diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index f5193234..d1dac178 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -51,7 +51,9 @@ The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](http://keepachangelog.com/) and this p
   * Change CSS class for default link template from `reactodia-default-link` to `reactodia-standard-link`.
 - Move "expand/collapse on double click" global element behavior to `StandardEntity` and `ClassicEntity` implementation only.
 - Add `setTemplateProperty()` utility function to easily set or unset template state property.
+- Change `MetadataProvider.{createEntity, createRelation}` to return result object with initial template state in addition to the data to customize the created cells (i.e. new elements can be expanded or collapsed).
 - Add `EditorController.applyAuthoringChanges()` method to apply current authoring changes to the diagram (i.e. change entity data, delete relations, etc) and reset the change state to be empty.
+- Deprecate and hide by default "Edit" and "Delete" action buttons in `StandardEntity` expanded state (can be re-enabled by setting `showActions` prop to `true`).
 
 #### 🐛 Fixed
 - Fix `HaloLink` and visual authoring link path highlight being rendered on top on elements by placing it onto `overLinkGeometry` widget layer instead.
diff --git a/examples/resources/exampleMetadata.ts b/examples/resources/exampleMetadata.ts
index f7cddda9..b2a88ff2 100644
--- a/examples/resources/exampleMetadata.ts
+++ b/examples/resources/exampleMetadata.ts
@@ -33,22 +33,29 @@ export class ExampleMetadataProvider extends Reactodia.BaseMetadataProvider {
                     .toString(16).substring(1);
                 const typeLabel = Reactodia.Rdf.getLocalName(type) ?? 'Entity';
                 return {
-                    id: `${type}_${random32BitDigits}`,
-                    types: [type],
-                    properties: {
-                        [Reactodia.rdfs.label]: [
-                            Reactodia.Rdf.DefaultDataFactory.literal(`New ${typeLabel}`)
-                        ]
+                    data: {
+                        id: `${type}_${random32BitDigits}`,
+                        types: [type],
+                        properties: {
+                            [Reactodia.rdfs.label]: [
+                                Reactodia.Rdf.DefaultDataFactory.literal(`New ${typeLabel}`)
+                            ]
+                        },
                     },
+                    elementState: type === owl.Class ? {
+                        [Reactodia.TemplateProperties.Expanded]: true,
+                    } : undefined,
                 };
             },
             createRelation: async (source, target, linkType, {signal}) => {
                 await Reactodia.delay(SIMULATED_DELAY, {signal: signal});
                 return {
-                    sourceId: source.id,
-                    targetId: target.id,
-                    linkTypeId: linkType,
-                    properties: {},
+                    data: {
+                        sourceId: source.id,
+                        targetId: target.id,
+                        linkTypeId: linkType,
+                        properties: {},
+                    },
                 };
             },
             canConnect: async (source, target, linkType, {signal}) => {
diff --git a/src/data/metadataProvider.ts b/src/data/metadataProvider.ts
index 92c66a44..04c31804 100644
--- a/src/data/metadataProvider.ts
+++ b/src/data/metadataProvider.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import type { ElementTemplateState, LinkTemplateState } from '../diagram/elements';
+
 import type * as Rdf from './rdf/rdfModel';
 import type {
     ElementModel, ElementTypeIri, LinkTypeIri, PropertyTypeIri, LinkModel,
@@ -20,14 +22,14 @@ export interface MetadataProvider {
     createEntity(
         type: ElementTypeIri,
         options: { readonly signal?: AbortSignal }
-    ): Promise<ElementModel>;
+    ): Promise<MetadataCreatedEntity>;
 
     createRelation(
         source: ElementModel,
         target: ElementModel,
         linkType: LinkTypeIri,
         options: { readonly signal?: AbortSignal }
-    ): Promise<LinkModel>;
+    ): Promise<MetadataCreatedRelation>;
 
     canConnect(
         source: ElementModel,
@@ -64,6 +66,16 @@ export interface MetadataProvider {
     ): Promise<ReadonlySet<ElementTypeIri>>;
 }
 
+export interface MetadataCreatedEntity {
+    readonly data: ElementModel;
+    readonly elementState?: ElementTemplateState;
+}
+
+export interface MetadataCreatedRelation {
+    readonly data: LinkModel;
+    readonly linkState?: LinkTemplateState;
+}
+
 export interface MetadataCanConnect {
     readonly targetTypes: ReadonlySet<ElementTypeIri>;
     readonly inLinks: ReadonlyArray<LinkTypeIri>;
@@ -142,14 +154,16 @@ export class BaseMetadataProvider implements MetadataProvider {
     async createEntity(
         type: ElementTypeIri,
         options: { readonly signal?: AbortSignal; }
-    ): Promise<ElementModel> {
+    ): Promise<MetadataCreatedEntity> {
         if (this.methods.createEntity) {
             return this.methods.createEntity(type, options);
         }
         return {
-            id: '',
-            types: [],
-            properties: {},
+            data: {
+                id: '',
+                types: [],
+                properties: {},
+            },
         };
     }
 
@@ -158,15 +172,17 @@ export class BaseMetadataProvider implements MetadataProvider {
         target: ElementModel,
         linkType: LinkTypeIri,
         options: { readonly signal?: AbortSignal; }
-    ): Promise<LinkModel> {
+    ): Promise<MetadataCreatedRelation> {
         if (this.methods.createRelation) {
             return this.methods.createRelation(source, target, linkType, options);
         }
         return {
-            linkTypeId: linkType,
-            sourceId: source.id,
-            targetId: target.id,
-            properties: {},
+            data: {
+                linkTypeId: linkType,
+                sourceId: source.id,
+                targetId: target.id,
+                properties: {},
+            },
         };
     }
 
diff --git a/src/editor/editorController.tsx b/src/editor/editorController.tsx
index da51bb47..8a386ff6 100644
--- a/src/editor/editorController.tsx
+++ b/src/editor/editorController.tsx
@@ -312,11 +312,6 @@ export class EditorController {
         );
 
         const element = model.createElement(data);
-        // TODO: customize initial state via MetadataProvider
-        element.setElementState({
-            ...element.elementState,
-            [TemplateProperties.Expanded]: true,
-        });
 
         if (options.temporary) {
             this.setTemporaryState(
diff --git a/src/forms/elementTypeSelector.tsx b/src/forms/elementTypeSelector.tsx
index eb74c7e0..5a910325 100644
--- a/src/forms/elementTypeSelector.tsx
+++ b/src/forms/elementTypeSelector.tsx
@@ -6,8 +6,9 @@ import { EventObserver } from '../coreUtils/events';
 import { Translation } from '../coreUtils/i18n';
 
 import { PlaceholderEntityType } from '../data/schema';
-import { ElementModel, ElementTypeIri } from '../data/model';
-import { DataProviderLookupItem } from '../data/dataProvider';
+import type { ElementModel, ElementTypeIri } from '../data/model';
+import type { DataProviderLookupItem } from '../data/dataProvider';
+import type { MetadataCreatedEntity } from '../data/metadataProvider';
 
 import { HtmlSpinner } from '../diagram/spinner';
 
@@ -28,7 +29,7 @@ export interface ElementTypeSelectorProps {
 }
 
 export interface ElementValue {
-    value: ElementModel;
+    value: MetadataCreatedEntity;
     isNew: boolean;
     loading: boolean;
     error?: string;
@@ -188,13 +189,13 @@ export class ElementTypeSelectorInner extends React.Component<ElementTypeSelecto
 
         const {onChange, workspace: {editor: {metadataProvider}}} = this.props;
         const elementTypeIri: ElementTypeIri = (e.target as HTMLSelectElement).value;
-        let elementModel: ElementModel | null;
+        let createdEntity: MetadataCreatedEntity | null;
         try {
-            elementModel = await mapAbortedToNull(
+            createdEntity = await mapAbortedToNull(
                 metadataProvider!.createEntity(elementTypeIri, {signal}),
                 signal
             );
-            if (elementModel === null) {
+            if (createdEntity === null) {
                 return;
             }
         } catch (err) {
@@ -205,7 +206,7 @@ export class ElementTypeSelectorInner extends React.Component<ElementTypeSelecto
 
         this.setState({elementTypesState: 'none'});
         onChange({
-            value: elementModel,
+            value: createdEntity,
             isNew: true,
             loading: false,
         });
@@ -228,7 +229,7 @@ export class ElementTypeSelectorInner extends React.Component<ElementTypeSelecto
     private renderElementTypeSelector() {
         const {elementValue, workspace: {translation: t}} = this.props;
         const {elementTypes, elementTypesState} = this.state;
-        const value = elementValue.value.types.length ? elementValue.value.types[0] : '';
+        const value = elementValue.value.data.types.length ? elementValue.value.data.types[0] : '';
         if (elementTypesState !== 'none') {
             return (
                 <HtmlSpinner width={20} height={20}
@@ -283,7 +284,7 @@ export class ElementTypeSelectorInner extends React.Component<ElementTypeSelecto
                     <ListElementView key={element.id}
                         element={element}
                         disabled={isAlreadyOnDiagram || !hasAppropriateType}
-                        selected={element.id === elementValue.value.id}
+                        selected={element.id === elementValue.value.data.id}
                         onClick={(e, model) => void this.onSelectExistingItem(model)}
                     />
                 );
@@ -299,12 +300,12 @@ export class ElementTypeSelectorInner extends React.Component<ElementTypeSelecto
         this.loadingItemCancellation = new AbortController();
         const signal = this.loadingItemCancellation.signal;
 
-        onChange({value: data, isNew: false, loading: true});
+        onChange({value: {data}, isNew: false, loading: true});
         const result = await model.dataProvider.elements({elementIds: [data.id]});
         if (signal.aborted) { return; }
 
         const loadedModel = result.get(data.id)!;
-        onChange({value: loadedModel, isNew: false, loading: false});
+        onChange({value: {data: loadedModel}, isNew: false, loading: false});
     }
 
     render() {
diff --git a/src/forms/findOrCreateEntityForm.tsx b/src/forms/findOrCreateEntityForm.tsx
index 57005108..111d3689 100644
--- a/src/forms/findOrCreateEntityForm.tsx
+++ b/src/forms/findOrCreateEntityForm.tsx
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ export class FindOrCreateEntityForm extends React.Component<FindOrCreateEntityFo
         this.link = originalLink;
         this.state = {
             elementValue: {
-                value: target.data,
+                value: {data: target.data},
                 isNew: initialTargetIsNew,
                 loading: false,
                 validated: true,
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ export class FindOrCreateEntityForm extends React.Component<FindOrCreateEntityFo
         this.validationCancellation = new AbortController();
         const signal = this.validationCancellation.signal;
 
-        const validateElement = validateElementType(elementValue.value, this.context);
+        const validateElement = validateElementType(elementValue.value.data, this.context);
         const validateLink = validateLinkType(
             dataFromExtendedLink(linkValue.link),
             originalLink.data,
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ export class FindOrCreateEntityForm extends React.Component<FindOrCreateEntityFo
                                     link: {
                                         base: originalLink.data,
                                         source: source.data,
-                                        target: newState.value,
+                                        target: newState.value.data,
                                         direction: 'out',
                                     },
                                     validated: false,
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ export class FindOrCreateEntityForm extends React.Component<FindOrCreateEntityFo
                 editor.setTemporaryState(temporaryState);
                 // Target IRI change may also update link data
                 const batch = model.history.startBatch();
-                batch.history.execute(changeEntityData(model, target.iri, elementValue.value));
+                batch.history.execute(changeEntityData(model, target.iri, elementValue.value.data));
                 batch.discard();
                 
                 temporaryState = TemporaryState.addEntity(temporaryState, target.data);
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ export class FindOrCreateEntityForm extends React.Component<FindOrCreateEntityFo
         if (!elementValue.isNew) {
             editor.setTemporaryState(TemporaryState.removeEntity(
                 editor.temporaryState,
-                elementValue.value
+                elementValue.value.data
             ));
         }
         editor.removeTemporaryCells([target, link]);
@@ -235,16 +235,12 @@ export class FindOrCreateEntityForm extends React.Component<FindOrCreateEntityFo
 
         if (elementValue.isNew) {
             model.addElement(target);
-            // TODO: customize initial state via MetadataProvider
-            target.setElementState({
-                ...target.elementState,
-                [TemplateProperties.Expanded]: true,
-            });
+            target.setElementState(elementValue.value.elementState);
             editor.setAuthoringState(
                 AuthoringState.addEntity(editor.authoringState, target.data)
             );
         } else {
-            void model.requestLinks({addedElements: [elementValue.value.id]});
+            void model.requestLinks({addedElements: [elementValue.value.data.id]});
         }
 
         const linkBase = relationFromExtendedLink(linkValue.link, source, target);
diff --git a/src/templates/standardTemplate.tsx b/src/templates/standardTemplate.tsx
index 1fc6a7fb..806a3bb6 100644
--- a/src/templates/standardTemplate.tsx
+++ b/src/templates/standardTemplate.tsx
@@ -53,7 +53,17 @@ export const StandardTemplate: ElementTemplate = {
  *
  * @see {@link StandardEntity}
  */
-export interface StandardEntityProps extends TemplateProps {}
+export interface StandardEntityProps extends TemplateProps {
+    /**
+     * When set to `true`, allows to edite or delete the entity
+     * using corresponding buttons in the expanded state.
+     *
+     * @default false
+     * @deprecated Edities can be editied or deleted via inline action decorators
+     * when {@link VisualAuthoringProps.inlineEntityActions} is enabled.
+     */
+    showActions?: boolean;
+}
 
 const CLASS_NAME = 'reactodia-standard-template';
 
@@ -67,14 +77,11 @@ const CLASS_NAME = 'reactodia-standard-template';
  *   - {@link TemplateProperties.Expanded}
  *   - {@link TemplateProperties.PinnedProperties}
  *
- * Entities can be edited or deleted using corresponding buttons
- * from the expanded state.
- *
  * @category Components
  * @see {@link StandardTemplate}
  */
 export function StandardEntity(props: StandardEntityProps) {
-    const {element, isExpanded, elementState} = props;
+    const {showActions, element, isExpanded, elementState} = props;
     const workspace = useWorkspace();
     const {model, editor, translation: t, getElementTypeStyle} = workspace;
 
@@ -226,7 +233,7 @@ export function StandardEntity(props: StandardEntityProps) {
                     <div className={`${CLASS_NAME}__dropdown-content`}>
                         {renderIri(data)}
                         <PropertyList data={data} />
-                        {editor.inAuthoringMode ? <>
+                        {showActions && editor.inAuthoringMode ? <>
                             <hr className={`${CLASS_NAME}__hr`}
                                 data-reactodia-no-export='true'
                             />
@@ -521,6 +528,9 @@ function PropertyList(props: {
     );
 }
 
+/**
+ * @deprecated
+ */
 function Actions(props: {
     target: Element;
     entityContext: AuthoredEntityContext;
diff --git a/src/widgets/classTree/classTree.tsx b/src/widgets/classTree/classTree.tsx
index 5874fb85..f475b0e1 100644
--- a/src/widgets/classTree/classTree.tsx
+++ b/src/widgets/classTree/classTree.tsx
@@ -418,17 +418,18 @@ class ClassTreeInner extends React.Component<ClassTreeInnerProps, State> {
         this.createElementCancellation = new AbortController();
         const signal = this.createElementCancellation.signal;
 
-        const elementModel = await mapAbortedToNull(
+        const createdEntity = await mapAbortedToNull(
             editor.metadataProvider!.createEntity(elementType, {signal}),
             signal
         );
-        if (elementModel === null) {
+        if (createdEntity === null) {
             return;
         }
 
-        const element = editor.createEntity(elementModel);
-        let createAt: [CanvasApi, Vector] | undefined;
+        const element = editor.createEntity(createdEntity.data);
+        element.setElementState(createdEntity.elementState);
 
+        let createAt: [CanvasApi, Vector] | undefined;
         if (dropEvent) {
             createAt = [dropEvent.source, dropEvent.position];
         } else {
diff --git a/src/widgets/visualAuthoring/dragEditLayer.tsx b/src/widgets/visualAuthoring/dragEditLayer.tsx
index a55c081a..60ee310e 100644
--- a/src/widgets/visualAuthoring/dragEditLayer.tsx
+++ b/src/widgets/visualAuthoring/dragEditLayer.tsx
@@ -230,12 +230,15 @@ class EnitityDragConnection implements DragLinkConnection {
                 elementTypes.add(typeIri);
             }
         }
-        const selectedType = elementTypes.size === 1 ? Array.from(elementTypes)[0] : PlaceholderEntityType;
-        const elementModel = await editor.metadataProvider.createEntity(
+        const selectedType = elementTypes.size === 1
+            ? Array.from(elementTypes)[0] : PlaceholderEntityType;
+        const createdEntity = await editor.metadataProvider.createEntity(
             selectedType,
             {signal}
         );
-        return editor.createEntity(elementModel, {temporary: true});
+        const element = editor.createEntity(createdEntity.data, {temporary: true});
+        element.setElementState(createdEntity.elementState);
+        return element;
     }
 
     private async createNewLink(
@@ -285,7 +288,7 @@ class EnitityDragConnection implements DragLinkConnection {
         if (direction === 'in') {
             [effectiveSource, effectiveTarget] = [effectiveTarget, effectiveSource];
         }
-        const data = await editor.metadataProvider.createRelation(
+        const createdRelation = await editor.metadataProvider.createRelation(
             effectiveSource.data,
             effectiveTarget.data,
             linkTypeIri,
@@ -294,7 +297,8 @@ class EnitityDragConnection implements DragLinkConnection {
         const link = new RelationLink({
             sourceId: effectiveSource.id,
             targetId: effectiveTarget.id,
-            data,
+            data: createdRelation.data,
+            linkState: createdRelation.linkState,
         });
         const existingLink = model.findLink(link.typeId, link.sourceId, link.targetId);
         return existingLink instanceof RelationLink
diff --git a/src/workspace.ts b/src/workspace.ts
index 509f605e..be8ca085 100644
--- a/src/workspace.ts
+++ b/src/workspace.ts
@@ -22,8 +22,9 @@ export { Debouncer, animateInterval } from './coreUtils/scheduler';
 export * from './data/dataProvider';
 export * from './data/model';
 export {
-    MetadataProvider, MetadataCanConnect, MetadataCanModifyEntity, MetadataCanModifyRelation,
-    MetadataEntityShape, MetadataRelationShape, MetadataPropertyShape, BaseMetadataProvider,
+    MetadataProvider, MetadataCreatedEntity, MetadataCreatedRelation, MetadataCanConnect,
+    MetadataCanModifyEntity, MetadataCanModifyRelation, MetadataEntityShape,
+    MetadataRelationShape, MetadataPropertyShape, BaseMetadataProvider,
 } from './data/metadataProvider';
 export {
     ValidationProvider, ValidationEvent, ValidationResult, ValidatedElement, ValidatedLink,