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 8073b18..b31829c 100644
--- a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/Plugin/Field/FieldType/EntityReferenceItem.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/Plugin/Field/FieldType/EntityReferenceItem.php
@@ -256,12 +256,11 @@ public static function calculateDependencies(FieldDefinitionInterface $field_def
       foreach ($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) {
             $dependencies[$key][] = $entity->getConfigDependencyName();
           }
-          else {
-            throw new MissingDefaultValueException($target_entity_type->id(), $default_value['target_uuid'], $field_definition->getName());
-          }
         }
       }
     }
diff --git a/core/modules/entity_reference/src/Exception/MissingDefaultValueException.php b/core/modules/entity_reference/src/Exception/MissingDefaultValueException.php
deleted file mode 100644
index 2070e27..0000000
--- a/core/modules/entity_reference/src/Exception/MissingDefaultValueException.php
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,33 +0,0 @@
-<?php
-
-/**
- * @file
- * Contains \Drupal\entity_reference\RecursiveRenderingException.
- */
-
-namespace Drupal\entity_reference\Exception;
-
-/**
- * Exception thrown when an entity reference has a nonexistent default value.
- */
-class MissingDefaultValueException extends \Exception {
-  /**
-   * Construct an MissingDefaultValueException exception.
-   *
-   * @param string $entity_type_id
-   *   The entity type ID of the missing entity.
-   * @param string $uuid
-   *   The UUID of the missing entity.
-   * @param string $field_name
-   *   The entity reference field name.
-   *
-   * @see \Exception for remaining parameters.
-   */
-  public function __construct($entity_type_id, $uuid, $field_name, $message = '', $code = 0, \Exception $previous = NULL) {
-    if (empty($message)) {
-      $message = sprintf("Default value '%s' of entity type '%s' for '%s' field was not found.", $uuid, $entity_type_id, $field_name);
-    }
-    parent::__construct($message, $code, $previous);
-  }
-
-}
diff --git a/core/modules/entity_reference/src/Tests/EntityReferenceIntegrationTest.php b/core/modules/entity_reference/src/Tests/EntityReferenceIntegrationTest.php
index 01994bf..2f03ed1 100644
--- a/core/modules/entity_reference/src/Tests/EntityReferenceIntegrationTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/entity_reference/src/Tests/EntityReferenceIntegrationTest.php
@@ -139,25 +139,21 @@ public function testSupportedEntityTypesAndWidgets() {
         $field_edit['field[settings][handler_settings][target_bundles][' . $referenced_entities[0]->getEntityTypeId() . ']'] = TRUE;
       }
       $this->drupalPostForm($this->entityType . '/structure/' . $this->bundle .'/fields/' . $this->entityType . '.' . $this->bundle . '.' . $this->fieldName, $field_edit, t('Save settings'));
-      $config_entity = $this->container->get('config.factory')->get('field.field.' . $this->entityType . '.' . $this->bundle . '.' . $this->fieldName)->get();
       // Ensure the configuration has the expected dependency on the entity that
       // is being used a default value.
-      $this->assertTrue(in_array($referenced_entities[0]->getConfigDependencyName(), $config_entity['dependencies'][$key]), String::format('Expected @type dependency @name found', ['@type' => $key, '@name' => $referenced_entities[0]->getConfigDependencyName()]));
+      $field = FieldConfig::loadByName($this->entityType, $this->bundle, $this->fieldName);
+      $this->assertTrue(in_array($referenced_entities[0]->getConfigDependencyName(), $field->getDependencies()[$key]), String::format('Expected @type dependency @name found', ['@type' => $key, '@name' => $referenced_entities[0]->getConfigDependencyName()]));
       // Ensure that the field can be imported without change even after the
       // default value deleted.
       $referenced_entities[0]->delete();
-      $this->assertConfigEntityImport(FieldConfig::loadByName($this->entityType, $this->bundle, $this->fieldName));
-
-      // Test re-saving the field now that the default value does not exist.
-      $msg = 'Expected MissingDefaultValueException exception thrown.';
-      try {
-        FieldConfig::loadByName($this->entityType, $this->bundle, $this->fieldName)->save();
-        $this->fail($msg);
-      }
-      catch (MissingDefaultValueException $e) {
-        $this->pass($msg);
-        $this->assertEqual($e->getMessage(), sprintf("Default value '%s' of entity type '%s' for '%s' field was not found.", $referenced_entities[0]->uuid(), $referenced_entities[0]->getEntityTypeId(), $this->fieldName));
-      }
+      $this->assertConfigEntityImport($field);
+
+      // Once the default value has been removed after saving the dependency
+      // should be removed.
+      $field = FieldConfig::loadByName($this->entityType, $this->bundle, $this->fieldName);
+      $field->save();
+      $dependencies = $field->getDependencies();
+      $this->assertFalse(isset($dependencies[$key]) && in_array($referenced_entities[0]->getConfigDependencyName(), $dependencies[$key]), String::format('@type dependency @name does not exist.', ['@type' => $key, '@name' => $referenced_entities[0]->getConfigDependencyName()]));
     }
   }