For metric spaces X and Y , normed spaces E and F, and certain subspaces A(X, E) and A(Y, F) of vector-valued continuous functions, we obtain a complete characterization of linear and bijective maps T : A(X, E) → A(Y, F) preserving common zeros, that is, maps satisfying the property. Moreover, we provide some examples of subspaces for which the automatic continuity of linear bijections having the property (P) is derived.