diff --git a/src/Entity/FieldCollectionItem.php b/src/Entity/FieldCollectionItem.php
index 5fc7d51..9205c3e 100644
--- a/src/Entity/FieldCollectionItem.php
+++ b/src/Entity/FieldCollectionItem.php
@@ -383,14 +383,11 @@ class FieldCollectionItem extends ContentEntityBase implements FieldCollectionIt
   }
 
   /**
-   * Gets the entity type id of the host.
-   *
-   * @return string
-   *   The host entity type id.
+   * {@inheritdoc}
    */
-  protected function getHostType() {
-    $field = $this->getFieldDefinition($this->bundle());
-    return $field->getTargetEntityTypeId();
+  public function getHostTypeId() {
+    $host_type_id = $this->host_type->value;
+    return !empty($host_type_id) ? $host_type_id : NULL;
   }
 
 }
diff --git a/src/FieldCollectionItemAccessControlHandler.php b/src/FieldCollectionItemAccessControlHandler.php
index 2644df6..0e73182 100644
--- a/src/FieldCollectionItemAccessControlHandler.php
+++ b/src/FieldCollectionItemAccessControlHandler.php
@@ -35,11 +35,20 @@ class FieldCollectionItemAccessControlHandler extends EntityAccessControlHandler
     if ($result->isForbidden()) {
       return $result;
     }
-    /** @var \Drupal\Core\Entity\ContentEntityInterface $host */
+    /** @var \Drupal\field_collection\FieldCollectionItemInterface $entity */
     if ($host = $entity->getHost()) {
+      /** @var \Drupal\Core\Entity\ContentEntityInterface $host */
       return $host->access($operation, $account, TRUE);
     }
     else {
+      // Check if the host type has been initialized. When a new host entity is
+      // added it doesn't have yet an id but the field collection knows already
+      // the host entity type. In this case allow the access.
+      // @see \Drupal\field_collection\Entity\FieldCollectionItem::setHostEntity()
+      if (!empty($entity->getHostTypeId())) {
+        return AccessResult::allowed();
+      }
+      // Don't allow access to orphan field_collection_item entities.
       // @todo Log error when no host found.
       return AccessResult::forbidden();
     }
diff --git a/src/FieldCollectionItemInterface.php b/src/FieldCollectionItemInterface.php
index e04ac14..fbd3134 100644
--- a/src/FieldCollectionItemInterface.php
+++ b/src/FieldCollectionItemInterface.php
@@ -67,4 +67,12 @@ interface FieldCollectionItemInterface extends ContentEntityInterface {
    */
   public function isEmpty();
 
+  /**
+   * Gets the entity type id of the host.
+   *
+   * @return string|null
+   *   The host entity type id or NULL if it has not been initialized.
+   */
+  public function getHostTypeId();
+
 }