diff --git a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Entity/Plugin/EntityReferenceSelection/DefaultSelection.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Entity/Plugin/EntityReferenceSelection/DefaultSelection.php
index 2764866..424218a 100644
--- a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Entity/Plugin/EntityReferenceSelection/DefaultSelection.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Entity/Plugin/EntityReferenceSelection/DefaultSelection.php
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ public function buildConfigurationForm(array $form, FormStateInterface $form_sta
         '#element_validate' => [[get_class($this), 'elementValidateFilter']],
         '#ajax' => TRUE,
         '#limit_validation_errors' => [],
+        '#weight' => -5,
       ];
 
       $form['target_bundles_update'] = [
@@ -142,6 +143,11 @@ public function buildConfigurationForm(array $form, FormStateInterface $form_sta
         }
       }
 
+      $form['sort'] = [
+        '#type' => 'container',
+        '#weight' => -4,
+      ];
+
       $form['sort']['field'] = [
         '#type' => 'select',
         '#title' => $this->t('Sort by'),
diff --git a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/Plugin/Field/FieldType/EntityReferenceItem.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/Plugin/Field/FieldType/EntityReferenceItem.php
index 70f9dc9..5993156 100644
--- a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/Plugin/Field/FieldType/EntityReferenceItem.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/Plugin/Field/FieldType/EntityReferenceItem.php
@@ -345,7 +345,7 @@ public function fieldSettingsForm(array $form, FormStateInterface $form_state) {
     ];
     $form['handler'] = [
       '#type' => 'details',
-      '#title' => t('Reference type'),
+      '#title' => t('Reference options'),
       '#open' => TRUE,
       '#tree' => TRUE,
       '#process' => [[get_class($this), 'formProcessMergeParent']],
diff --git a/core/modules/field/field.module b/core/modules/field/field.module
index 14340b8..6df9be1 100644
--- a/core/modules/field/field.module
+++ b/core/modules/field/field.module
@@ -335,6 +335,29 @@ function field_form_config_admin_import_form_alter(&$form, FormStateInterface $f
 }
 
 /**
+ * Implements hook_form_FORM_ID_alter().
+ */
+function field_form_field_config_edit_form_alter(array &$form, FormStateInterface $form_state) {
+  $field = $form_state->getFormObject()->getEntity();
+
+  // Only act on entity_reference fields.
+  /** @var \Drupal\Core\Field\FieldTypePluginManagerInterface $field_type_manager */
+  $field_type_manager = \Drupal::service('plugin.manager.field.field_type');
+  $class = $field_type_manager->getPluginClass($field->getType());
+  $item_class = 'Drupal\Core\Field\Plugin\Field\FieldType\EntityReferenceItem';
+  if ($class !== $item_class && !is_subclass_of($class, $item_class)) {
+    return;
+  }
+
+  // Move the field type settings container all the way to the top of the page,
+  // only after the label field.
+  $label_weight = isset($form['label']['#weight']) ? $form['label']['#weight'] : FALSE;
+  if (!empty($form['settings']) && $label_weight !== FALSE) {
+    $form['settings']['#weight'] = $label_weight + 0.001;
+  }
+}
+
+/**
  * Implements hook_ENTITY_TYPE_update() for 'field_storage_config'.
  *
  * Reset the field handler settings, when the storage target_type is changed on