diff --git a/docs/reference-guides/data/data-core.md b/docs/reference-guides/data/data-core.md
index b80703dcc67b1..e740998a23623 100644
--- a/docs/reference-guides/data/data-core.md
+++ b/docs/reference-guides/data/data-core.md
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ _Parameters_
 
 _Returns_
 
--   `undefined< EntityRecord > | undefined`: The entity record, merged with its edits.
+-   `undefined< EntityRecord > | false`: The entity record, merged with its edits.
 
 ### getEmbedPreview
 
diff --git a/packages/core-data/README.md b/packages/core-data/README.md
index 6677a32df08dc..444bce35ee521 100644
--- a/packages/core-data/README.md
+++ b/packages/core-data/README.md
@@ -499,7 +499,7 @@ _Parameters_
 
 _Returns_
 
--   `undefined< EntityRecord > | undefined`: The entity record, merged with its edits.
+-   `undefined< EntityRecord > | false`: The entity record, merged with its edits.
 
 ### getEmbedPreview
 
diff --git a/packages/core-data/src/hooks/test/use-entity-record.js b/packages/core-data/src/hooks/test/use-entity-record.js
index 49964339a4f2b..1bfb13f38ac15 100644
--- a/packages/core-data/src/hooks/test/use-entity-record.js
+++ b/packages/core-data/src/hooks/test/use-entity-record.js
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ describe( 'useEntityRecord', () => {
 
 		expect( data ).toEqual( {
 			edit: expect.any( Function ),
-			editedRecord: {},
+			editedRecord: false,
 			hasEdits: false,
 			edits: {},
 			record: undefined,
diff --git a/packages/core-data/src/selectors.ts b/packages/core-data/src/selectors.ts
index 4a135f343a097..d238438e10eb1 100644
--- a/packages/core-data/src/selectors.ts
+++ b/packages/core-data/src/selectors.ts
@@ -846,10 +846,21 @@ export const getEditedEntityRecord = createSelector(
 		kind: string,
 		name: string,
 		recordId: EntityRecordKey
-	): ET.Updatable< EntityRecord > | undefined => ( {
-		...getRawEntityRecord( state, kind, name, recordId ),
-		...getEntityRecordEdits( state, kind, name, recordId ),
-	} ),
+	): ET.Updatable< EntityRecord > | false => {
+		const raw = getRawEntityRecord( state, kind, name, recordId );
+		const edited = getEntityRecordEdits( state, kind, name, recordId );
+		// Never return a non-falsy empty object. Unfortunately we can't return
+		// undefined or null because we were previously returning an empty
+		// object, so trying to read properties from the result would throw.
+		// Using false here is a workaround to avoid breaking changes.
+		if ( ! raw && ! edited ) {
+			return false;
+		}
+		return {
+			...raw,
+			...edited,
+		};
+	},
 	(
 		state: State,
 		kind: string,
@@ -1264,7 +1275,7 @@ export function getReferenceByDistinctEdits( state ) {
 export function __experimentalGetTemplateForLink(
 	state: State,
 	link: string
-): Optional< ET.Updatable< ET.WpTemplate > > | null {
+): Optional< ET.Updatable< ET.WpTemplate > > | null | false {
 	const records = getEntityRecords< ET.WpTemplate >(
 		state,
 		'postType',