diff --git a/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/content/DSpaceObjectServiceImpl.java b/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/content/DSpaceObjectServiceImpl.java
index 2119959073f0..ba4bce0de7d3 100644
--- a/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/content/DSpaceObjectServiceImpl.java
+++ b/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/content/DSpaceObjectServiceImpl.java
@@ -629,6 +629,7 @@ public void update(Context context, T dso) throws SQLException, AuthorizeExcepti
                     // E.g. for an Author relationship,
                     //   the place should be updated using the same principle as dc.contributor.author.
                     StringUtils.startsWith(metadataValue.getAuthority(), Constants.VIRTUAL_AUTHORITY_PREFIX)
+                        && metadataValue instanceof RelationshipMetadataValue
                         && ((RelationshipMetadataValue) metadataValue).isUseForPlace()
                 ) {
                     int mvPlace = getMetadataValuePlace(fieldToLastPlace, metadataValue);
diff --git a/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/content/EntityServiceImpl.java b/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/content/EntityServiceImpl.java
index 2f34129f2e69..9b28203827e0 100644
--- a/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/content/EntityServiceImpl.java
+++ b/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/content/EntityServiceImpl.java
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 package org.dspace.content;
 
 import java.sql.SQLException;
+import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.LinkedList;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.UUID;
@@ -51,12 +52,7 @@ public Entity findByItemId(Context context, UUID itemId, Integer limit, Integer
     @Override
     public EntityType getType(Context context, Entity entity) throws SQLException {
         Item item = entity.getItem();
-        List<MetadataValue> list = itemService.getMetadata(item, "dspace", "entity", "type", Item.ANY, false);
-        if (!list.isEmpty()) {
-            return entityTypeService.findByEntityType(context, list.get(0).getValue());
-        } else {
-            return null;
-        }
+        return itemService.getEntityType(context, item);
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -103,7 +99,12 @@ public List<RelationshipType> getAllRelationshipTypes(Context context, Entity en
     @Override
     public List<RelationshipType> getAllRelationshipTypes(Context context, Entity entity, Integer limit, Integer offset)
             throws SQLException {
-        return relationshipTypeService.findByEntityType(context, this.getType(context, entity), limit, offset);
+        EntityType entityType = this.getType(context, entity);
+        if (entityType != null) {
+            return relationshipTypeService.findByEntityType(context, entityType, limit, offset);
+        } else {
+            return Collections.emptyList();
+        }
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -115,7 +116,12 @@ public List<RelationshipType> getLeftRelationshipTypes(Context context, Entity e
     @Override
     public List<RelationshipType> getLeftRelationshipTypes(Context context, Entity entity, boolean isLeft,
                                                            Integer limit, Integer offset) throws SQLException {
-        return relationshipTypeService.findByEntityType(context, this.getType(context, entity), isLeft, limit, offset);
+        EntityType entityType = this.getType(context, entity);
+        if (entityType != null) {
+            return relationshipTypeService.findByEntityType(context, entityType, isLeft, limit, offset);
+        } else {
+            return Collections.emptyList();
+        }
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -128,7 +134,12 @@ public List<RelationshipType> getRightRelationshipTypes(Context context, Entity
     public List<RelationshipType> getRightRelationshipTypes(Context context, Entity entity, boolean isLeft,
                                                             Integer limit, Integer offset) throws SQLException {
 
-        return relationshipTypeService.findByEntityType(context, this.getType(context, entity), isLeft, limit, offset);
+        EntityType entityType = this.getType(context, entity);
+        if (entityType != null) {
+            return relationshipTypeService.findByEntityType(context, entityType, isLeft, limit, offset);
+        } else {
+            return Collections.emptyList();
+        }
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/dspace-api/src/test/java/org/dspace/content/EntityServiceImplTest.java b/dspace-api/src/test/java/org/dspace/content/EntityServiceImplTest.java
index 305ebff69710..11fbbb9f9119 100644
--- a/dspace-api/src/test/java/org/dspace/content/EntityServiceImplTest.java
+++ b/dspace-api/src/test/java/org/dspace/content/EntityServiceImplTest.java
@@ -145,6 +145,7 @@ public void testGetAllRelationshipTypes() throws Exception {
         // Declare objects utilized for this test
         Item item = mock(Item.class);
         Entity entity = mock(Entity.class);
+        EntityType entityType = mock(EntityType.class);
         RelationshipType relationshipType = mock(RelationshipType.class);
         relationshipType.setLeftType(leftType);
         relationshipType.setLeftType(rightType);
@@ -156,7 +157,8 @@ public void testGetAllRelationshipTypes() throws Exception {
         // Mock the state of objects utilized in getAllRelationshipTypes()
         // to meet the success criteria of the invocation
         when(entity.getItem()).thenReturn(item);
-        when(relationshipTypeService.findByEntityType(context, entityService.getType(context, entity), -1, -1))
+        when(entityService.getType(context, entity)).thenReturn(entityType);
+        when(relationshipTypeService.findByEntityType(context, entityType, -1, -1))
                 .thenReturn(relationshipTypeList);
 
         // The relation(s) reported from our mocked Entity should match our relationshipList
@@ -181,10 +183,9 @@ public void testGetLeftRelationshipTypes() throws Exception {
 
         // Mock the state of objects utilized in getLeftRelationshipTypes()
         // to meet the success criteria of the invocation
-        when(itemService.getMetadata(item, "dspace", "entity", "type", Item.ANY, false)).thenReturn(metsList);
         when(entity.getItem()).thenReturn(item);
         when(entityService.getType(context, entity)).thenReturn(entityType);
-        when(relationshipTypeService.findByEntityType(context, entityService.getType(context, entity), true, -1, -1))
+        when(relationshipTypeService.findByEntityType(context, entityType, true, -1, -1))
                 .thenReturn(relationshipTypeList);
 
         // The left relationshipType(s) reported from our mocked Entity should match our relationshipList
@@ -209,10 +210,9 @@ public void testGetRightRelationshipTypes() throws Exception {
 
         // Mock the state of objects utilized in getRightRelationshipTypes()
         // to meet the success criteria of the invocation
-        when(itemService.getMetadata(item, "dspace", "entity", "type", Item.ANY, false)).thenReturn(metsList);
         when(entity.getItem()).thenReturn(item);
         when(entityService.getType(context, entity)).thenReturn(entityType);
-        when(relationshipTypeService.findByEntityType(context, entityService.getType(context, entity), false, -1, -1))
+        when(relationshipTypeService.findByEntityType(context, entityType, false, -1, -1))
                 .thenReturn(relationshipTypeList);
 
         // The right relationshipType(s) reported from our mocked Entity should match our relationshipList