diff --git a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Entity/ContentEntityStorageBase.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Entity/ContentEntityStorageBase.php
index 1ef4245..4a730d1 100644
--- a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Entity/ContentEntityStorageBase.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Entity/ContentEntityStorageBase.php
@@ -234,8 +234,8 @@ protected function hasFieldValueChanged(FieldDefinitionInterface $field_definiti
         return TRUE;
       }
 
-      $items = $entity->getTranslation($langcode)->get($field_name);
-      $originalItems = $original->getTranslation($langcode)->get($field_name);
+      $items = $entity->getTranslation($langcode)->get($field_name)->filterEmptyItems();
+      $originalItems = $original->getTranslation($langcode)->get($field_name)->filterEmptyItems();
       // If the field items are not equal, we need to save.
       if (!$items->equals($originalItems)) {
         return TRUE;
diff --git a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/FieldItemList.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/FieldItemList.php
index 58e66e1..86bac79 100644
--- a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/FieldItemList.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/FieldItemList.php
@@ -98,6 +98,7 @@ public function filterEmptyItems() {
     $this->filter(function ($item) {
       return !$item->isEmpty();
     });
+    return $this;
   }
 
   /**
@@ -375,8 +376,6 @@ protected function defaultValueWidget(FormStateInterface $form_state) {
    */
   public function equals(FieldItemListInterface $list_to_compare) {
     $columns = $this->getFieldDefinition()->getFieldStorageDefinition()->getColumns();
-    $this->filterEmptyItems();
-    $list_to_compare->filterEmptyItems();
     $count1 = count($this);
     $count2 = count($list_to_compare);
     if ($count1 === 0 && $count2 === 0) {
diff --git a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/FieldItemListInterface.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/FieldItemListInterface.php
index f6078c6..e4ea12c 100644
--- a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/FieldItemListInterface.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/FieldItemListInterface.php
@@ -94,6 +94,8 @@ public function defaultAccess($operation = 'view', AccountInterface $account = N
 
   /**
    * Filters out empty field items and re-numbers the item deltas.
+   *
+   * @return $this
    */
   public function filterEmptyItems();
 
diff --git a/core/tests/Drupal/Tests/Core/Field/FieldItemListTest.php b/core/tests/Drupal/Tests/Core/Field/FieldItemListTest.php
index b694f5d..65e996e 100644
--- a/core/tests/Drupal/Tests/Core/Field/FieldItemListTest.php
+++ b/core/tests/Drupal/Tests/Core/Field/FieldItemListTest.php
@@ -43,18 +43,9 @@ public function testEquals($expected, FieldItemInterface $first_field_item = NUL
     $field_list_b = new FieldItemList($field_definition);
 
     // Set up the mocking necessary for creating field items.
-    $at = 0;
-    if ($first_field_item instanceof FieldItemInterface) {
-      $field_type_manager->expects($this->at($at))
-        ->method('createFieldItem')
-        ->willReturn($first_field_item);
-      $at++;
-    }
-    if ($second_field_item instanceof FieldItemInterface) {
-      $field_type_manager->expects($this->at($at))
-        ->method('createFieldItem')
-        ->willReturn($second_field_item);
-    }
+    $field_type_manager->expects($this->any())
+      ->method('createFieldItem')
+      ->willReturnOnConsecutiveCalls($first_field_item, $second_field_item);
 
     // Set the field item values.
     if ($first_field_item instanceof FieldItemInterface) {
@@ -100,4 +91,59 @@ public function providerTestEquals() {
 
     return $datasets;
   }
+
+  /**
+   * @covers ::equals
+   */
+  public function testEqualsEmptyItems() {
+    /** @var \Drupal\Core\Field\FieldItemBase  $fv */
+    $first_field_item = $this->getMockForAbstractClass('Drupal\Core\Field\FieldItemBase', [], '', FALSE);
+    $first_field_item->setValue(['0' => 1, '1' => 2]);
+    $second_field_item = $this->getMockForAbstractClass('Drupal\Core\Field\FieldItemBase', [], '', FALSE);
+    $second_field_item->setValue(['1' => 2, '0' => 1]);
+    $empty_field_item = $this->getMockForAbstractClass('Drupal\Core\Field\FieldItemBase', [], '', FALSE);
+    // Mock the field type manager and place it in the container.
+    $field_type_manager = $this->getMock('Drupal\Core\Field\FieldTypePluginManagerInterface');
+    $container = new ContainerBuilder();
+    $container->set('plugin.manager.field.field_type', $field_type_manager);
+    \Drupal::setContainer($container);
+
+    $field_storage_definition = $this->getMock('Drupal\Core\Field\FieldStorageDefinitionInterface');
+    $field_storage_definition->expects($this->any())
+      ->method('getColumns')
+      ->willReturn([0 => '0', 1 => '1']);
+    $field_definition = $this->getMock('Drupal\Core\Field\FieldDefinitionInterface');
+    $field_definition->expects($this->any())
+      ->method('getFieldStorageDefinition')
+      ->willReturn($field_storage_definition);
+
+    $field_list_a = new FieldItemList($field_definition);
+    $field_list_b = new FieldItemList($field_definition);
+
+    // Set up the mocking necessary for creating field items.
+    $field_type_manager->expects($this->any())
+      ->method('createFieldItem')
+      ->willReturnOnConsecutiveCalls($first_field_item, $second_field_item, $empty_field_item, $empty_field_item);
+
+    // Set the field item values.
+    $field_list_a->setValue($first_field_item);
+    $field_list_b->setValue($second_field_item);
+    $field_list_a->appendItem($empty_field_item);
+
+    // Field list A has an empty item.
+    $this->assertEquals(FALSE, $field_list_a->equals($field_list_b));
+
+    // Field lists A and B have empty items.
+    $field_list_b->appendItem($empty_field_item);
+    $this->assertEquals(TRUE, $field_list_a->equals($field_list_b));
+
+    // Field list B has an empty item.
+    $field_list_a->filterEmptyItems();
+    $this->assertEquals(FALSE, $field_list_a->equals($field_list_b));
+
+    // Neither field lists A and B have empty items.
+    $field_list_b->filterEmptyItems();
+    $this->assertEquals(TRUE, $field_list_a->equals($field_list_b));
+  }
+
 }