diff --git a/entityreference.module b/entityreference.module
index 08f5c86..6578d53 100644
--- a/entityreference.module
+++ b/entityreference.module
@@ -818,20 +818,23 @@ function entityreference_field_widget_form(&$form, &$form_state, $field, $instan
 
     // Build an array of entities ID.
     foreach ($items as $item) {
-      $entity_ids[] = $item['target_id'];
+      if (!empty($item['target_id'])) {
+        $entity_ids[] = $item['target_id'];
+      }
     }
 
-    // Load those entities and loop through them to extract their labels.
-    $entities = entity_load($field['settings']['target_type'], $entity_ids);
-
-    foreach ($entities as $entity_id => $entity_item) {
-      $label = $handler->getLabel($entity_item);
-      $key = "$label ($entity_id)";
-      // Labels containing commas or quotes must be wrapped in quotes.
-      if (strpos($key, ',') !== FALSE || strpos($key, '"') !== FALSE) {
-        $key = '"' . str_replace('"', '""', $key) . '"';
+    if ($entity_ids) {
+      // Load those entities and loop through them to extract their labels.
+      $entities = entity_load($field['settings']['target_type'], $entity_ids);
+      foreach ($entities as $entity_id => $entity_item) {
+        $label = $handler->getLabel($entity_item);
+        $key = "$label ($entity_id)";
+        // Labels containing commas or quotes must be wrapped in quotes.
+        if (strpos($key, ',') !== FALSE || strpos($key, '"') !== FALSE) {
+          $key = '"' . str_replace('"', '""', $key) . '"';
+        }
+        $entity_labels[] = $key;
       }
-      $entity_labels[] = $key;
     }
 
     // Prepare the autocomplete path.