diff --git a/Tests/test_image.py b/Tests/test_image.py
index 4e0840cf1..b0d719667 100644
--- a/Tests/test_image.py
+++ b/Tests/test_image.py
@@ -775,6 +775,14 @@ class TestImage:
         exif.load(b"Exif\x00\x00")
         assert not dict(exif)
 
+    def test_empty_get_ifd(self) -> None:
+        exif = Image.Exif()
+        ifd = exif.get_ifd(0x8769)
+        assert ifd == {}
+
+        ifd[36864] = b"0220"
+        assert exif.get_ifd(0x8769) == {36864: b"0220"}
+
     @mark_if_feature_version(
         pytest.mark.valgrind_known_error, "libjpeg_turbo", "2.0", reason="Known Failing"
     )
diff --git a/src/PIL/Image.py b/src/PIL/Image.py
index 95b4c64ee..b153e5596 100644
--- a/src/PIL/Image.py
+++ b/src/PIL/Image.py
@@ -4136,7 +4136,7 @@ class Exif(_ExifBase):
                     ifd = self._get_ifd_dict(tag_data, tag)
                     if ifd is not None:
                         self._ifds[tag] = ifd
-        ifd = self._ifds.get(tag, {})
+        ifd = self._ifds.setdefault(tag, {})
         if tag == ExifTags.IFD.Exif and self._hidden_data:
             ifd = {
                 k: v