diff --git a/addons/web/static/src/js/view_form.js b/addons/web/static/src/js/view_form.js
index 0e1777894f0..fbbd5149470 100644
--- a/addons/web/static/src/js/view_form.js
+++ b/addons/web/static/src/js/view_form.js
@@ -3498,7 +3498,7 @@ instance.web.form.FieldReference = instance.web.form.AbstractField.extend(_.exte
             name: 'selection'
         }});
         this.selection.view = this.view;
-        this.selection.set({readonly: this.get('effective_readonly')});
+        this.selection.set({force_readonly: this.get('effective_readonly')});
         this.selection.on("change:value", this, this.on_selection_changed);
         this.selection.$element = $(".oe_form_view_reference_selection", this.$element);
         this.selection.renderElement();
@@ -3508,7 +3508,7 @@ instance.web.form.FieldReference = instance.web.form.AbstractField.extend(_.exte
             name: 'm2o'
         }});
         this.m2o.view = this.view;
-        this.m2o.set({"readonly": this.get("effective_readonly")});
+        this.m2o.set({force_readonly: this.get("effective_readonly")});
         this.m2o.on("change:value", this, this.data_changed);
         this.m2o.$element = $(".oe_form_view_reference_m2o", this.$element);
         this.m2o.renderElement();
@@ -3521,11 +3521,6 @@ instance.web.form.FieldReference = instance.web.form.AbstractField.extend(_.exte
         this._super(value_);
         this.render_value();
     },
-    get_value: function() {
-        var tmp = this._super();
-        debugger;
-        return tmp;
-    },
     render_value: function() {
         this.reference_ready = false;
         var vals = [], sel_val, m2o_val;
@@ -3533,13 +3528,12 @@ instance.web.form.FieldReference = instance.web.form.AbstractField.extend(_.exte
             vals = this.get('value').split(',');
         }
         sel_val = vals[0] || false;
-        m2o_val = vals[1] ? parseInt(vals[1], 10) : false;
+        m2o_val = vals[1] ? parseInt(vals[1], 10) : vals[1];
         if (!this.get("effective_readonly")) {
             this.selection.set_value(sel_val);
         }
         this.m2o.field.relation = sel_val;
         this.m2o.set_value(m2o_val);
-        this.m2o.$element.toggle(sel_val !== false);
         this.reference_ready = true;
     },
     data_changed: function() {
diff --git a/addons/web/static/src/xml/base.xml b/addons/web/static/src/xml/base.xml
index 322d06fd6ae..57970c1486e 100644
--- a/addons/web/static/src/xml/base.xml
+++ b/addons/web/static/src/xml/base.xml
@@ -1040,19 +1040,14 @@
     </t>
 </t>
 <t t-name="FieldReference">
-    <t t-if="!widget.get('effective_readonly')">
-        <table class="oe_form_field_reference oe_frame oe_forms" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
-        <tr>
-            <td t-attf-class="oe_form_frame_cell oe_form_selection oe_form_view_reference_selection">
-            </td>
-            <td t-attf-class="oe_form_frame_cell oe_form_many2one oe_form_view_reference_m2o" nowrap="true" style="display: none">
-            </td>
-        </tr>
-        </table>
-    </t>
-    <t t-if="widget.get('effective_readonly')">
-        <a href="#" class="oe_form_uri"/>
-    </t>
+    <table class="oe_form_field_reference oe_frame oe_forms" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
+    <tr>
+        <td t-attf-class="oe_form_frame_cell oe_form_selection oe_form_view_reference_selection">
+        </td>
+        <td t-attf-class="oe_form_frame_cell oe_form_many2one oe_form_view_reference_m2o" nowrap="true" style="display: none">
+        </td>
+    </tr>
+    </table>
 </t>
 <t t-name="FieldBoolean">
     <span class="oe_form_field_boolean">