diff --git a/src/app/core/data/relationship.service.spec.ts b/src/app/core/data/relationship.service.spec.ts
index 0f7dd319c3..ac8a4c994e 100644
--- a/src/app/core/data/relationship.service.spec.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/data/relationship.service.spec.ts
@@ -11,10 +11,16 @@ import { RelationshipService } from './relationship.service';
 import { RequestService } from './request.service';
 import { RequestEntry } from './request.reducer';
 import { HALEndpointServiceStub } from '../../shared/testing/hal-endpoint-service.stub';
-import { createSuccessfulRemoteDataObject, createSuccessfulRemoteDataObject$ } from '../../shared/remote-data.utils';
+import {
+  createFailedRemoteDataObject$,
+  createSuccessfulRemoteDataObject,
+  createSuccessfulRemoteDataObject$
+} from '../../shared/remote-data.utils';
 import { getMockRemoteDataBuildServiceHrefMap } from '../../shared/mocks/remote-data-build.service.mock';
 import { getMockRequestService } from '../../shared/mocks/request.service.mock';
 import { createPaginatedList } from '../../shared/testing/utils.test';
+import { MetadataValue } from '../shared/metadata.models';
+import { MetadataRepresentationType } from '../shared/metadata-representation/metadata-representation.model';
 
 describe('RelationshipService', () => {
   let service: RelationshipService;
@@ -228,4 +234,152 @@ describe('RelationshipService', () => {
       });
     });
   });
+
+  describe('resolveMetadataRepresentation', () => {
+    const parentItem: Item = Object.assign(new Item(), {
+      id: 'parent-item',
+      metadata: {
+        'dc.contributor.author': [
+          Object.assign(new MetadataValue(), {
+            language: null,
+            value: 'Related Author with authority',
+            authority: 'virtual::related-author',
+            place: 2
+          }),
+          Object.assign(new MetadataValue(), {
+            language: null,
+            value: 'Author without authority',
+            place: 1
+          }),
+        ],
+        'dc.creator': [
+          Object.assign(new MetadataValue(), {
+            language: null,
+            value: 'Related Creator with authority',
+            authority: 'virtual::related-creator',
+            place: 3,
+          }),
+            Object.assign(new MetadataValue(), {
+            language: null,
+            value: 'Related Creator with authority - unauthorized',
+            authority: 'virtual::related-creator-unauthorized',
+            place: 4,
+          }),
+        ],
+        'dc.title': [
+          Object.assign(new MetadataValue(), {
+            language: null,
+            value: 'Parent Item'
+          }),
+        ]
+      }
+    });
+    const relatedAuthor: Item = Object.assign(new Item(), {
+      id: 'related-author',
+      metadata: {
+        'dc.title': [
+          Object.assign(new MetadataValue(), {
+            language: null,
+            value: 'Related Author'
+          }),
+        ]
+      }
+    });
+    const relatedCreator: Item = Object.assign(new Item(), {
+      id: 'related-creator',
+      metadata: {
+        'dc.title': [
+          Object.assign(new MetadataValue(), {
+            language: null,
+            value: 'Related Creator'
+          }),
+        ],
+        'dspace.entity.type': 'Person',
+      }
+    });
+    const authorRelation: Relationship = Object.assign(new Relationship(), {
+      leftItem: createSuccessfulRemoteDataObject$(parentItem),
+      rightItem: createSuccessfulRemoteDataObject$(relatedAuthor)
+    });
+    const creatorRelation: Relationship = Object.assign(new Relationship(), {
+      leftItem: createSuccessfulRemoteDataObject$(parentItem),
+      rightItem: createSuccessfulRemoteDataObject$(relatedCreator),
+    });
+    const creatorRelationUnauthorized: Relationship = Object.assign(new Relationship(), {
+      leftItem: createSuccessfulRemoteDataObject$(parentItem),
+      rightItem: createFailedRemoteDataObject$('Unauthorized', 401),
+    });
+
+    let metadatum: MetadataValue;
+
+    beforeEach(() => {
+      service.findById = (id: string) => {
+        if (id === 'related-author') {
+          return createSuccessfulRemoteDataObject$(authorRelation);
+        }
+        if (id === 'related-creator') {
+          return createSuccessfulRemoteDataObject$(creatorRelation);
+        }
+        if (id === 'related-creator-unauthorized') {
+          return createSuccessfulRemoteDataObject$(creatorRelationUnauthorized);
+        }
+      };
+    });
+
+    describe('when the metadata isn\'t virtual', () => {
+      beforeEach(() => {
+        metadatum = parentItem.metadata['dc.contributor.author'][1];
+      });
+
+      it('should return a plain text MetadatumRepresentation', (done) => {
+        service.resolveMetadataRepresentation(metadatum, parentItem, 'Person').subscribe((result) => {
+          expect(result.representationType).toEqual(MetadataRepresentationType.PlainText);
+          done();
+        });
+      });
+    });
+
+    describe('when the metadata is a virtual author', () => {
+      beforeEach(() => {
+        metadatum = parentItem.metadata['dc.contributor.author'][0];
+      });
+
+      it('should return a ItemMetadataRepresentation with the correct value', (done) => {
+        service.resolveMetadataRepresentation(metadatum, parentItem, 'Person').subscribe((result) => {
+          expect(result.representationType).toEqual(MetadataRepresentationType.Item);
+          expect(result.getValue()).toEqual(metadatum.value);
+          expect((result as any).id).toEqual(relatedAuthor.id);
+          done();
+        });
+      });
+    });
+
+    describe('when the metadata is a virtual creator', () => {
+      beforeEach(() => {
+        metadatum = parentItem.metadata['dc.creator'][0];
+      });
+
+      it('should return a ItemMetadataRepresentation with the correct value', (done) => {
+        service.resolveMetadataRepresentation(metadatum, parentItem, 'Person').subscribe((result) => {
+          expect(result.representationType).toEqual(MetadataRepresentationType.Item);
+          expect(result.getValue()).toEqual(metadatum.value);
+          expect((result as any).id).toEqual(relatedCreator.id);
+          done();
+        });
+      });
+    });
+
+    describe('when the metadata refers to a relationship leading to an error response', () => {
+      beforeEach(() => {
+        metadatum = parentItem.metadata['dc.creator'][1];
+      });
+
+      it('should return an authority controlled MetadatumRepresentation', (done) => {
+        service.resolveMetadataRepresentation(metadatum, parentItem, 'Person').subscribe((result) => {
+          expect(result.representationType).toEqual(MetadataRepresentationType.AuthorityControlled);
+          done();
+        });
+      });
+    });
+  });
 });
diff --git a/src/app/core/data/relationship.service.ts b/src/app/core/data/relationship.service.ts
index 50a4888343..2b86c8ad84 100644
--- a/src/app/core/data/relationship.service.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/data/relationship.service.ts
@@ -544,14 +544,20 @@ export class RelationshipService extends DataService<Relationship> {
             filter(([leftItem, rightItem]) => leftItem.hasCompleted && rightItem.hasCompleted),
             map(([leftItem, rightItem]) => {
               if (!leftItem.hasSucceeded || !rightItem.hasSucceeded) {
-                return observableOf(Object.assign(new MetadatumRepresentation(itemType), metadatum));
+                return null;
               } else if (rightItem.hasSucceeded && leftItem.payload.id === parentItem.id) {
                 return rightItem.payload;
               } else if (rightItem.payload.id === parentItem.id) {
                 return leftItem.payload;
               }
             }),
-            map((item: Item) => Object.assign(new ItemMetadataRepresentation(metadatum), item))
+            map((item: Item) => {
+              if (hasValue(item)) {
+                return Object.assign(new ItemMetadataRepresentation(metadatum), item);
+              } else {
+                return Object.assign(new MetadatumRepresentation(itemType), metadatum);
+              }
+            })
           )
         ));
     } else {
diff --git a/src/app/dso-shared/dso-edit-metadata/dso-edit-metadata.component.html b/src/app/dso-shared/dso-edit-metadata/dso-edit-metadata.component.html
index 8e0f889bbb..71d3b34e42 100644
--- a/src/app/dso-shared/dso-edit-metadata/dso-edit-metadata.component.html
+++ b/src/app/dso-shared/dso-edit-metadata/dso-edit-metadata.component.html
@@ -1,18 +1,18 @@
 <div class="item-metadata" *ngIf="form">
   <div class="button-row top d-flex my-2 space-children-mr ml-gap">
-    <button class="mr-auto btn btn-success" [disabled]="form.newValue || (saving$ | async)"
+    <button class="mr-auto btn btn-success" id="dso-add-btn" [disabled]="form.newValue || (saving$ | async)"
             (click)="add()"><i class="fas fa-plus"></i>
       <span class="d-none d-sm-inline">&nbsp;{{ dsoType + '.edit.metadata.add-button' | translate }}</span>
     </button>
-    <button class="btn btn-warning ml-1" *ngIf="isReinstatable" [disabled]="(saving$ | async)"
+    <button class="btn btn-warning ml-1" id="dso-reinstate-btn" *ngIf="isReinstatable" [disabled]="(saving$ | async)"
             (click)="reinstate()"><i class="fas fa-undo-alt"></i>
       <span class="d-none d-sm-inline">&nbsp;{{ dsoType + '.edit.metadata.reinstate-button' | translate }}</span>
     </button>
-    <button class="btn btn-primary ml-1" [disabled]="!hasChanges || (saving$ | async)"
+    <button class="btn btn-primary ml-1" id="dso-save-btn" [disabled]="!hasChanges || (saving$ | async)"
             (click)="submit()"><i class="fas fa-save"></i>
       <span class="d-none d-sm-inline">&nbsp;{{ dsoType + '.edit.metadata.save-button' | translate }}</span>
     </button>
-    <button class="btn btn-danger ml-1" *ngIf="!isReinstatable"
+    <button class="btn btn-danger ml-1" id="dso-discard-btn" *ngIf="!isReinstatable"
             [disabled]="!hasChanges || (saving$ | async)"
             (click)="discard()"><i class="fas fa-times"></i>
       <span class="d-none d-sm-inline">&nbsp;{{ dsoType + '.edit.metadata.discard-button' | translate }}</span>
diff --git a/src/app/dso-shared/dso-edit-metadata/dso-edit-metadata.component.spec.ts b/src/app/dso-shared/dso-edit-metadata/dso-edit-metadata.component.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b3650114c9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/app/dso-shared/dso-edit-metadata/dso-edit-metadata.component.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,189 @@
+import { DsoEditMetadataComponent } from './dso-edit-metadata.component';
+import { ComponentFixture, TestBed, waitForAsync } from '@angular/core/testing';
+import { VarDirective } from '../../shared/utils/var.directive';
+import { TranslateModule } from '@ngx-translate/core';
+import { RouterTestingModule } from '@angular/router/testing';
+import { DebugElement, NO_ERRORS_SCHEMA } from '@angular/core';
+import { DSpaceObject } from '../../core/shared/dspace-object.model';
+import { Item } from '../../core/shared/item.model';
+import { ItemDataService } from '../../core/data/item-data.service';
+import { MetadataValue } from '../../core/shared/metadata.models';
+import { createSuccessfulRemoteDataObject$ } from '../../shared/remote-data.utils';
+import { By } from '@angular/platform-browser';
+import { NotificationsService } from '../../shared/notifications/notifications.service';
+import { ArrayMoveChangeAnalyzer } from '../../core/data/array-move-change-analyzer.service';
+import { ITEM } from '../../core/shared/item.resource-type';
+
+const ADD_BTN = 'add';
+const REINSTATE_BTN = 'reinstate';
+const SAVE_BTN = 'save';
+const DISCARD_BTN = 'discard';
+
+describe('DsoEditMetadataComponent', () => {
+  let component: DsoEditMetadataComponent;
+  let fixture: ComponentFixture<DsoEditMetadataComponent>;
+
+  let notificationsService: NotificationsService;
+
+  let dso: DSpaceObject;
+  let updatedDso: DSpaceObject;
+  let dataService: ItemDataService;
+
+  beforeEach(waitForAsync(() => {
+    dso = Object.assign(new Item(), {
+      type: ITEM,
+      metadata: {
+        'dc.title': [
+          Object.assign(new MetadataValue(), {
+            value: 'Test Title',
+            language: 'en',
+            place: 0,
+          }),
+        ],
+        'dc.subject': [
+          Object.assign(new MetadataValue(), {
+            value: 'Subject One',
+            language: 'en',
+            place: 0,
+          }),
+          Object.assign(new MetadataValue(), {
+            value: 'Subject Two',
+            language: 'en',
+            place: 1,
+          }),
+          Object.assign(new MetadataValue(), {
+            value: 'Subject Three',
+            language: 'en',
+            place: 2,
+          }),
+        ],
+      },
+    });
+    updatedDso = Object.assign(new Item(), dso);
+    updatedDso.metadata['dc.title'][0].value = 'Updated Title';
+    dataService = jasmine.createSpyObj('itemDataService', {
+      patch: createSuccessfulRemoteDataObject$(updatedDso),
+    });
+
+    notificationsService = jasmine.createSpyObj('notificationsService', ['error', 'success']);
+
+    TestBed.configureTestingModule({
+      declarations: [DsoEditMetadataComponent, VarDirective],
+      imports: [TranslateModule.forRoot(), RouterTestingModule.withRoutes([])],
+      providers: [
+        { provide: ItemDataService, useValue: dataService },
+        { provide: NotificationsService, useValue: notificationsService },
+        ArrayMoveChangeAnalyzer,
+      ],
+      schemas: [NO_ERRORS_SCHEMA]
+    }).compileComponents();
+  }));
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    fixture = TestBed.createComponent(DsoEditMetadataComponent);
+    component = fixture.componentInstance;
+    component.dso = dso;
+    fixture.detectChanges();
+  });
+
+  describe('when no changes have been made', () => {
+    assertButton(ADD_BTN, true, false);
+    assertButton(REINSTATE_BTN, false);
+    assertButton(SAVE_BTN, true, true);
+    assertButton(DISCARD_BTN, true, true);
+  });
+
+  describe('when the form contains changes', () => {
+    beforeEach(() => {
+      component.form.fields['dc.title'][0].newValue.value = 'Updated Title Once';
+      component.form.fields['dc.title'][0].confirmChanges();
+      component.form.resetReinstatable();
+      component.onValueSaved();
+      fixture.detectChanges();
+    });
+
+    assertButton(SAVE_BTN, true, false);
+    assertButton(DISCARD_BTN, true, false);
+
+    describe('and they were discarded', () => {
+      beforeEach(() => {
+        component.discard();
+        fixture.detectChanges();
+      });
+
+      assertButton(REINSTATE_BTN, true, false);
+      assertButton(SAVE_BTN, true, true);
+      assertButton(DISCARD_BTN, false);
+
+      describe('and a new change is made', () => {
+        beforeEach(() => {
+          component.form.fields['dc.title'][0].newValue.value = 'Updated Title Twice';
+          component.form.fields['dc.title'][0].confirmChanges();
+          component.form.resetReinstatable();
+          component.onValueSaved();
+          fixture.detectChanges();
+        });
+
+        assertButton(REINSTATE_BTN, false);
+        assertButton(SAVE_BTN, true, false);
+        assertButton(DISCARD_BTN, true, false);
+      });
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('when a new value is present', () => {
+    beforeEach(() => {
+      component.add();
+      fixture.detectChanges();
+    });
+
+    assertButton(ADD_BTN, true, true);
+
+    it('should display a row with a field selector and metadata value', () => {
+      expect(fixture.debugElement.query(By.css('ds-metadata-field-selector'))).toBeTruthy();
+      expect(fixture.debugElement.query(By.css('ds-dso-edit-metadata-value'))).toBeTruthy();
+    });
+
+    describe('and gets assigned to a metadata field', () => {
+      beforeEach(() => {
+        component.form.newValue.newValue.value = 'New Subject';
+        component.form.setMetadataField('dc.subject');
+        component.form.resetReinstatable();
+        component.onValueSaved();
+        fixture.detectChanges();
+      });
+
+      assertButton(ADD_BTN, true, false);
+
+      it('should not display the separate row with field selector and metadata value anymore', () => {
+        expect(fixture.debugElement.query(By.css('ds-metadata-field-selector'))).toBeNull();
+        expect(fixture.debugElement.query(By.css('ds-dso-edit-metadata-value'))).toBeNull();
+      });
+    });
+  });
+
+  function assertButton(name: string, exists: boolean, disabled: boolean = false): void {
+    describe(`${name} button`, () => {
+      let btn: DebugElement;
+
+      beforeEach(() => {
+        btn = fixture.debugElement.query(By.css(`#dso-${name}-btn`));
+      });
+
+      if (exists) {
+        it('should exist', () => {
+          expect(btn).toBeTruthy();
+        });
+
+        it(`should${disabled ? ' ' : ' not '}be disabled`, () => {
+          expect(btn.nativeElement.disabled).toBe(disabled);
+        });
+      } else {
+        it('should not exist', () => {
+          expect(btn).toBeNull();
+        });
+      }
+    });
+  }
+
+});
diff --git a/src/app/item-page/simple/metadata-representation-list/metadata-representation-list.component.spec.ts b/src/app/item-page/simple/metadata-representation-list/metadata-representation-list.component.spec.ts
index 6023aa7b6d..dea7ec935e 100644
--- a/src/app/item-page/simple/metadata-representation-list/metadata-representation-list.component.spec.ts
+++ b/src/app/item-page/simple/metadata-representation-list/metadata-representation-list.component.spec.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,10 @@ import { createSuccessfulRemoteDataObject$, createFailedRemoteDataObject$ } from
 import { TranslateModule } from '@ngx-translate/core';
 import { VarDirective } from '../../../shared/utils/var.directive';
 import { of as observableOf } from 'rxjs';
+import { MetadataValue } from '../../../core/shared/metadata.models';
+import { DSpaceObject } from '../../../core/shared/dspace-object.model';
+import { ItemMetadataRepresentation } from '../../../core/shared/metadata-representation/item/item-metadata-representation.model';
+import { MetadatumRepresentation } from '../../../core/shared/metadata-representation/metadatum/metadatum-representation.model';
 
 const itemType = 'Person';
 const metadataFields = ['dc.contributor.author', 'dc.creator'];
@@ -73,39 +77,31 @@ const relatedCreator: Item = Object.assign(new Item(), {
     'dspace.entity.type': 'Person',
   }
 });
-const authorRelation: Relationship = Object.assign(new Relationship(), {
-  leftItem: createSuccessfulRemoteDataObject$(parentItem),
-  rightItem: createSuccessfulRemoteDataObject$(relatedAuthor)
-});
-const creatorRelation: Relationship = Object.assign(new Relationship(), {
-  leftItem: createSuccessfulRemoteDataObject$(parentItem),
-  rightItem: createSuccessfulRemoteDataObject$(relatedCreator),
-});
-const creatorRelationUnauthorized: Relationship = Object.assign(new Relationship(), {
-  leftItem: createSuccessfulRemoteDataObject$(parentItem),
-  rightItem: createFailedRemoteDataObject$('Unauthorized', 401),
-});
-let relationshipService;
 
 describe('MetadataRepresentationListComponent', () => {
   let comp: MetadataRepresentationListComponent;
   let fixture: ComponentFixture<MetadataRepresentationListComponent>;
 
-  relationshipService = {
-    findById: (id: string) => {
-      if (id === 'related-author') {
-        return createSuccessfulRemoteDataObject$(authorRelation);
-      }
-      if (id === 'related-creator') {
-        return createSuccessfulRemoteDataObject$(creatorRelation);
-      }
-      if (id === 'related-creator-unauthorized') {
-        return createSuccessfulRemoteDataObject$(creatorRelationUnauthorized);
-      }
-    },
-  };
+  let relationshipService;
 
   beforeEach(waitForAsync(() => {
+    relationshipService = {
+      resolveMetadataRepresentation: (metadatum: MetadataValue, parent: DSpaceObject, type: string) => {
+        if (metadatum.value === 'Related Author with authority') {
+          return observableOf(Object.assign(new ItemMetadataRepresentation(metadatum), relatedAuthor));
+        }
+        if (metadatum.value === 'Author without authority') {
+          return observableOf(Object.assign(new MetadatumRepresentation(type), metadatum));
+        }
+        if (metadatum.value === 'Related Creator with authority') {
+          return observableOf(Object.assign(new ItemMetadataRepresentation(metadatum), relatedCreator));
+        }
+        if (metadatum.value === 'Related Creator with authority - unauthorized') {
+          return observableOf(Object.assign(new MetadatumRepresentation(type), metadatum));
+        }
+      },
+    };
+
     TestBed.configureTestingModule({
       imports: [TranslateModule.forRoot()],
       declarations: [MetadataRepresentationListComponent, VarDirective],