diff --git a/scripts/startup/bl_operators/wm.py b/scripts/startup/bl_operators/wm.py
index 139460ecbef..eb14bcebac1 100644
--- a/scripts/startup/bl_operators/wm.py
+++ b/scripts/startup/bl_operators/wm.py
@@ -1644,6 +1644,14 @@ class WM_OT_properties_edit(Operator):
 
         return 'PYTHON'
 
+    # For `DATABLOCK` types, return the `id_type` or an empty string for non data-block types.
+    @staticmethod
+    def get_property_id_type(item, property_name):
+        ui_data = item.id_properties_ui(property_name)
+        rna_data = ui_data.as_dict()
+        # For non `DATABLOCK` types, the `id_type` wont exist.
+        return rna_data.get("id_type", "")
+
     def _init_subtype(self, subtype):
         self.subtype = subtype or 'NONE'
 
@@ -1697,7 +1705,7 @@ class WM_OT_properties_edit(Operator):
 
     # When the operator chooses a different type than the original property,
     # attempt to convert the old value to the new type for continuity and speed.
-    def _get_converted_value(self, item, name_old, prop_type_new):
+    def _get_converted_value(self, item, name_old, prop_type_new, id_type_old, id_type_new):
         if prop_type_new == 'INT':
             return self._convert_new_value_single(item[name_old], int)
         elif prop_type_new == 'FLOAT':
@@ -1721,7 +1729,13 @@ class WM_OT_properties_edit(Operator):
         elif prop_type_new == 'STRING':
             return self.convert_custom_property_to_string(item, name_old)
         elif prop_type_new == 'DATABLOCK':
-            return None
+            if id_type_old != id_type_new:
+                return None
+            old_value = item[name_old]
+            if not isinstance(old_value, bpy.types.ID):
+                return None
+            return old_value
+
         # If all else fails, create an empty string property. That should avoid errors later on anyway.
         return ""
 
@@ -1852,6 +1866,9 @@ class WM_OT_properties_edit(Operator):
         prop_type_new = self.property_type
         self._old_prop_name[:] = [name]
 
+        id_type_old = self.get_property_id_type(item, name_old)
+        id_type_new = self.id_type
+
         if prop_type_new == 'PYTHON':
             try:
                 new_value = eval(self.eval_string)
@@ -1866,7 +1883,7 @@ class WM_OT_properties_edit(Operator):
             if name_old != name:
                 del item[name_old]
         else:
-            new_value = self._get_converted_value(item, name_old, prop_type_new)
+            new_value = self._get_converted_value(item, name_old, prop_type_new, id_type_old, id_type_new)
             del item[name_old]
             item[name] = new_value