diff --git a/nixio/block.py b/nixio/block.py
index fcbe715b..da4d8097 100644
--- a/nixio/block.py
+++ b/nixio/block.py
@@ -84,8 +84,6 @@ def create_multi_tag(self, name="", type_="", positions=0,
 
         util.check_entity_name_and_type(name, type_)
         util.check_entity_input(positions)
-        if not isinstance(positions, DataArray):
-            raise TypeError("DataArray expected for 'positions'")
         multi_tags = self._h5group.open_group("multi_tags")
         if name in multi_tags:
             raise exceptions.DuplicateName("create_multi_tag")
diff --git a/nixio/multi_tag.py b/nixio/multi_tag.py
index b5e0ed0a..89940bf9 100644
--- a/nixio/multi_tag.py
+++ b/nixio/multi_tag.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 from .data_view import DataView
 from .link_type import LinkType
 from .exceptions import (OutOfBounds, IncompatibleDimensions,
-                         UninitializedEntity)
+                         UninitializedEntity, DuplicateName)
 from .section import Section
 
 
@@ -52,7 +52,14 @@ def positions(self, da):
             raise TypeError("MultiTag.positions cannot be None.")
         if "positions" in self._h5group:
             del self._h5group["positions"]
-        self._h5group.create_link(da, "positions")
+        pos = da
+        if not isinstance(da, DataArray):
+            blk = self._parent
+            name = "f{self.name}-positions"
+            if name in blk.data_arrays:
+                del blk.data_arrays[name]
+            pos = blk.create_data_array(name, "multi_tag_positions", data=da)
+        self._h5group.create_link(pos, "positions")
         if self._parent._parent.time_auto_update:
             self.force_updated_at()
 
@@ -74,7 +81,14 @@ def extents(self, da):
         if da is None:
             del self._h5group["extents"]
         else:
-            self._h5group.create_link(da, "extents")
+            ext = da
+            if not isinstance(da, DataArray):
+                blk = self._parent
+                name = "f{self.name}-extents"
+                if name in blk.data_arrays:
+                    del blk.data_arrays[name]
+                ext = blk.create_data_array(name, "multi_tag_positions", data=da)
+            self._h5group.create_link(ext, "extents")
         if self._parent._parent.time_auto_update:
             self.force_updated_at()
 
diff --git a/nixio/test/test_multi_tag.py b/nixio/test/test_multi_tag.py
index 7d045079..972f89e2 100644
--- a/nixio/test/test_multi_tag.py
+++ b/nixio/test/test_multi_tag.py
@@ -102,6 +102,19 @@ def tearDown(self):
         self.file.close()
         self.tmpdir.cleanup()
 
+    def test_multi_tag_new_constructor(self):
+        pos = np.random.random((2,3))
+        ext = np.random.random((2,3))
+        mt = self.block.create_multi_tag("conv_test", "test", pos)
+        mt.extents = ext
+        np.testing.assert_almost_equal(pos, mt.positions[:])
+        np.testing.assert_almost_equal(ext, mt.extents[:])
+        # try reset positions and ext
+        pos_new = np.random.random((2,3))
+        ext_new = np.random.random((2,3))
+        mt.positions = pos_new
+        mt.extents = ext_new
+
     def test_multi_tag_flex(self):
         pos1d = self.block.create_data_array("pos1", "pos", data=[[0], [1]])
         pos1d1d = self.block.create_data_array("pos1d1d", "pos", data=[0, 1])