diff --git a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Entity/EntityDisplayBase.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Entity/EntityDisplayBase.php
index 285df5a..f4edb91 100644
--- a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Entity/EntityDisplayBase.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Entity/EntityDisplayBase.php
@@ -288,6 +288,11 @@
       $options = $this->pluginManager->prepareConfiguration($field_definition->getType(), $options);
     }
 
+    // Ensure we always have an empty settings array.
+    if (!isset($options['settings'])) {
+      $options['settings'] = array();
+    }
+
     $this->content[$name] = $options;
     unset($this->hidden[$name]);
     unset($this->plugins[$name]);
diff --git a/core/modules/field_ui/src/Tests/EntityDisplayTest.php b/core/modules/field_ui/src/Tests/EntityDisplayTest.php
index 099bc7f..b9a58cc 100644
--- a/core/modules/field_ui/src/Tests/EntityDisplayTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/field_ui/src/Tests/EntityDisplayTest.php
@@ -40,15 +40,15 @@
     // Check that providing no 'weight' results in the highest current weight
     // being assigned. The 'name' field's formatter has weight -5, therefore
     // these follow.
-    $expected['component_1'] = array('weight' => -4);
-    $expected['component_2'] = array('weight' => -3);
+    $expected['component_1'] = array('weight' => -4, 'settings' => array());
+    $expected['component_2'] = array('weight' => -3, 'settings' => array());
     $display->setComponent('component_1');
     $display->setComponent('component_2');
     $this->assertEqual($display->getComponent('component_1'), $expected['component_1']);
     $this->assertEqual($display->getComponent('component_2'), $expected['component_2']);
 
     // Check that arbitrary options are correctly stored.
-    $expected['component_3'] = array('weight' => 10, 'third_party_settings' => array('field_test' => array('foo' => 'bar')));
+    $expected['component_3'] = array('weight' => 10, 'third_party_settings' => array('field_test' => array('foo' => 'bar')), 'settings' => array());
     $display->setComponent('component_3', $expected['component_3']);
     $this->assertEqual($display->getComponent('component_3'), $expected['component_3']);
 
     // Check that entity_get_display() returns the correct object.
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@
     $display->removeComponent('display_extra_field');
     $display->setComponent('display_extra_field_hidden', array('weight' => 10));
     $this->assertNull($display->getComponent('display_extra_field'));
-    $this->assertEqual($display->getComponent('display_extra_field_hidden'), array('weight' => 10));
+    $this->assertEqual($display->getComponent('display_extra_field_hidden'), array('weight' => 10, 'settings' => array()));
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/core/modules/field_ui/src/Tests/EntityFormDisplayTest.php b/core/modules/field_ui/src/Tests/EntityFormDisplayTest.php
index b7f5032..ad723e5 100644
--- a/core/modules/field_ui/src/Tests/EntityFormDisplayTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/field_ui/src/Tests/EntityFormDisplayTest.php
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@
     $form_display = entity_get_form_display('entity_test', 'entity_test', 'default');
     $this->assertFalse($form_display->isNew());
     $this->assertEqual($form_display->id, 'entity_test.entity_test.default');
-    $this->assertEqual($form_display->getComponent('component_1'), array('weight' => 10));
+    $this->assertEqual($form_display->getComponent('component_1'), array('weight' => 10, 'settings' => array()));
   }
 
   /**