diff -u b/core/modules/link/src/Plugin/Field/FieldWidget/LinkWidget.php b/core/modules/link/src/Plugin/Field/FieldWidget/LinkWidget.php
--- b/core/modules/link/src/Plugin/Field/FieldWidget/LinkWidget.php
+++ b/core/modules/link/src/Plugin/Field/FieldWidget/LinkWidget.php
@@ -202,7 +202,13 @@
       $element['uri']['#type'] = 'entity_autocomplete';
 
       $selectionSettings = $this->getFieldSetting('selection');
-      $element['uri']['#target_type'] = $this->getFieldSetting('target_type') ?? 'node';
+      $targetTypeSetting = $this->getFieldSetting('target_type');
+      if (!empty($targetTypeSetting)) {
+        $element['uri']['#target_type'] = $targetTypeSetting;
+      }
+      else {
+        $element['uri']['#target_type'] = 'node';
+      }
       $element['uri']['#selection_handler'] = $selectionSettings['handler'] ?? 'default';
       $element['uri']['#selection_settings'] = $selectionSettings['handler_settings'];
       // Disable autocompletion when the first character is '/', '#' or '?'.