diff --git a/config/schema/inline_entity_form.schema.yml b/config/schema/inline_entity_form.schema.yml
index a522ec8..90bf5d3 100644
--- a/config/schema/inline_entity_form.schema.yml
+++ b/config/schema/inline_entity_form.schema.yml
@@ -48,6 +48,9 @@ field.widget.settings.inline_entity_form_complex:
     allow_existing:
       type: boolean
       label: "Allow existing"
+    empty_mode:
+      type: string
+      label: "Empty mode"
     match_operator:
       type: string
       label: "Match operator"
diff --git a/inline_entity_form.module b/inline_entity_form.module
index 89e27de..6dae042 100644
--- a/inline_entity_form.module
+++ b/inline_entity_form.module
@@ -168,6 +168,9 @@ function inline_entity_form_reference_form_validate(&$reference_form, FormStateI
 function inline_entity_form_reference_form_submit($reference_form, FormStateInterface $form_state) {
   $ief_id = $reference_form['#ief_id'];
   $form_values = NestedArray::getValue($form_state->getValues(), $reference_form['#parents']);
+  if (empty($form_values['entity_id'])) {
+    return;
+  }
   $storage = \Drupal::entityTypeManager()->getStorage($reference_form['#entity_type']);
   $entity = $storage->load($form_values['entity_id']);
   $entities = &$form_state->get(['inline_entity_form', $ief_id, 'entities']);
diff --git a/src/Plugin/Field/FieldWidget/InlineEntityFormComplex.php b/src/Plugin/Field/FieldWidget/InlineEntityFormComplex.php
index 92a52fe..03d82ef 100644
--- a/src/Plugin/Field/FieldWidget/InlineEntityFormComplex.php
+++ b/src/Plugin/Field/FieldWidget/InlineEntityFormComplex.php
@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@ class InlineEntityFormComplex extends InlineEntityFormBase implements ContainerF
       'allow_new' => TRUE,
       'allow_existing' => FALSE,
       'match_operator' => 'CONTAINS',
+      'empty_mode' => '',
     ];
 
     return $defaults;
@@ -112,6 +113,18 @@ class InlineEntityFormComplex extends InlineEntityFormBase implements ContainerF
       '#title' => $this->t('Allow users to add existing @label.', ['@label' => $labels['plural']]),
       '#default_value' => $this->getSetting('allow_existing'),
     ];
+    $element['empty_mode'] = [
+      '#type' => 'select',
+      '#title' => $this->t('Default form when the field is empty'),
+      '#default_value' => $this->getSetting('empty_mode'),
+      '#options' => $this->getEmptyModeOptions(),
+      '#states' => [
+        'visible' => [
+          ':input[name="' . $states_prefix . '[allow_existing]"]' => ['checked' => TRUE],
+          ':input[name="' . $states_prefix . '[allow_new]"]' => ['checked' => TRUE],
+        ],
+      ],
+    ];
     $element['match_operator'] = [
       '#type' => 'select',
       '#title' => $this->t('Autocomplete matching'),
@@ -153,6 +166,15 @@ class InlineEntityFormComplex extends InlineEntityFormBase implements ContainerF
       $summary[] = $this->t('Existing @label can not be referenced.', ['@label' => $labels['plural']]);
     }
 
+    switch ($this->getSetting('empty_mode')) {
+      case 'new':
+        $summary[] = $this->t('For empty fields, the form to add new @label is shown.', ['@label' => $labels['plural']]);
+        break;
+      case 'existing':
+        $summary[] = $this->t('For empty fields, the form to add existing @label is shown.', ['@label' => $labels['plural']]);
+        break;
+    }
+
     return $summary;
   }
 
@@ -170,6 +192,20 @@ class InlineEntityFormComplex extends InlineEntityFormBase implements ContainerF
   }
 
   /**
+   * Returns the options for the empty mode.
+   *
+   * @return array
+   *   List of options.
+   */
+  protected function getEmptyModeOptions() {
+    $labels = $this->getEntityTypeLabels();
+    return [
+      '' => $this->t('Show buttons to chose'),
+      'new' => $this->t('Create new @label', ['@label' => $labels['singular']]),
+      'existing' => $this->t('Add existing @label', ['@label' => $labels['singular']]),
+    ];
+  }
+  /**
    * {@inheritdoc}
    */
   public function formElement(FieldItemListInterface $items, $delta, array $element, array &$form, FormStateInterface $form_state) {
@@ -386,14 +422,25 @@ class InlineEntityFormComplex extends InlineEntityFormBase implements ContainerF
     $create_bundles = $this->getCreateBundles();
     $create_bundles_count = count($create_bundles);
     $allow_new = $settings['allow_new'] && !empty($create_bundles);
-    $hide_cancel = FALSE;
-    // If the field is required and empty try to open one of the forms.
-    if (empty($entities) && $this->fieldDefinition->isRequired()) {
-      if ($settings['allow_existing'] && !$allow_new) {
+    $hide_cancel = $switch_mode = FALSE;
+
+    // When no entities are present, determine what to do.
+    // If the field is required or if a default mode is configured, try to open
+    // one of the two forms.
+    if (empty($entities) && ($this->fieldDefinition->isRequired() || !empty($settings['empty_mode']))) {
+      // Check if the mode switching button was clicked and show the requested form.
+      $requested_form = $form_state->get(['inline_entity_form', $this->getIefId(), 'form']);
+      if (!empty($requested_form)) {
+        $switch_mode = $hide_cancel = $requested_form == 'add' ? $settings['allow_existing'] : $allow_new;
+      }
+      // Or show the form to add existing entities.
+      else if ($settings['allow_existing'] && (!$allow_new || $settings['empty_mode'] == 'existing')) {
         $form_state->set(['inline_entity_form', $this->getIefId(), 'form'], 'ief_add_existing');
         $hide_cancel = TRUE;
+        $switch_mode = $allow_new;
       }
-      elseif ($create_bundles_count == 1 && $allow_new && !$settings['allow_existing']) {
+      // Or show the form to add new entities.
+      elseif ($create_bundles_count == 1 && $allow_new && (!$settings['allow_existing'] || $settings['empty_mode'] == 'new')) {
         $bundle = reset($target_bundles);
 
         // The parent entity type and bundle must not be the same as the inline
@@ -406,6 +453,7 @@ class InlineEntityFormComplex extends InlineEntityFormBase implements ContainerF
             'bundle' => $bundle,
           ]);
           $hide_cancel = TRUE;
+          $switch_mode = $settings['allow_existing'];
         }
       }
     }
@@ -513,16 +561,20 @@ class InlineEntityFormComplex extends InlineEntityFormBase implements ContainerF
 
       // Pre-opened forms can't be closed in order to force the user to
       // add / reference an entity.
-      if ($hide_cancel) {
+      if ($hide_cancel || $switch_mode) {
         if ($open_form == 'add') {
           $process_element = &$element['form']['inline_entity_form'];
         }
         elseif ($open_form == 'ief_add_existing') {
           $process_element = &$element['form'];
         }
-        $process_element['#process'][] = [get_class($this), 'hideCancel'];
+        if ($hide_cancel) {
+          $process_element['#process'][] = [get_class($this), 'hideCancel'];
+        }
+        if ($switch_mode) {
+          $process_element['#process'][] = [get_class($this), 'switchMode'];
+        }
       }
-
       // No entities have been added. Remove the outer fieldset to reduce
       // visual noise caused by having two titles.
       if (empty($entities)) {
@@ -654,7 +706,7 @@ class InlineEntityFormComplex extends InlineEntityFormBase implements ContainerF
    * @param array $element
    *   Form array structure.
    */
-  public static function hideCancel($element) {
+  public static function hideCancel($element, FormStateInterface $form_state) {
     // @todo Name both buttons the same and simplify this logic.
     if (isset($element['actions']['ief_add_cancel'])) {
       $element['actions']['ief_add_cancel']['#access'] = FALSE;
@@ -662,7 +714,42 @@ class InlineEntityFormComplex extends InlineEntityFormBase implements ContainerF
     elseif (isset($element['actions']['ief_reference_cancel'])) {
       $element['actions']['ief_reference_cancel']['#access'] = FALSE;
     }
+    return $element;
+  }
 
+  /**
+   * Shows a switch mode link.
+   *
+   * @param array $element
+   *   Form array structure.
+   */
+  public static function switchMode($element, FormStateInterface $form_state) {
+    $element['actions']['ief_switch_mode'] = [
+      '#type' => 'submit',
+      '#name' => 'ief-switch-mode-' . $element['#ief_id'],
+      '#limit_validation_errors' => [],
+      '#ajax' => [
+        'callback' => 'inline_entity_form_get_element',
+        'wrapper' => 'inline-entity-form-' . $element['#ief_id'],
+      ],
+      '#submit' => [
+        [get_called_class(), 'closeChildForms'],
+        [get_called_class(), 'closeForm'],
+        'inline_entity_form_open_form'
+      ],
+      '#attributes' => ['class' => ['link']],
+    ];
+    if (isset($element['actions']['ief_add_cancel'])) {
+      $element['actions']['ief_switch_mode']['#value'] =  t('Add existing @type_singular instead', ['@type_singular' => $element['#ief_labels']['singular']]);;
+      $element['actions']['ief_switch_mode']['#ief_form'] = 'ief_add_existing';
+    }
+    elseif (isset($element['actions']['ief_reference_cancel'])) {
+      $element['actions']['ief_switch_mode']['#value'] =  t('Create new @type_singular instead', ['@type_singular' => $element['#ief_labels']['singular']]);;
+      $element['actions']['ief_switch_mode']['#ief_form'] = 'add';
+      if (empty($element['#required'])) {
+        $element['entity_id']['#required'] = FALSE;
+      }
+    }
     return $element;
   }
 
@@ -752,7 +839,6 @@ class InlineEntityFormComplex extends InlineEntityFormBase implements ContainerF
     $form_state->set(['inline_entity_form', $ief_id, 'entities', $delta, 'form'], NULL);
   }
 
-
   /**
    * Remove form submit callback.
    *