diff --git a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/sql/results/graph/entity/internal/EntityInitializerImpl.java b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/sql/results/graph/entity/internal/EntityInitializerImpl.java
index bef21be1bf..f19dbb01ca 100644
--- a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/sql/results/graph/entity/internal/EntityInitializerImpl.java
+++ b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/sql/results/graph/entity/internal/EntityInitializerImpl.java
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ import static org.hibernate.bytecode.enhance.spi.LazyPropertyInitializer.UNFETCH
 import static org.hibernate.engine.internal.ManagedTypeHelper.asPersistentAttributeInterceptable;
 import static org.hibernate.engine.internal.ManagedTypeHelper.isPersistentAttributeInterceptable;
 import static org.hibernate.internal.log.LoggingHelper.toLoggableString;
+import static org.hibernate.metamodel.mapping.ForeignKeyDescriptor.Nature.TARGET;
 import static org.hibernate.proxy.HibernateProxy.extractLazyInitializer;
 
 /**
@@ -619,6 +620,14 @@ public class EntityInitializerImpl extends AbstractInitializer implements Entity
 					concreteDescriptor.getIdentifier( entityInstance, session )
 			);
 			entityHolder = session.getPersistenceContextInternal().getEntityHolder( entityKey );
+			if ( entityHolder == null ) {
+				// Entity was most probably removed in the same session
+				resolveKey();
+				assert state == State.MISSING;
+				assert referencedModelPart instanceof ToOneAttributeMapping
+						&& ( (ToOneAttributeMapping) referencedModelPart ).getSideNature() == TARGET;
+				return;
+			}
 			// If the entity initializer is null, we know the entity is fully initialized,
 			// otherwise it will be initialized by some other initializer
 			state = entityHolder.getEntityInitializer() == null ? State.INITIALIZED : State.RESOLVED;