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 e429b05..5872fbc 100644
--- a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/Plugin/Field/FieldType/EntityReferenceItem.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/Plugin/Field/FieldType/EntityReferenceItem.php
@@ -295,6 +295,7 @@ public static function calculateDependencies(FieldDefinitionInterface $field_def
    */
   public function __get($name) {
     $value = parent::__get($name);
+    // The NEW_ENTITY_MARKER is an implementation detail, don't return that.
     if ($name == 'target_id' && $value == static::$NEW_ENTITY_MARKER) {
       return NULL;
     }
@@ -305,7 +306,8 @@ public function __get($name) {
    * Returns the target id, even if the value is static::$NEW_ENTITY_MARKER.
    */
   protected function getTargetId() {
-    return $this->get('target_id')->getValue();
+    // Bypass self::__get which does not return static::$NEW_ENTITY_MARKER.
+    return parent::__get('target_id');
   }
 
 }