diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 6c12432..5e93ee1 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -71,6 +71,10 @@ my_model.full_clean() # validates against pytz.common_timezones by default
 my_model.save()       # values stored in DB as strings
 my_model.tz3          # value returned as pytz timezone: <DstTzInfo 'America/Vancouver' LMT-1 day, 15:48:00 STD>
 my_model.tz4          # value returned as zoneinfo: zoneinfo.ZoneInfo(key='America/Vancouver')
+
+my_model.tz1 = "UTC"  # assignment of a string, immediately converted to timezone object
+my_model.tz1          # zoneinfo.ZoneInfo(key='UTC') or pytz.utc, depending on use_pytz default
+my_model.tz2 = "Invalid/Not_A_Zone"  # immediately raises ValidationError
 ```
 
 ### Form Field
@@ -134,6 +138,14 @@ poetry run pytest
 
 ## Changelog
 
+#### `main` (unreleased)
+
+- Convert string value to timezone object immediately on creation/assignment.
+  Accessing a TimeZoneField will _always_ return a timezone or None (never a string).
+  (Potentially BREAKING: Unknown timezone names now raise `ValidationError` at time of assignment.
+  Previously, conversion was delayed until model `full_clean` or `save`.) 
+  ([#57](https://github.com/mfogel/django-timezone-field/issues/57))
+
 #### 6.1.0 (2023-11-25)
 
 - Add support for django 5.0
diff --git a/tests/test_field.py b/tests/test_field.py
index d091a69..d357d8a 100644
--- a/tests/test_field.py
+++ b/tests/test_field.py
@@ -61,11 +61,30 @@ def test_string_value_lookup(Model, pst, filter_tz):
     assert qs.count() == 1
 
 
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "input_tz, output_tz",
+    [
+        [lazy_fixture("pst"), lazy_fixture("pst_tz")],
+        [lazy_fixture("pst_tz"), lazy_fixture("pst_tz")],
+        ["", None],
+        [None, None],
+    ],
+)
+def test_string_value_assignment_without_save(Model, utc, input_tz, output_tz):
+    m = Model(tz=utc, tz_opt=utc)
+    m.tz_opt = input_tz
+    assert m.tz_opt == output_tz
+
+
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("tz", [None, "", "not-a-tz", 4, object()])
 def test_invalid_input(Model, tz):
-    m = Model(tz=tz)
     with pytest.raises(ValidationError):
-        m.full_clean()
+        # Most invalid values are detected at creation/assignment.
+        # Invalid blank values aren't detected until clean/save.
+        m = Model(tz=tz)
+        if tz is None or tz == "":
+            assert m.tz is None
+            m.full_clean()
 
 
 def test_three_positional_args_does_not_throw():
@@ -92,8 +111,8 @@ def test_with_limited_choices_valid_choice(ModelChoice, pst, pst_tz):
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("kwargs", [{"tz_superset": "not a tz"}, {"tz_subset": "Europe/Brussels"}])
 def test_with_limited_choices_invalid_choice(ModelChoice, kwargs):
-    m = ModelChoice(**kwargs)
     with pytest.raises(ValidationError):
+        m = ModelChoice(**kwargs)
         m.full_clean()
 
 
@@ -107,6 +126,6 @@ def test_with_limited_choices_old_format_valid_choice(ModelOldChoiceFormat, pst,
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("kwargs", [{"tz_superset": "not a tz"}, {"tz_subset": "Europe/Brussels"}])
 def test_with_limited_choices_old_format_invalid_choice(ModelOldChoiceFormat, kwargs):
-    m = ModelOldChoiceFormat(**kwargs)
     with pytest.raises(ValidationError):
+        m = ModelOldChoiceFormat(**kwargs)
         m.full_clean()
diff --git a/timezone_field/fields.py b/timezone_field/fields.py
index 88e2042..e770d16 100644
--- a/timezone_field/fields.py
+++ b/timezone_field/fields.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 from timezone_field.backends import TimeZoneNotFoundError, get_tz_backend
 from timezone_field.choices import standard, with_gmt_offset
+from timezone_field.utils import AutoDeserializedAttribute
 
 
 class TimeZoneField(models.Field):
@@ -35,6 +36,8 @@ class TimeZoneField(models.Field):
     stored as [<timezone object>, <str>].
     """
 
+    descriptor_class = AutoDeserializedAttribute
+
     description = "A timezone object"
 
     # NOTE: these defaults are excluded from migrations. If these are changed,
diff --git a/timezone_field/utils.py b/timezone_field/utils.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..467e72a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/timezone_field/utils.py
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+from django.db.models.query_utils import DeferredAttribute
+
+
+class AutoDeserializedAttribute(DeferredAttribute):
+    """
+    Use as the descriptor_class for a Django custom field.
+    Allows setting the field to a serialized (typically string) value,
+    and immediately reflecting that as the deserialized `to_python` value.
+
+    (This requires that the field's `to_python` returns the same thing
+    whether called with a serialized or deserialized value.)
+    """
+
+    # (Adapted from django.db.models.fields.subclassing.Creator,
+    # which was included in Django 1.8 and earlier.)
+
+    def __set__(self, instance, value):
+        value = self.field.to_python(value)
+        instance.__dict__[self.field.attname] = value