diff --git a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/Plugin/Field/FieldType/EntityReferenceItem.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/Plugin/Field/FieldType/EntityReferenceItem.php
index 8909072..e429b05 100644
--- a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/Plugin/Field/FieldType/EntityReferenceItem.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/Plugin/Field/FieldType/EntityReferenceItem.php
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ public function getValue() {
       $values['entity'] = $this->entity;
     }
     // The NEW_ENTITY_MARKER is an implementation detail, don't return that.
-    if (isset($values['target_id']) && $this->target_id === static::$NEW_ENTITY_MARKER) {
+    if (isset($values['target_id']) && $this->getTargetId() === static::$NEW_ENTITY_MARKER) {
       unset($values['target_id']);
     }
     return $values;
@@ -208,8 +208,8 @@ public function onChange($property_name, $notify = TRUE) {
       $target_id = $property->isTargetNew() ? static::$NEW_ENTITY_MARKER : $property->getTargetIdentifier();
       $this->writePropertyValue('target_id', $target_id);
     }
-    elseif ($property_name == 'target_id' && $this->target_id != static::$NEW_ENTITY_MARKER) {
-      $this->writePropertyValue('entity', $this->target_id);
+    elseif ($property_name == 'target_id' && $this->getTargetId() != static::$NEW_ENTITY_MARKER) {
+      $this->writePropertyValue('entity', $this->getTargetId());
     }
     parent::onChange($property_name, $notify);
   }
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ public function onChange($property_name, $notify = TRUE) {
    */
   public function isEmpty() {
     // Avoid loading the entity by first checking the 'target_id'.
-    if ($this->target_id !== NULL) {
+    if ($this->getTargetId() !== NULL) {
       return FALSE;
     }
     if ($this->entity && $this->entity instanceof EntityInterface) {
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ public static function generateSampleValue(FieldDefinitionInterface $field_defin
    *   TRUE if the item holds an unsaved entity.
    */
   public function hasNewEntity() {
-    return $this->target_id === static::$NEW_ENTITY_MARKER;
+    return $this->getTargetId() === static::$NEW_ENTITY_MARKER;
   }
 
   /**
@@ -290,4 +290,22 @@ public static function calculateDependencies(FieldDefinitionInterface $field_def
     return $dependencies;
   }
 
+  /**
+   * {@inheritdoc}
+   */
+  public function __get($name) {
+    $value = parent::__get($name);
+    if ($name == 'target_id' && $value == static::$NEW_ENTITY_MARKER) {
+      return NULL;
+    }
+    return $value;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Returns the target id, even if the value is static::$NEW_ENTITY_MARKER.
+   */
+  protected function getTargetId() {
+    return $this->get('target_id')->getValue();
+  }
+
 }
diff --git a/core/modules/field/src/Tests/EntityReference/EntityReferenceItemTest.php b/core/modules/field/src/Tests/EntityReference/EntityReferenceItemTest.php
index 0144eab..6f1a5a6 100644
--- a/core/modules/field/src/Tests/EntityReference/EntityReferenceItemTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/field/src/Tests/EntityReference/EntityReferenceItemTest.php
@@ -236,6 +236,8 @@ public function testEntitySaveOrder() {
     $term->save();
     // Now get the field value.
     $value = $entity->get('field_test_taxonomy_term');
+    $this->assertTrue(empty($value['target_id']));
+    $this->assertNull($entity->field_test_taxonomy_term->target_id);
     // And then set it.
     $entity->field_test_taxonomy_term = $value;
     // And then the entity.