diff --git a/addons/web/static/src/views/relational_model.js b/addons/web/static/src/views/relational_model.js
index ff3fcce2072..6170c951a5d 100644
--- a/addons/web/static/src/views/relational_model.js
+++ b/addons/web/static/src/views/relational_model.js
@@ -724,7 +724,9 @@ export class Record extends DataPoint {
                     : false;
             } else if (fieldType === "reference") {
                 const value = changes[fieldName];
-                changes[fieldName] = value ? `${value.resModel},${value.resId}` : false;
+                changes[fieldName] = value && value.resModel && value.resId
+                    ? `${value.resModel},${value.resId}`
+                    : (value || false);
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/addons/web/static/tests/views/fields/reference_field_tests.js b/addons/web/static/tests/views/fields/reference_field_tests.js
index 686f404232f..7ab6a50701a 100644
--- a/addons/web/static/tests/views/fields/reference_field_tests.js
+++ b/addons/web/static/tests/views/fields/reference_field_tests.js
@@ -845,6 +845,36 @@ QUnit.module("Fields", (hooks) => {
         }
     );
 
+    QUnit.test("Reference field with default value in list view", async function (assert) {
+        assert.expect(2);
+
+        await makeView({
+            type: "list",
+            resModel: "partner",
+            serverData,
+            arch: `
+                <tree string="Test" editable="top">
+                    <field name="reference"/>
+                    <field name="display_name"/>
+                </tree>`,
+            mockRPC: (route, { method, args }) => {
+                if (method === "onchange") {
+                    return {
+                        value: {reference: "partner,2"},
+                    };
+                } else if (method === "create") {
+                    assert.strictEqual(args.length, 1);
+                    assert.strictEqual(args[0][0].reference, "partner,2");
+                }
+            },
+        });
+
+        await click(target, '.o_list_button_add');
+        await click(target, '.o_list_char[name="display_name"] input');
+        await editInput(target, '.o_list_char[name="display_name"] input', "Blabla");
+        await click(target, '.o_list_button_save');
+    });
+
     QUnit.test(
         "ReferenceField with model_field option (tree list in form view)",
         async function (assert) {