diff -u b/core/modules/text/src/Plugin/Field/FieldType/TextItemBase.php b/core/modules/text/src/Plugin/Field/FieldType/TextItemBase.php
--- b/core/modules/text/src/Plugin/Field/FieldType/TextItemBase.php
+++ b/core/modules/text/src/Plugin/Field/FieldType/TextItemBase.php
@@ -21,8 +21,11 @@
       ->setLabel(t('Text'))
       ->setRequired(TRUE);
 
-    $properties['format'] = DataDefinition::create('filter_format')
-      ->setLabel(t('Text format'));
+    $moduleHandler = \Drupal::service('module_handler');
+    if ($moduleHandler->moduleExists('filter')) {
+      $properties['format'] = DataDefinition::create('filter_format')
+        ->setLabel(t('Text format'));
+    }
 
     $properties['processed'] = DataDefinition::create('string')
       ->setLabel(t('Processed text'))
@@ -50,8 +53,8 @@
   public function isEmpty() {
     $value = $this->get('value')->getValue();
     $format = NULL;
-    $moduleHandler = \Drupal::service('module_handler');
-    if ($moduleHandler->moduleExists('filter')) {
+    $properties = $this->getProperties();
+    if (isset($properties['format'])) {
       $format = $this->get('format')->getValue();
     }
     return ($value === NULL || $value === '') && ($format === NULL || $format === '');