diff --git a/src/app/shared/form/builder/ds-dynamic-form-ui/models/lookup-relation/dynamic-lookup-relation-modal.component.html b/src/app/shared/form/builder/ds-dynamic-form-ui/models/lookup-relation/dynamic-lookup-relation-modal.component.html
index 16b700f93e..751bef7e54 100644
--- a/src/app/shared/form/builder/ds-dynamic-form-ui/models/lookup-relation/dynamic-lookup-relation-modal.component.html
+++ b/src/app/shared/form/builder/ds-dynamic-form-ui/models/lookup-relation/dynamic-lookup-relation-modal.component.html
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@
     </div>
 </div>
 <div class="modal-footer">
-    <small>Selected {{selection.length}} items</small>
+    <small>Selected {{(selection | async)?.length || 0}} items</small>
     <div>
         <button type="button" class="btn btn-outline-secondary" (click)="modal.dismiss()">Cancel
         </button>
diff --git a/src/app/shared/form/builder/ds-dynamic-form-ui/models/lookup-relation/dynamic-lookup-relation-modal.component.ts b/src/app/shared/form/builder/ds-dynamic-form-ui/models/lookup-relation/dynamic-lookup-relation-modal.component.ts
index 2b4ea67d0f..0f815e51fd 100644
--- a/src/app/shared/form/builder/ds-dynamic-form-ui/models/lookup-relation/dynamic-lookup-relation-modal.component.ts
+++ b/src/app/shared/form/builder/ds-dynamic-form-ui/models/lookup-relation/dynamic-lookup-relation-modal.component.ts
@@ -15,11 +15,11 @@ import { Router } from '@angular/router';
 import { SEARCH_CONFIG_SERVICE } from '../../../../../../+my-dspace-page/my-dspace-page.component';
 import { SearchConfigurationService } from '../../../../../../core/shared/search/search-configuration.service';
 import { SelectableListService } from '../../../../../object-list/selectable-list/selectable-list.service';
+import { ListableObject } from '../../../../../object-collection/shared/listable-object.model';
+import { SelectableListState } from '../../../../../object-list/selectable-list/selectable-list.reducer';
 
 const RELATION_TYPE_FILTER_PREFIX = 'f.entityType=';
 
-/* TODO take a look at this when the REST entities submission is finished: we will probably need to get the fixed filter from the REST instead of filtering is out from the metadata field */
-const RELATION_TYPE_METADATA_PREFIX = 'relation.isPublicationOf';
 
 @Component({
   selector: 'ds-dynamic-lookup-relation-modal',
@@ -35,25 +35,24 @@ const RELATION_TYPE_METADATA_PREFIX = 'relation.isPublicationOf';
 export class DsDynamicLookupRelationModalComponent implements OnInit {
   relationKey: string;
   fieldName: string;
+  listId: string;
   resultsRD$: Observable<RemoteData<PaginatedList<SearchResult<DSpaceObject>>>>;
   searchConfig: PaginatedSearchOptions;
   repeatable: boolean;
-  previousSelection: DSpaceObject[] = [];
   searchQuery;
   initialPagination = Object.assign(new PaginationComponentOptions(), {
     id: 'submission-relation-list',
     pageSize: 10
   });
-  listId;
+  selection: Observable<ListableObject[]>;
 
   constructor(public modal: NgbActiveModal, private searchService: SearchService, private router: Router, private selectableListService: SelectableListService) {
   }
 
   ngOnInit(): void {
     this.resetRoute();
-    this.fieldName = this.relationKey.substring(RELATION_TYPE_METADATA_PREFIX.length);
-    this.listId = 'list-' + this.fieldName;
     this.onPaginationChange(this.initialPagination);
+    this.selectableListService.getSelectableList(this.listId).pipe(map((listState: SelectableListState) => hasValue(listState) && hasValue(listState.selection) ? listState.selection : []));
   }
 
   search(query: string) {
@@ -84,7 +83,7 @@ export class DsDynamicLookupRelationModalComponent implements OnInit {
   }
 
   close() {
-    this.modal.close(this.selectableListService.getSelectableList(this.listId));
+    this.modal.close();
   }
 
   resetRoute() {
diff --git a/src/app/shared/form/builder/ds-dynamic-form-ui/models/lookup-relation/dynamic-lookup-relation.component.html b/src/app/shared/form/builder/ds-dynamic-form-ui/models/lookup-relation/dynamic-lookup-relation.component.html
index c1bb0cc070..9baf2e4af8 100644
--- a/src/app/shared/form/builder/ds-dynamic-form-ui/models/lookup-relation/dynamic-lookup-relation.component.html
+++ b/src/app/shared/form/builder/ds-dynamic-form-ui/models/lookup-relation/dynamic-lookup-relation.component.html
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 <script src="dynamic-lookup-relation.component.ts"></script>
 <div>
-    <div *ngIf="model.repeatable || !(model.value && model.value.length > 0)" class="form-row align-items-center">
+    <div *ngIf="model.repeatable || !((model.value | async) && (model.value | async).length > 0)" class="form-row align-items-center">
         <div class="col">
             <input class="form-control"
                    [class.is-invalid]="showErrorMessages"
@@ -18,22 +18,23 @@
                     (click)="openLookup(); $event.stopPropagation();">{{'form.lookup' | translate}}
             </button>
         </div>
-        <div class="col-auto text-center">
-            <button class="btn btn-secondary"
-                    type="button"
-                    ngbTooltip="{{'form.add-help' | translate}}"
-                    #tooltip = ngbTooltip
-                    placement="top"
-                    [disabled]="!hasResultsSelected()"
-                    (click)="add(); tooltip.close(); $event.stopPropagation();">{{'form.add' | translate}}
-            </button>
-        </div>
+        <!--<div class="col-auto text-center">-->
+            <!--<button class="btn btn-secondary"-->
+                    <!--type="button"-->
+                    <!--ngbTooltip="{{'form.add-help' | translate}}"-->
+                    <!--#tooltip = ngbTooltip-->
+                    <!--placement="top"-->
+                    <!--[disabled]="!hasResultsSelected()"-->
+                    <!--(click)="add(); tooltip.close(); $event.stopPropagation();">{{'form.add' | translate}}-->
+            <!--</button>-->
+        <!--</div>-->
     </div>
     <div class="mt-3">
         <ul class="list-unstyled">
-            <li *ngFor="let value of model.value">
+            <li *ngFor="let result of (model.value | async)">
+                <ng-container *ngVar="result.indexableObject as value">
                 <button type="button" class="close float-left" aria-label="Close button"
-                        (click)="removeSelection(value.uuid)">
+                        (click)="removeSelection(value)">
                     <span aria-hidden="true">&times;</span>
                 </button>
                 <span class="d-inline-block align-middle ml-1">{{value.name}}</span>
@@ -43,6 +44,7 @@
                            [ngModel]="value.uuid"
                            [disabled]="true"
                            [readonly]="true">
+                </ng-container>
             </li>
         </ul>
     </div>
diff --git a/src/app/shared/form/builder/ds-dynamic-form-ui/models/lookup-relation/dynamic-lookup-relation.component.ts b/src/app/shared/form/builder/ds-dynamic-form-ui/models/lookup-relation/dynamic-lookup-relation.component.ts
index 7f49d75106..00f8cadc73 100644
--- a/src/app/shared/form/builder/ds-dynamic-form-ui/models/lookup-relation/dynamic-lookup-relation.component.ts
+++ b/src/app/shared/form/builder/ds-dynamic-form-ui/models/lookup-relation/dynamic-lookup-relation.component.ts
@@ -6,13 +6,22 @@ import {
   DynamicFormValidationService
 } from '@ng-dynamic-forms/core';
 import { FormGroup } from '@angular/forms';
-import { isNotEmpty } from '../../../../../empty.util';
+import { hasValue, isNotEmpty } from '../../../../../empty.util';
 import { NgbModal, NgbModalRef } from '@ng-bootstrap/ng-bootstrap';
 import { DsDynamicLookupRelationModalComponent } from './dynamic-lookup-relation-modal.component';
 import { DynamicLookupRelationModel } from './dynamic-lookup-relation.model';
 import { DSpaceObject } from '../../../../../../core/shared/dspace-object.model';
 import { RelationshipService } from '../../../../../../core/data/relationship.service';
 import { Item } from '../../../../../../core/shared/item.model';
+import { SelectableListService } from '../../../../../object-list/selectable-list/selectable-list.service';
+import { SelectableListState } from '../../../../../object-list/selectable-list/selectable-list.reducer';
+import { Observable } from 'rxjs';
+import { ListableObject } from '../../../../../object-collection/shared/listable-object.model';
+import { map } from 'rxjs/operators';
+import { SearchResult } from '../../../../../search/search-result.model';
+
+/* TODO take a look at this when the REST entities submission is finished: we will probably need to get the fixed filter from the REST instead of filtering is out from the metadata field */
+const RELATION_TYPE_METADATA_PREFIX = 'relation.isPublicationOf';
 
 @Component({
   selector: 'ds-dynamic-lookup-relation',
@@ -30,50 +39,58 @@ export class DsDynamicLookupRelationComponent extends DynamicFormControlComponen
 
   modalRef: NgbModalRef;
   modalValuesString = '';
-  selectedResults: Item[];
+  fieldName: string;
+  listId: string;
 
   constructor(private modalService: NgbModal,
               protected layoutService: DynamicFormLayoutService,
               protected validationService: DynamicFormValidationService,
-              private relationService: RelationshipService
+              private relationService: RelationshipService,
+              private selectableListService: SelectableListService
   ) {
     super(layoutService, validationService);
   }
 
   ngOnInit(): void {
+    this.fieldName = this.model.name.substring(RELATION_TYPE_METADATA_PREFIX.length);
+    this.listId = 'list-' + this.fieldName;
+    this.model.value = this.selectableListService.getSelectableList(this.listId).pipe(
+      map((listState: SelectableListState) => hasValue(listState) && hasValue(listState.selection) ? listState.selection : []),
+    );
   }
 
-  public hasResultsSelected() {
-    return isNotEmpty(this.selectedResults);
+  public hasResultsSelected(): Observable<boolean> {
+    return this.model.value.pipe(map((list: SearchResult<DSpaceObject>[]) => isNotEmpty(list)));
   }
 
   openLookup() {
     this.modalRef = this.modalService.open(DsDynamicLookupRelationModalComponent, { size: 'lg' });
-    this.modalRef.componentInstance.repeatable = this.model.repeatable;
-    this.modalRef.componentInstance.selection = this.selectedResults || [];
-    this.modalRef.componentInstance.previousSelection = this.model.value || [];
-    this.modalRef.componentInstance.relationKey = this.model.name;
-    this.modalRef.result.then((resultList) => {
-      this.selectedResults = resultList;
-      this.modalValuesString = resultList.map((dso: DSpaceObject) => dso.name).join('; ');
+    const modalComp = this.modalRef.componentInstance;
+    modalComp.repeatable = this.model.repeatable;
+    modalComp.relationKey = this.model.name;
+    modalComp.listId = this.listId;
+    modalComp.fieldName = this.fieldName;
+
+    this.modalRef.result.then((resultString = '') => {
+      this.modalValuesString = resultString;
     });
   }
 
-  add() {
-    if (isNotEmpty(this.model.value)) {
-      this.model.value = [...this.model.value, ...this.selectedResults];
-    } else {
-      this.model.value = this.selectedResults;
-    }
+  // add() {
+  //   if (isNotEmpty(this.model.value)) {
+  //     this.model.value = [...this.model.value, ...this.selectedResults];
+  //   } else {
+  //     this.model.value = this.selectedResults;
+  //   }
+  //
+  //   this.modalValuesString = '';
+  //   this.selectedResults = [];
+  //   this.selectedResults.forEach((item: Item) => {
+  //     this.relationService.addRelationship(this.model.item, item);
+  //   })
+  // }
 
-    this.modalValuesString = '';
-    this.selectedResults = [];
-    this.selectedResults.forEach((item: Item) => {
-      this.relationService.addRelationship(this.model.item, item);
-    })
-  }
-
-  removeSelection(uuid: string) {
-    this.model.value = this.model.value.filter((dso: DSpaceObject) => dso.uuid !== uuid);
+  removeSelection(object: SearchResult<DSpaceObject>) {
+    this.selectableListService.deselectSingle(this.listId, object);
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/app/shared/form/builder/ds-dynamic-form-ui/models/lookup-relation/dynamic-lookup-relation.model.ts b/src/app/shared/form/builder/ds-dynamic-form-ui/models/lookup-relation/dynamic-lookup-relation.model.ts
index 93910fe5d5..e0e580e1f8 100644
--- a/src/app/shared/form/builder/ds-dynamic-form-ui/models/lookup-relation/dynamic-lookup-relation.model.ts
+++ b/src/app/shared/form/builder/ds-dynamic-form-ui/models/lookup-relation/dynamic-lookup-relation.model.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ export interface DynamicLookupRelationModelConfig extends DsDynamicInputModelCon
 export class DynamicLookupRelationModel extends DsDynamicInputModel {
 
   @serializable() readonly type: string = DYNAMIC_FORM_CONTROL_TYPE_LOOKUP_RELATION;
-  @serializable() value: any[];
+  @serializable() value: any;
   @serializable() repeatable: boolean;
   item: Item;
 
diff --git a/src/app/shared/object-list/selectable-list/selectable-list.actions.ts b/src/app/shared/object-list/selectable-list/selectable-list.actions.ts
index c1d41b1d92..0b757149b5 100644
--- a/src/app/shared/object-list/selectable-list/selectable-list.actions.ts
+++ b/src/app/shared/object-list/selectable-list/selectable-list.actions.ts
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ export class SelectableListSelectAction extends SelectableListAction {
   payload: ListableObject[];
 
   constructor(id: string, objects: ListableObject[]) {
-    super(SelectableListActionTypes.SELECT_SINGLE, id);
+    super(SelectableListActionTypes.SELECT, id);
     this.payload = objects;
   }
 }
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ export class SelectableListSelectSingleAction extends SelectableListAction {
   };
 
   constructor(id: string, object: ListableObject, multipleSelectionsAllowed: boolean = true) {
-    super(SelectableListActionTypes.SELECT, id);
+    super(SelectableListActionTypes.SELECT_SINGLE, id);
     this.payload = { object, multipleSelectionsAllowed };
   }
 }