diff --git a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Entity/Plugin/Validation/Constraint/ValidReferenceConstraintValidator.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Entity/Plugin/Validation/Constraint/ValidReferenceConstraintValidator.php
index 5f5c708..86ecf4d 100644
--- a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Entity/Plugin/Validation/Constraint/ValidReferenceConstraintValidator.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Entity/Plugin/Validation/Constraint/ValidReferenceConstraintValidator.php
@@ -21,11 +21,11 @@ class ValidReferenceConstraintValidator extends ConstraintValidator {
   public function validate($value, Constraint $constraint) {
     /** @var \Drupal\Core\Field\FieldItemInterface $value */
     /** @var ValidReferenceConstraint $constraint */
-    if (!$value->isEmpty() && $value->target_id === NULL && !$value->entity->isNew()) {
-      $this->context->addViolation($constraint->nullMessage);
+    if (!isset($value)) {
       return;
     }
-    if (!isset($value)) {
+    if (!$value->isEmpty() && $value->target_id === NULL && !$value->entity->isNew()) {
+      $this->context->addViolation($constraint->nullMessage);
       return;
     }
     $id = $value->get('target_id')->getValue();