diff --git a/common/djangoapps/enrollment/api.py b/common/djangoapps/enrollment/api.py
index 2833bcc3b0..b8c4a535ca 100644
--- a/common/djangoapps/enrollment/api.py
+++ b/common/djangoapps/enrollment/api.py
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ def get_enrollment(user_id, course_id):
     return _data_api().get_course_enrollment(user_id, course_id)
 
 
-def add_enrollment(user_id, course_id, mode=None, is_active=True):
+def add_enrollment(user_id, course_id, mode=None, is_active=True, enrollment_attributes=None):
     """Enrolls a user in a course.
 
     Enrolls a user in a course. If the mode is not specified, this will default to `CourseMode.DEFAULT_MODE_SLUG`.
@@ -150,12 +150,11 @@ def add_enrollment(user_id, course_id, mode=None, is_active=True):
     Arguments:
         user_id (str): The user to enroll.
         course_id (str): The course to enroll the user in.
-
-    Keyword Arguments:
         mode (str): Optional argument for the type of enrollment to create. Ex. 'audit', 'honor', 'verified',
             'professional'. If not specified, this defaults to the default course mode.
         is_active (boolean): Optional argument for making the new enrollment inactive. If not specified, is_active
             defaults to True.
+        enrollment_attributes (list): Attributes to be set the enrollment.
 
     Returns:
         A serializable dictionary of the new course enrollment.
@@ -194,7 +193,12 @@ def add_enrollment(user_id, course_id, mode=None, is_active=True):
     if mode is None:
         mode = _default_course_mode(course_id)
     validate_course_mode(course_id, mode, is_active=is_active)
-    return _data_api().create_course_enrollment(user_id, course_id, mode, is_active)
+    enrollment = _data_api().create_course_enrollment(user_id, course_id, mode, is_active)
+
+    if enrollment_attributes is not None:
+        set_enrollment_attributes(user_id, course_id, enrollment_attributes)
+
+    return enrollment
 
 
 def update_enrollment(user_id, course_id, mode=None, is_active=None, enrollment_attributes=None, include_expired=False):
diff --git a/common/djangoapps/enrollment/tests/test_views.py b/common/djangoapps/enrollment/tests/test_views.py
index 90817c36e8..a0f302e542 100644
--- a/common/djangoapps/enrollment/tests/test_views.py
+++ b/common/djangoapps/enrollment/tests/test_views.py
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ from mock import patch
 from nose.plugins.attrib import attr
 from rest_framework import status
 from rest_framework.test import APITestCase
+from xmodule.modulestore.tests.django_utils import ModuleStoreTestCase
+from xmodule.modulestore.tests.factories import CourseFactory, check_mongo_calls_range
 
 from course_modes.models import CourseMode
 from enrollment import api
@@ -35,8 +37,6 @@ from student.roles import CourseStaffRole
 from student.tests.factories import AdminFactory, CourseModeFactory, UserFactory
 from util.models import RateLimitConfiguration
 from util.testing import UrlResetMixin
-from xmodule.modulestore.tests.django_utils import ModuleStoreTestCase
-from xmodule.modulestore.tests.factories import CourseFactory, check_mongo_calls_range
 
 
 class EnrollmentTestMixin(object):
@@ -997,6 +997,55 @@ class EnrollmentTest(EnrollmentTestMixin, ModuleStoreTestCase, APITestCase, Ente
             'No request was made to the mocked enterprise-course-enrollment API'
         )
 
+    def test_enrollment_attributes_always_written(self):
+        """ Enrollment attributes should always be written, regardless of whether
+        the enrollment is being created or updated.
+        """
+        course_key = self.course.id
+        for mode in [CourseMode.DEFAULT_MODE_SLUG, CourseMode.VERIFIED]:
+            CourseModeFactory.create(
+                course_id=course_key,
+                mode_slug=mode,
+                mode_display_name=mode,
+            )
+
+        # Creating a new enrollment should write attributes
+        order_number = 'EDX-1000'
+        enrollment_attributes = [{
+            'namespace': 'order',
+            'name': 'order_number',
+            'value': order_number,
+        }]
+        mode = CourseMode.VERIFIED
+        self.assert_enrollment_status(
+            as_server=True,
+            is_active=True,
+            mode=mode,
+            enrollment_attributes=enrollment_attributes
+        )
+        enrollment = CourseEnrollment.objects.get(user=self.user, course_id=course_key)
+        self.assertTrue(enrollment.is_active)
+        self.assertEqual(enrollment.mode, CourseMode.VERIFIED)
+        self.assertEqual(enrollment.attributes.get(namespace='order', name='order_number').value, order_number)
+
+        # Updating an enrollment should update attributes
+        order_number = 'EDX-2000'
+        enrollment_attributes = [{
+            'namespace': 'order',
+            'name': 'order_number',
+            'value': order_number,
+        }]
+        mode = CourseMode.DEFAULT_MODE_SLUG
+        self.assert_enrollment_status(
+            as_server=True,
+            mode=mode,
+            enrollment_attributes=enrollment_attributes
+        )
+        enrollment.refresh_from_db()
+        self.assertTrue(enrollment.is_active)
+        self.assertEqual(enrollment.mode, mode)
+        self.assertEqual(enrollment.attributes.get(namespace='order', name='order_number').value, order_number)
+
 
 @unittest.skipUnless(settings.ROOT_URLCONF == 'lms.urls', 'Test only valid in lms')
 class EnrollmentEmbargoTest(EnrollmentTestMixin, UrlResetMixin, ModuleStoreTestCase):
diff --git a/common/djangoapps/enrollment/views.py b/common/djangoapps/enrollment/views.py
index 65cdf8e8ad..88c3ed5d24 100644
--- a/common/djangoapps/enrollment/views.py
+++ b/common/djangoapps/enrollment/views.py
@@ -641,7 +641,13 @@ class EnrollmentListView(APIView, ApiKeyPermissionMixIn):
                 )
             else:
                 # Will reactivate inactive enrollments.
-                response = api.add_enrollment(username, unicode(course_id), mode=mode, is_active=is_active)
+                response = api.add_enrollment(
+                    username,
+                    unicode(course_id),
+                    mode=mode,
+                    is_active=is_active,
+                    enrollment_attributes=enrollment_attributes
+                )
 
             email_opt_in = request.data.get('email_opt_in', None)
             if email_opt_in is not None: