diff --git a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/FieldTypePluginManager.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/FieldTypePluginManager.php
index 058a28febd..8ff35821f8 100644
--- a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/FieldTypePluginManager.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/FieldTypePluginManager.php
@@ -168,10 +168,8 @@ public function getPreconfiguredOptions($field_type) {
    */
   public function getPluginClass($type) {
     $plugin_definition = $this->getDefinition($type, FALSE);
-    // @todo the use of the coalesce operator below is needed to get
-    // Drupal\KernelTests\Core\Field\FieldMissingTypeTest tests pass on
-    // PHP 7.4.
-    return $plugin_definition['class'] ?? NULL;
+    $plugin_class = ($plugin_definition && isset($plugin_definition['class'])) ? $plugin_definition['class'] : NULL;
+    return $plugin_class;
   }
 
 }