diff --git a/core/modules/field/lib/Drupal/field/Plugin/Type/FieldType/ConfigEntityReferenceItemBase.php b/core/modules/field/lib/Drupal/field/Plugin/Type/FieldType/ConfigEntityReferenceItemBase.php
index b1949de..a95d886 100644
--- a/core/modules/field/lib/Drupal/field/Plugin/Type/FieldType/ConfigEntityReferenceItemBase.php
+++ b/core/modules/field/lib/Drupal/field/Plugin/Type/FieldType/ConfigEntityReferenceItemBase.php
@@ -7,8 +7,6 @@
 
 namespace Drupal\field\Plugin\Type\FieldType;
 
-use Drupal\Core\Entity\Plugin\DataType\EntityReferenceItem;
-use Drupal\field\Plugin\Type\FieldType\ConfigFieldItemInterface;
 use Drupal\field\FieldInterface;
 
 /**
@@ -20,7 +18,7 @@
  * Required settings (below the definition's 'settings' key) are:
  *  - target_type: The entity type to reference.
  */
-class ConfigEntityReferenceItemBase extends EntityReferenceItem implements ConfigFieldItemInterface {
+class ConfigEntityReferenceItemBase extends ConfigFieldItemBase {
 
   /**
    * Definitions of the contained properties.
@@ -36,7 +34,7 @@ class ConfigEntityReferenceItemBase extends EntityReferenceItem implements Confi
    *
    * @var \Drupal\field\Plugin\Core\Entity\FieldInstance
    */
-  protected $instance;
+  public $instance;
 
   /**
    * Returns the field instance definition.
@@ -62,8 +60,25 @@ public function getPropertyDefinitions() {
     $key .= isset($this->definition['settings']['target_bundle']) ? $this->definition['settings']['target_bundle'] : '';
 
     if (!isset(static::$propertyDefinitions[$key])) {
-      // Call the parent to define the target_id and entity properties.
-      parent::getPropertyDefinitions();
+      static::$propertyDefinitions[$key]['target_id'] = array(
+        // @todo: Lookup the entity type's ID data type and use it here.
+        'type' => 'integer',
+        'label' => t('Entity ID'),
+        'constraints' => array(
+          'Range' => array('min' => 0),
+        ),
+      );
+      static::$propertyDefinitions[$key]['entity'] = array(
+        'type' => 'entity_reference',
+        'constraints' => array(
+          'EntityType' => $this->definition['settings']['target_type'],
+        ),
+        'label' => t('Entity'),
+        'description' => t('The referenced entity'),
+        // The entity object is computed out of the entity ID.
+        'computed' => TRUE,
+        'read-only' => FALSE,
+      );
 
       static::$propertyDefinitions[$key]['revision_id'] = array(
         // @todo: Lookup the entity type's ID data type and use it here.
@@ -83,6 +98,9 @@ public function getPropertyDefinitions() {
         'label' => t('Access'),
         'computed' => TRUE,
       );
+      if (isset($this->definition['settings']['target_bundle'])) {
+        static::$propertyDefinitions[$key]['entity']['constraints']['Bundle'] = $this->definition['settings']['target_bundle'];
+      }
     }
     return static::$propertyDefinitions[$key];
   }
@@ -148,27 +166,6 @@ public function instanceSettingsForm(array $form, array &$form_state) {
   }
 
   /**
-   * {@inheritdoc}
-   */
-  public function defaultValuesForm(array &$form, array &$form_state) {
-    return array();
-  }
-
-  /**
-   * {@inheritdoc}
-   */
-  public function defaultValuesFormValidate(array $element, array &$form, array &$form_state) {
-    return array();
-  }
-
-  /**
-   * {@inheritdoc}
-   */
-  public function defaultValuesFormSubmit(array $element, array &$form, array &$form_state) {
-    return array();
-  }
-
-  /**
    * Returns the legacy callback for a given field type "hook".
    *
    * Copied from \Drupal\field\Plugin\field\field_type\LegacyConfigFieldItem,
@@ -189,4 +186,64 @@ protected function getLegacyCallback($hook) {
     }
   }
 
+  /**
+   * {@inheritdoc}
+   */
+  public function __get($name) {
+    $name = ($name == 'value') ? 'target_id' : $name;
+    return parent::__get($name);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * {@inheritdoc}
+   */
+  public function get($property_name) {
+    $property_name = ($property_name == 'value') ? 'target_id' : $property_name;
+    return parent::get($property_name);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * {@inheritdoc}
+   */
+  public function __isset($property_name) {
+    $property_name = ($property_name == 'value') ? 'target_id' : $property_name;
+    return parent::__isset($property_name);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * {@inheritdoc}
+   */
+  public function setValue($values, $notify = TRUE) {
+    if (isset($values) && !is_array($values)) {
+      // Directly update the property instead of invoking the parent, so it can
+      // handle objects and IDs.
+      $this->properties['entity']->setValue($values, $notify);
+      // If notify was FALSE, ensure the target_id property gets synched.
+      if (!$notify) {
+        $this->set('target_id', $this->properties['entity']->getTargetIdentifier(), FALSE);
+      }
+    }
+    else {
+      // Make sure that the 'entity' property gets set as 'target_id'.
+      if (isset($values['target_id']) && !isset($values['entity'])) {
+        $values['entity'] = $values['target_id'];
+      }
+      parent::setValue($values, $notify);
+    }
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * {@inheritdoc}
+   */
+  public function onChange($property_name) {
+    // Make sure that the target ID and the target property stay in sync.
+    if ($property_name == 'target_id') {
+      $this->properties['entity']->setValue($this->target_id, FALSE);
+    }
+    elseif ($property_name == 'entity') {
+      $this->set('target_id', $this->properties['entity']->getTargetIdentifier(), FALSE);
+    }
+    parent::onChange($property_name);
+  }
+
 }
diff --git a/core/modules/field/lib/Drupal/field/Plugin/Type/FieldType/ConfigFieldItemBase.php b/core/modules/field/lib/Drupal/field/Plugin/Type/FieldType/ConfigFieldItemBase.php
index 66df59d..01ba99a 100644
--- a/core/modules/field/lib/Drupal/field/Plugin/Type/FieldType/ConfigFieldItemBase.php
+++ b/core/modules/field/lib/Drupal/field/Plugin/Type/FieldType/ConfigFieldItemBase.php
@@ -132,8 +132,9 @@ protected function defaultValueWidget(array &$form_state) {
       $entity = $this->getParent()->getParent();
       $entity_form_display = entity_get_form_display($entity->entityType(), $entity->bundle(), 'default');
 
+      // Use the widget currently configured for the 'default' form mode,
+      // or fallback to the default widget for the field type.
       $widget = $entity_form_display->getRenderer($field_name);
-      // When field is hidden, use the default widget and store it in the form.
       if (!$widget) {
         $widget = \Drupal::service('plugin.manager.field.widget')->getInstance(array('field_definition' => $this->getFieldDefinition()));
       }
diff --git a/core/modules/field/tests/modules/field_test/lib/Drupal/field_test/Plugin/field/widget/TestFieldWidgetNoDefault.php b/core/modules/field/tests/modules/field_test/lib/Drupal/field_test/Plugin/field/widget/TestFieldWidgetNoDefault.php
deleted file mode 100644
index d17d6de..0000000
--- a/core/modules/field/tests/modules/field_test/lib/Drupal/field_test/Plugin/field/widget/TestFieldWidgetNoDefault.php
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,29 +0,0 @@
-<?php
-
-/**
- * @file
- * Definition of Drupal\field_test\Plugin\field\widget\TestFieldWidgetNoDefault.
- */
-
-namespace Drupal\field_test\Plugin\field\widget;
-
-use Drupal\field\Annotation\FieldWidget;
-use Drupal\Core\Annotation\Translation;
-use Drupal\field\Plugin\Type\Widget\WidgetBase;
-
-/**
- * Plugin implementation of the 'test_field_widget_no_default' widget.
- *
- * @FieldWidget(
- *   id = "test_field_widget_no_default",
- *   label = @Translation("Test widget - no default"),
- *   field_types = {
- *      "test_field"
- *   },
- *   settings = {
- *     "test_widget_setting_multiple" = "dummy test string"
- *   },
- *   default_value = FALSE
- * )
- */
-class TestFieldWidgetNoDefault extends TestFieldWidget {}
diff --git a/core/modules/field_ui/lib/Drupal/field_ui/Tests/ManageFieldsTest.php b/core/modules/field_ui/lib/Drupal/field_ui/Tests/ManageFieldsTest.php
index b651118..5afbfc6 100644
--- a/core/modules/field_ui/lib/Drupal/field_ui/Tests/ManageFieldsTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/field_ui/lib/Drupal/field_ui/Tests/ManageFieldsTest.php
@@ -321,6 +321,12 @@ function testDefaultValue() {
     field_info_cache_clear();
     $instance = field_info_instance('node', $field_name, $this->type);
     $this->assertEqual($instance['default_value'], NULL, 'The default value was correctly saved.');
+
+    // Check that the default widget is displayed when the field is hidden.
+    entity_get_form_display($instance['entity_type'], $instance['bundle'], 'default')
+      ->removeComponent($field_name)->save();
+    $this->drupalGet($admin_path);
+    $this->assertFieldById($element_id, '', 'The default value widget was displayed when field is hidden.');
   }
 
   /**