diff --git a/xarray/core/variable.py b/xarray/core/variable.py
index 295164cb8db..9b9239cc042 100644
--- a/xarray/core/variable.py
+++ b/xarray/core/variable.py
@@ -553,7 +553,7 @@ def values(self) -> np.ndarray:
 
     @values.setter
     def values(self, values):
-        self.data = np.asarray(values)
+        self.data = values
 
     def to_base_variable(self) -> Variable:
         """Return this variable as a base xarray.Variable"""