(dpath.exceptions.PathNotFound):
+        dpath.new(a, ['b', 1, "c"], 5)
+
+    options.REPLACE_NONE_VALUES_IN_LISTS = True
+    a = {}
+    dpath.new(a, ['b'], [])
+    dpath.new(a, ['b', 3], 5)
+    dpath.new(a, ['b', 1, "c"], 5)
+
+    assert a["b"][1]["c"] == 5