diff --git a/CHANGELOG-WIP.md b/CHANGELOG-WIP.md
index 2ec5c4a165d..61ad62f9265 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG-WIP.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG-WIP.md
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 - Added the `affiliatedSite` and `affiliatedSiteId` user query and GraphQL params. ([#16174](https://github.com/craftcms/cms/pull/16174))
 - Added the `affiliatedSiteHandle` and `affiliatedSiteId` user GraphQL field. ([#16174](https://github.com/craftcms/cms/pull/16174))
 - It’s now possible to pass nested custom field value keys into element queries’ `orderBy` and `select` params (e.g. `myDateField.tz`). ([#16157](https://github.com/craftcms/cms/discussions/16157))
+- It’s now possible to set Link field values to arrays with `value` keys set to element instances or IDs. ([#16255](https://github.com/craftcms/cms/pull/16255))
 
 ### Extensibility
 - Added `craft\base\conditions\BaseElementSelectConditionRule::allowMultiple()`.
diff --git a/src/fields/Link.php b/src/fields/Link.php
index 3ce074ed15f..763926607bb 100644
--- a/src/fields/Link.php
+++ b/src/fields/Link.php
@@ -479,7 +479,11 @@ public function normalizeValue(mixed $value, ?ElementInterface $element): mixed
                 'urlSuffix' => $this->showUrlSuffixField ? ($value['urlSuffix'] ?? null) : null,
                 'target' => $this->showTargetField ? ($value['target'] ?? null) : null,
             ]);
-            $value = trim($value['value'] ?? $value[$typeId]['value'] ?? '');
+            $value = $value['value'] ?? $value[$typeId]['value'] ?? '';
+
+            if (is_string($value)) {
+                $value = trim($value);
+            }
 
             if (!$value) {
                 return null;
@@ -499,7 +503,11 @@ public function normalizeValue(mixed $value, ?ElementInterface $element): mixed
                 $linkType = Component::createComponent($type, BaseLinkType::class);
             }
 
-            $value = $linkType->normalizeValue(str_replace(' ', '+', $value));
+            if (is_string($value)) {
+                $value = str_replace(' ', '+', $value);
+            }
+
+            $value = $linkType->normalizeValue($value);
         } else {
             if (!$value) {
                 return null;
diff --git a/src/fields/linktypes/BaseElementLinkType.php b/src/fields/linktypes/BaseElementLinkType.php
index ab1aa124a3d..b8f9e0ca086 100644
--- a/src/fields/linktypes/BaseElementLinkType.php
+++ b/src/fields/linktypes/BaseElementLinkType.php
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 use craft\helpers\Html;
 use craft\services\ElementSources;
 use Illuminate\Support\Collection;
+use yii\base\InvalidArgumentException;
 
 /**
  * Base element link type.
@@ -198,11 +199,47 @@ protected function selectionCriteria(): array
         ];
     }
 
+    /**
+     * @inheritdoc
+     */
     public function validateValue(string $value, ?string &$error = null): bool
     {
         return true;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * @inheritdoc
+     */
+    public function normalizeValue(ElementInterface|int|string $value): string
+    {
+        if ($value instanceof ElementInterface) {
+            if (!is_a($value, static::elementType())) {
+                throw new InvalidArgumentException(sprintf('$value must be an %s instance, ID, or reference tag.', static::elementType()::lowerDisplayName()));
+            }
+            $value = sprintf('{%s:%s@%s:url}',
+                static::elementType()::refHandle(),
+                $value->id,
+                $value->siteId,
+            );
+        }
+        if (is_numeric($value)) {
+            $value = sprintf('{%s:%s@%s:url}',
+                static::elementType()::refHandle(),
+                $value,
+                Craft::$app->getSites()->getCurrentSite()->id,
+            );
+        }
+
+        return parent::normalizeValue($value);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns an Element that the field is supposed to link to.
+     *
+     * @param string|null $value
+     * @return ElementInterface|null
+     * @throws \craft\errors\SiteNotFoundException
+     */
     public function element(?string $value): ?ElementInterface
     {
         if (