diff --git a/packages/builder/src/components/backend/DataTable/cells/RelationshipCell.svelte b/packages/builder/src/components/backend/DataTable/cells/RelationshipCell.svelte
index 2d85a184d9..0aae16f3db 100644
--- a/packages/builder/src/components/backend/DataTable/cells/RelationshipCell.svelte
+++ b/packages/builder/src/components/backend/DataTable/cells/RelationshipCell.svelte
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
   class:link={!!items.length}
   on:click={() => selectRelationship(row, columnName)}>
   {#each items as item}
-    <div class="item">{item}</div>
+    <div class="item">{item?.primaryDisplay ?? ''}</div>
   {/each}
 </div>
 
diff --git a/packages/builder/src/components/common/LinkedRowSelector.svelte b/packages/builder/src/components/common/LinkedRowSelector.svelte
index ac660d4a71..5ac1efbc54 100644
--- a/packages/builder/src/components/common/LinkedRowSelector.svelte
+++ b/packages/builder/src/components/common/LinkedRowSelector.svelte
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 <script>
-  import { onMount } from "svelte"
   import { backendUiStore } from "builderStore"
   import api from "builderStore/api"
   import { Select, Label, Multiselect } from "@budibase/bbui"
@@ -9,7 +8,9 @@
   export let linkedRows = []
 
   let rows = []
+  let linkedIds = (linkedRows || [])?.map(row => row?._id || row)
 
+  $: linkedRows = linkedIds
   $: label = capitalise(schema.name)
   $: linkedTableId = schema.tableId
   $: linkedTable = $backendUiStore.tables.find(
@@ -45,12 +46,12 @@
     <Select
       thin
       secondary
-      on:change={e => (linkedRows = [e.target.value])}
+      on:change={e => (linkedIds = e.target.value ? [e.target.value] : [])}
       name={label}
       {label}>
       <option value="">Choose an option</option>
       {#each rows as row}
-        <option selected={row._id === linkedRows[0]} value={row._id}>
+        <option selected={row._id === linkedIds[0]} value={row._id}>
           {getPrettyName(row)}
         </option>
       {/each}
@@ -58,7 +59,7 @@
   {:else}
     <Multiselect
       secondary
-      bind:value={linkedRows}
+      bind:value={linkedIds}
       {label}
       placeholder="Choose some options">
       {#each rows as row}
diff --git a/packages/client/src/api/rows.js b/packages/client/src/api/rows.js
index 54c0179cc8..639516f0f6 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/api/rows.js
+++ b/packages/client/src/api/rows.js
@@ -120,7 +120,11 @@ export const enrichRows = async (rows, tableId) => {
           const type = schema[key].type
           if (type === "link") {
             // Enrich row a string join of relationship fields
-            row[`${key}_text`] = row[key]?.join(", ") || ""
+            row[`${key}_text`] =
+              row[key]
+                ?.map(option => option?.primaryDisplay)
+                .filter(option => !!option)
+                .join(", ") || ""
           } else if (type === "attachment") {
             // Enrich row with the first image URL for any attachment fields
             let url = null
diff --git a/packages/server/src/api/controllers/row.js b/packages/server/src/api/controllers/row.js
index 4ce664413e..413fedc6cd 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/api/controllers/row.js
+++ b/packages/server/src/api/controllers/row.js
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ const {
 } = require("../../utilities/rowProcessor")
 const { FieldTypes } = require("../../constants")
 const { isEqual } = require("lodash")
+const { cloneDeep } = require("lodash/fp")
 
 const TABLE_VIEW_BEGINS_WITH = `all${SEPARATOR}${DocumentTypes.TABLE}${SEPARATOR}`
 
@@ -351,10 +352,15 @@ async function validate({ appId, tableId, row, table }) {
   }
   const errors = {}
   for (let fieldName of Object.keys(table.schema)) {
-    const res = validateJs.single(
-      row[fieldName],
-      table.schema[fieldName].constraints
-    )
+    const constraints = cloneDeep(table.schema[fieldName].constraints)
+    // special case for options, need to always allow unselected (null)
+    if (
+      table.schema[fieldName].type === FieldTypes.OPTIONS &&
+      constraints.inclusion
+    ) {
+      constraints.inclusion.push(null)
+    }
+    const res = validateJs.single(row[fieldName], constraints)
     if (res) errors[fieldName] = res
   }
   return { valid: Object.keys(errors).length === 0, errors }
diff --git a/packages/server/src/api/controllers/table/index.js b/packages/server/src/api/controllers/table/index.js
index b8e3e56e3a..93f4ec9f94 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/api/controllers/table/index.js
+++ b/packages/server/src/api/controllers/table/index.js
@@ -89,16 +89,20 @@ exports.save = async function(ctx) {
   }
 
   // update linked rows
-  const linkResp = await linkRows.updateLinks({
-    appId,
-    eventType: oldTable
-      ? linkRows.EventType.TABLE_UPDATED
-      : linkRows.EventType.TABLE_SAVE,
-    table: tableToSave,
-    oldTable: oldTable,
-  })
-  if (linkResp != null && linkResp._rev) {
-    tableToSave._rev = linkResp._rev
+  try {
+    const linkResp = await linkRows.updateLinks({
+      appId,
+      eventType: oldTable
+        ? linkRows.EventType.TABLE_UPDATED
+        : linkRows.EventType.TABLE_SAVE,
+      table: tableToSave,
+      oldTable: oldTable,
+    })
+    if (linkResp != null && linkResp._rev) {
+      tableToSave._rev = linkResp._rev
+    }
+  } catch (err) {
+    ctx.throw(400, err)
   }
 
   // don't perform any updates until relationships have been
diff --git a/packages/server/src/api/routes/tests/row.spec.js b/packages/server/src/api/routes/tests/row.spec.js
index 1c11369ae5..777a99b091 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/api/routes/tests/row.spec.js
+++ b/packages/server/src/api/routes/tests/row.spec.js
@@ -282,12 +282,13 @@ describe("/rows", () => {
       const secondRow = (await createRow({
         name: "Test 2",
         description: "og desc",
-        link: [firstRow._id],
+        link: [{_id: firstRow._id}],
         tableId: table._id,
       })).body
       const enriched = await outputProcessing(appId, table, [secondRow])
       expect(enriched[0].link.length).toBe(1)
-      expect(enriched[0].link[0]).toBe("Test Contact")
+      expect(enriched[0].link[0]._id).toBe(firstRow._id)
+      expect(enriched[0].link[0].primaryDisplay).toBe("Test Contact")
     })
   })
 
diff --git a/packages/server/src/db/linkedRows/LinkController.js b/packages/server/src/db/linkedRows/LinkController.js
index a02c9946ef..b01d5eede5 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/db/linkedRows/LinkController.js
+++ b/packages/server/src/db/linkedRows/LinkController.js
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ const { IncludeDocs, getLinkDocuments } = require("./linkUtils")
 const { generateLinkID } = require("../utils")
 const Sentry = require("@sentry/node")
 const { FieldTypes, RelationshipTypes } = require("../../constants")
+const { isEqual } = require("lodash")
 
 /**
  * Creates a new link document structure which can be put to the database. It is important to
@@ -113,6 +114,25 @@ class LinkController {
     })
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Makes sure the passed in table schema contains valid relationship structures.
+   */
+  validateTable(table) {
+    const usedAlready = []
+    for (let schema of Object.values(table.schema)) {
+      if (schema.type !== FieldTypes.LINK) {
+        continue
+      }
+      const unique = schema.tableId + schema.fieldName
+      if (usedAlready.indexOf(unique) !== -1) {
+        throw new Error(
+          "Cannot re-use the linked column name for a linked table."
+        )
+      }
+      usedAlready.push(unique)
+    }
+  }
+
   // all operations here will assume that the table
   // this operation is related to has linked rows
   /**
@@ -268,6 +288,8 @@ class LinkController {
    */
   async tableSaved() {
     const table = await this.table()
+    // validate the table first
+    this.validateTable(table)
     const schema = table.schema
     for (let fieldName of Object.keys(schema)) {
       const field = schema[fieldName]
@@ -291,6 +313,11 @@ class LinkController {
         if (field.autocolumn) {
           linkConfig.autocolumn = field.autocolumn
         }
+        // check the linked table to make sure we aren't overwriting an existing column
+        const existingSchema = linkedTable.schema[field.fieldName]
+        if (existingSchema != null && !isEqual(existingSchema, linkConfig)) {
+          throw new Error("Cannot overwrite existing column.")
+        }
         // create the link field in the other table
         linkedTable.schema[field.fieldName] = linkConfig
         const response = await this._db.put(linkedTable)
diff --git a/packages/server/src/db/linkedRows/index.js b/packages/server/src/db/linkedRows/index.js
index f60c4c7f26..052386ba86 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/db/linkedRows/index.js
+++ b/packages/server/src/db/linkedRows/index.js
@@ -175,11 +175,12 @@ exports.attachLinkedPrimaryDisplay = async (appId, table, rows) => {
       if (!linkedRow || !linkedTable) {
         continue
       }
-      // need to handle an edge case where relationship just wasn't found
-      const value = linkedRow[linkedTable.primaryDisplay] || linkedRow._id
-      if (value) {
-        row[link.fieldName].push(value)
+      const obj = { _id: linkedRow._id }
+      // if we know the display column, add it
+      if (linkedRow[linkedTable.primaryDisplay] != null) {
+        obj.primaryDisplay = linkedRow[linkedTable.primaryDisplay]
       }
+      row[link.fieldName].push(obj)
     }
   }
   return rows
diff --git a/packages/server/src/utilities/rowProcessor.js b/packages/server/src/utilities/rowProcessor.js
index 32c488aed7..b76177865b 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/utilities/rowProcessor.js
+++ b/packages/server/src/utilities/rowProcessor.js
@@ -15,6 +15,9 @@ const TYPE_TRANSFORM_MAP = {
     [null]: [],
     [undefined]: undefined,
     parse: link => {
+      if (Array.isArray(link) && typeof link[0] === "object") {
+        return link.map(el => (el && el._id ? el._id : el))
+      }
       if (typeof link === "string") {
         return [link]
       }
@@ -22,8 +25,8 @@ const TYPE_TRANSFORM_MAP = {
     },
   },
   [FieldTypes.OPTIONS]: {
-    "": "",
-    [null]: "",
+    "": null,
+    [null]: null,
     [undefined]: undefined,
   },
   [FieldTypes.STRING]: {
diff --git a/packages/standard-components/src/forms/RelationshipField.svelte b/packages/standard-components/src/forms/RelationshipField.svelte
index 587974fb46..b039208660 100644
--- a/packages/standard-components/src/forms/RelationshipField.svelte
+++ b/packages/standard-components/src/forms/RelationshipField.svelte
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
   const setFieldText = value => {
     if (fieldSchema?.relationshipType === "one-to-many") {
       if (value?.length && options?.length) {
-        const row = options.find(row => row._id === value[0])
+        const row = options.find(row => row._id === value[0]?._id)
         return getDisplayName(row)
       } else {
         return placeholder || "Choose an option"
@@ -60,27 +60,30 @@
   }
 
   const getDisplayName = row => {
-    return row[tableDefinition?.primaryDisplay || "_id"]
+    return row?.[tableDefinition?.primaryDisplay || "_id"] || "-"
   }
 
   const getValueLookupMap = value => {
     let map = {}
     if (value?.length) {
       value.forEach(option => {
-        map[option] = true
+        if (option?._id) {
+          map[option._id] = true
+        }
       })
     }
     return map
   }
 
-  const toggleOption = option => {
-    if (fieldSchema.type === "one-to-many") {
-      fieldApi.setValue([option])
+  const toggleOption = id => {
+    if (fieldSchema.relationshipType === "one-to-many") {
+      fieldApi.setValue(id ? [{ _id: id }] : [])
     } else {
-      if ($fieldState.value.includes(option)) {
-        fieldApi.setValue($fieldState.value.filter(x => x !== option))
+      if ($fieldState.value.find(option => option?._id === id)) {
+        const filtered = $fieldState.value.filter(option => option?._id !== id)
+        fieldApi.setValue(filtered)
       } else {
-        fieldApi.setValue([...$fieldState.value, option])
+        fieldApi.setValue([...$fieldState.value, { _id: id }])
       }
     }
   }
diff --git a/packages/standard-components/src/grid/Relationship/RelationshipCount.svelte b/packages/standard-components/src/grid/Relationship/RelationshipLabel.svelte
similarity index 90%
rename from packages/standard-components/src/grid/Relationship/RelationshipCount.svelte
rename to packages/standard-components/src/grid/Relationship/RelationshipLabel.svelte
index 6a96a0b90b..ec64255855 100644
--- a/packages/standard-components/src/grid/Relationship/RelationshipCount.svelte
+++ b/packages/standard-components/src/grid/Relationship/RelationshipLabel.svelte
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 
 <div class="container">
   {#each items as item}
-    <div class="item">{item}</div>
+    <div class="item">{item?.primaryDisplay ?? ''}</div>
   {/each}
 </div>
 
diff --git a/packages/standard-components/src/grid/customRenderer.js b/packages/standard-components/src/grid/customRenderer.js
index acb72639a6..fd558baa98 100644
--- a/packages/standard-components/src/grid/customRenderer.js
+++ b/packages/standard-components/src/grid/customRenderer.js
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import AttachmentCell from "./AttachmentCell/Button.svelte"
 import ViewDetails from "./ViewDetails/Cell.svelte"
 import Select from "./Select/Wrapper.svelte"
 import DatePicker from "./DateTime/Wrapper.svelte"
-import RelationshipCount from "./Relationship/RelationshipCount.svelte"
+import RelationshipLabel from "./Relationship/RelationshipLabel.svelte"
 
 const renderers = new Map([
   ["boolean", booleanRenderer],
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ function linkedRowRenderer(options, constraints, editable, SDK) {
     container.style.placeItems = "center"
     container.style.height = "100%"
 
-    new RelationshipCount({
+    new RelationshipLabel({
       target: container,
       props: {
         row: params.data,