diff --git a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Config/Entity/ConfigEntityBase.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Config/Entity/ConfigEntityBase.php
index 12a4543..e357a54 100644
--- a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Config/Entity/ConfigEntityBase.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Config/Entity/ConfigEntityBase.php
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 use Drupal\Component\Plugin\ConfigurablePluginInterface;
 use Drupal\Component\Utility\String;
 use Drupal\Core\Cache\Cache;
+use Drupal\Core\Config\ConfigException;
 use Drupal\Core\Config\Schema\SchemaIncompleteException;
 use Drupal\Core\Entity\Entity;
 use Drupal\Core\Config\ConfigDuplicateUUIDException;
@@ -430,6 +431,7 @@ public function getConfigTarget() {
    * {@inheritdoc}
    */
   public function onDependencyRemoval(array $dependencies) {
+    return FALSE;
   }
 
   /**
@@ -452,4 +454,41 @@ protected static function invalidateTagsOnDelete(EntityTypeInterface $entity_typ
     Cache::invalidateTags($entity_type->getListCacheTags());
   }
 
+  public static function preDelete(EntityStorageInterface $storage, array $entities) {
+    foreach ($entities as $entity) {
+      if ($entity->isUninstalling() || $entity->isSyncing()) {
+        // During extension uninstall and configuration synchronisation
+        // deletions are already managed.
+        break;
+      }
+      $dependents = \Drupal::service('config.manager')->findConfigEntityDependentsAsEntities('config', [$entity->getConfigDependencyName()]);
+      if (!empty($dependents)) {
+        // Maybe the dependents can fix themselves.
+        foreach ($dependents as $dependent) {
+          // Build up the expected array to pass to onDependencyRemoval.
+          $dependencies_for_removal = [
+            'config' => [$entity],
+            'content' => [],
+            'module' => [],
+            'theme' => []
+          ];
+          $dependent->onDependencyRemoval($dependencies_for_removal);
+        }
+        // Delete everything can't be fixed. Recalculate the dependencies since
+        // fixing dependencies can change the dependency chain.
+        $dependents = \Drupal::service('config.manager')->findConfigEntityDependentsAsEntities('config', [$entity->getConfigDependencyName()]);
+        foreach ($dependents as $dependent) {
+          // Ensure that the dependent still exists.
+          $storage = \Drupal::entityManager()->getStorage($dependent->getEntityTypeId());
+          $dependent = $storage->load($dependent->id());
+          if ($dependent) {
+            $dependent->delete();
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    }
+    parent::preDelete($storage, $entities);
+  }
+
+
 }
diff --git a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Config/Entity/ConfigEntityInterface.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Config/Entity/ConfigEntityInterface.php
index 15347e3..5b813e1 100644
--- a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Config/Entity/ConfigEntityInterface.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Config/Entity/ConfigEntityInterface.php
@@ -162,15 +162,15 @@ public function calculateDependencies();
    * widgets and formatters if the plugin that supplies them depends on a
    * module that is being uninstalled.
    *
-   * @todo https://www.drupal.org/node/2336727 this method is only fired during
-   *   extension uninstallation but it could be used during config entity
-   *   deletion too.
-   *
    * @param array $dependencies
    *   An array of dependencies that will be deleted keyed by dependency type.
    *   Dependency types are, for example, entity, module and theme.
    *
+   * @return bool
+   *   TRUE if the entity has been changed as a result, FALSE if not.
+   *
    * @see \Drupal\Core\Config\Entity\ConfigDependencyManager
+   * @see \Drupal\Core\Config\ConfigEntityBase::preDelete()
    * @see \Drupal\Core\Config\ConfigManager::uninstall()
    * @see \Drupal\Core\Entity\EntityDisplayBase::onDependencyRemoval()
    */
diff --git a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Entity/EntityDisplayBase.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Entity/EntityDisplayBase.php
index aba35e2..9bafe89 100644
--- a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Entity/EntityDisplayBase.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Entity/EntityDisplayBase.php
@@ -410,6 +410,7 @@ public function onDependencyRemoval(array $dependencies) {
     if ($changed) {
       $this->save();
     }
+    return $changed;
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/FieldConfigBase.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/FieldConfigBase.php
index af1c399..0b791fc 100644
--- a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/FieldConfigBase.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/FieldConfigBase.php
@@ -267,6 +267,20 @@ public function calculateDependencies() {
   /**
    * {@inheritdoc}
    */
+  public function onDependencyRemoval(array $dependencies) {
+    $field_type_manager = \Drupal::service('plugin.manager.field.field_type');
+    $definition = $field_type_manager->getDefinition($this->getType());
+    $changed = $definition['class']::onDependencyRemoval($this, $dependencies);
+    if ($changed) {
+      $this->save();
+    }
+    return $changed;
+  }
+
+
+  /**
+   * {@inheritdoc}
+   */
   public function postCreate(EntityStorageInterface $storage) {
     parent::postCreate($storage);
     // If it was not present in the $values passed to create(), (e.g. for
diff --git a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/FieldItemBase.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/FieldItemBase.php
index b411b88..b2119e3 100644
--- a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/FieldItemBase.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/FieldItemBase.php
@@ -273,4 +273,11 @@ public static function calculateDependencies(FieldDefinitionInterface $field_def
     return array();
   }
 
+  /**
+   * {@inheritdoc}
+   */
+  public static function onDependencyRemoval(FieldDefinitionInterface $field_definition, array $dependencies) {
+    return FALSE;
+  }
+
 }
diff --git a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/FieldItemInterface.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/FieldItemInterface.php
index 1d0de29..f74b3f7 100644
--- a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/FieldItemInterface.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/FieldItemInterface.php
@@ -405,4 +405,20 @@ public function fieldSettingsForm(array $form, FormStateInterface $form_state);
    */
   public static function calculateDependencies(FieldDefinitionInterface $field_definition);
 
+  /**
+   * Informs the plugin that a dependency of the field will be deleted.
+   *
+   * @param \Drupal\Core\Field\FieldDefinitionInterface $field_definition
+   *   The field definition.
+   * @param array $dependencies
+   *   An array of dependencies that will be deleted keyed by dependency type.
+   *   Dependency types are, for example, entity, module and theme.
+   *
+   * @return bool
+   *   TRUE if the field definition has been changed as a result, FALSE if not.
+   *
+   * @see \Drupal\Core\Config\ConfigEntityInterface::onDependencyRemoval()
+   */
+  public static function onDependencyRemoval(FieldDefinitionInterface $field_definition, array $dependencies);
+
 }
diff --git a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/Plugin/Field/FieldType/EntityReferenceItem.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/Plugin/Field/FieldType/EntityReferenceItem.php
index e03750d..e45aae7 100644
--- a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/Plugin/Field/FieldType/EntityReferenceItem.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/Plugin/Field/FieldType/EntityReferenceItem.php
@@ -286,4 +286,23 @@ public static function calculateDependencies(FieldDefinitionInterface $field_def
     return $dependencies;
   }
 
+  public static function onDependencyRemoval(FieldDefinitionInterface $field_definition, array $dependencies) {
+    $changed = FALSE;
+    if (is_array($field_definition->default_value) && count($field_definition->default_value)) {
+      $target_entity_type = \Drupal::entityManager()->getDefinition($field_definition->getFieldStorageDefinition()->getSetting('target_type'));
+      foreach ($field_definition->default_value as $default_value) {
+        if (is_array($default_value) && isset($default_value['target_uuid'])) {
+          $entity = \Drupal::entityManager()->loadEntityByUuid($target_entity_type->id(), $default_value['target_uuid']);
+          // If the entity does not exist do not create the dependency.
+          // @see \Drupal\Core\Field\EntityReferenceFieldItemList::processDefaultValue()
+          if ($entity && in_array($entity, $dependencies[$target_entity_type->getConfigDependencyKey()])) {
+            $field_definition->default_value = [];
+            $changed = TRUE;
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    }
+    return $changed;
+  }
+
 }
diff --git a/core/modules/config/src/Tests/ConfigImporterTest.php b/core/modules/config/src/Tests/ConfigImporterTest.php
index d2c7cf0..bfef3a8 100644
--- a/core/modules/config/src/Tests/ConfigImporterTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/config/src/Tests/ConfigImporterTest.php
@@ -381,6 +381,10 @@ function testSecondaryUpdateDeletedDeleterFirst() {
 
   /**
    * Tests that secondary updates for deleted files work as expected.
+   *
+   * This test is completely hypothetical since we only support full
+   * configuration tree imports. Therefore, any configuration updates that cause
+   * secondary deletes should be reflected already in the staged configuration.
    */
   function testSecondaryUpdateDeletedDeleteeFirst() {
     $name_deleter = 'config_test.dynamic.deleter';
@@ -416,10 +420,10 @@ function testSecondaryUpdateDeletedDeleteeFirst() {
     $this->configImporter->reset()->import();
 
     $entity_storage = \Drupal::entityManager()->getStorage('config_test');
-    $deleter = $entity_storage->load('deleter');
-    $this->assertEqual($deleter->id(), 'deleter');
-    $this->assertEqual($deleter->uuid(), $values_deleter['uuid']);
-    $this->assertEqual($deleter->label(), $values_deleter['label']);
+    // Both entities are deleted. ConfigTest::postSave() causes updates of the
+    // deleter entity to delete the deletee entity. Since the deleter depends on
+    // the deletee, removing the deletee causes the deleter to be removed.
+    $this->assertFalse($entity_storage->load('deleter'));
     // @todo The deletee entity does not exist as the update worked but the
     //   entity was deleted after that. There is also no log message as this
     //   happened outside of the config importer.
diff --git a/core/modules/config/tests/config_test/src/Entity/ConfigTest.php b/core/modules/config/tests/config_test/src/Entity/ConfigTest.php
index 4357597..ff024a5 100644
--- a/core/modules/config/tests/config_test/src/Entity/ConfigTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/config/tests/config_test/src/Entity/ConfigTest.php
@@ -136,6 +136,7 @@ public function onDependencyRemoval(array $dependencies) {
     if ($changed) {
       $this->save();
     }
+    return $changed;
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/core/modules/entity_reference/src/Tests/EntityReferenceIntegrationTest.php b/core/modules/entity_reference/src/Tests/EntityReferenceIntegrationTest.php
index 6c5f8fc..90cc352 100644
--- a/core/modules/entity_reference/src/Tests/EntityReferenceIntegrationTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/entity_reference/src/Tests/EntityReferenceIntegrationTest.php
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 
 use Drupal\Component\Utility\String;
 use Drupal\config\Tests\AssertConfigEntityImportTrait;
+use Drupal\Core\Config\Entity\ConfigEntityBase;
 use Drupal\field\Entity\FieldConfig;
 use Drupal\simpletest\WebTestBase;
 
@@ -152,6 +153,9 @@ public function testSupportedEntityTypesAndWidgets() {
       // Ensure that the field can be imported without change even after the
       // default value deleted.
       $referenced_entities[0]->delete();
+      // Reload the field since deleting the default value can change the field.
+      \Drupal::entityManager()->getStorage($field->getEntityTypeId())->resetCache([$field->id()]);
+      $field = FieldConfig::loadByName($this->entityType, $this->bundle, $this->fieldName);
       $this->assertConfigEntityImport($field);
 
       // Once the default value has been removed after saving the dependency
diff --git a/core/modules/filter/src/Entity/FilterFormat.php b/core/modules/filter/src/Entity/FilterFormat.php
index dc4643a..036c730 100644
--- a/core/modules/filter/src/Entity/FilterFormat.php
+++ b/core/modules/filter/src/Entity/FilterFormat.php
@@ -413,6 +413,7 @@ public function onDependencyRemoval(array $dependencies) {
     if ($changed) {
       $this->save();
     }
+    return $changed;
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/core/tests/Drupal/Tests/Core/Config/Entity/ConfigEntityStorageTest.php b/core/tests/Drupal/Tests/Core/Config/Entity/ConfigEntityStorageTest.php
index 4ed1c20..9ef8466 100644
--- a/core/tests/Drupal/Tests/Core/Config/Entity/ConfigEntityStorageTest.php
+++ b/core/tests/Drupal/Tests/Core/Config/Entity/ConfigEntityStorageTest.php
@@ -97,6 +97,13 @@ class ConfigEntityStorageTest extends UnitTestCase {
   protected $typedConfigManager;
 
   /**
+   * The configuration manager.
+   *
+   * @var \Drupal\Core\Config\ConfigManagerInterface
+   */
+  protected $configManager;
+
+  /**
    * {@inheritdoc}
    *
    * @covers ::__construct
@@ -160,10 +167,14 @@ protected function setUp() {
     $this->typedConfigManager->expects($this->any())
       ->method('getDefinition')
       ->will($this->returnValue(array('mapping' => array('id' => '', 'uuid' => '', 'dependencies' => ''))));
+
+    $this->configManager = $this->getMock('Drupal\Core\Config\ConfigManagerInterface');
+
     $container = new ContainerBuilder();
     $container->set('entity.manager', $this->entityManager);
     $container->set('config.typed', $this->typedConfigManager);
     $container->set('cache_tags.invalidator', $this->cacheTagsInvalidator);
+    $container->set('config.manager', $this->configManager);
     \Drupal::setContainer($container);
 
   }