diff --git a/core/modules/jsonapi/src/Context/FieldResolver.php b/core/modules/jsonapi/src/Context/FieldResolver.php
index c6e590efd7..cafe33bb0b 100644
--- a/core/modules/jsonapi/src/Context/FieldResolver.php
+++ b/core/modules/jsonapi/src/Context/FieldResolver.php
@@ -355,12 +355,15 @@ public function resolveInternalEntityQueryPath($entity_type_id, $bundle, $extern
       // JSON:API representation, or if it is an relationship (an entity
       // reference field), in which case the `id` of the related resource must
       // always be specified.
-      $property_specifier_needed = ($at_least_one_entity_reference_field && !$operator || !in_array($operator, ['IS NULL', 'IS NOT NULL'])) || count($candidate_property_names) > 1;
+      $property_specifier_needed = $at_least_one_entity_reference_field || count($candidate_property_names) > 1;
 
       // If there are no remaining path parts, the process is finished unless
       // the field has multiple properties, in which case one must be specified.
       if (empty($parts)) {
-        if ($property_specifier_needed) {
+        // If the operator is asserting the presence or absence of a
+        // relationship entirely, it does not make sense to require a property
+        // specifier.
+        if ($property_specifier_needed && (!$at_least_one_entity_reference_field || !in_array($operator, ['IS NULL', 'IS NOT NULL'], TRUE))) {
           $possible_specifiers = array_map(function ($specifier) use ($at_least_one_entity_reference_field) {
             return $at_least_one_entity_reference_field && $specifier !== 'id' ? "meta.$specifier" : $specifier;
           }, $candidate_property_names);