diff --git field_collection.module field_collection.module
index 00e8d27..18c476f 100644
--- field_collection.module
+++ field_collection.module
@@ -511,6 +511,38 @@ function field_collection_field_presave($entity_type, $entity, $field, $instance
 }
 
 /**
+ * Implements hook_field_update().
+ *
+ * Checks for field_collection_item entities that have been removed from the object.
+ */
+function field_collection_field_update($entity_type, $entity, $field, $instance, $langcode, &$items) {
+  list($id, $vid, $bundle) = entity_extract_ids($entity_type, $entity);
+
+  // On new revisions, all original field_collection_items may still
+  // be associated with the previous revision, so must be preserved.
+  if (!empty($entity->revision)) {
+    return;
+  }
+
+  // Array of the current field_collection_item entity_ids.
+  $current_ids = field_collection_field_item_to_ids($items);
+
+  // Create a bare-bones entity so that we can load its previous values.
+  $original = entity_create_stub_entity($entity_type, array($id, $vid, $bundle));
+  field_attach_load($entity_type, array($id => $original), FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT, array('field_id' => $field['id']));
+
+  // Compare the original field values with the ones that are being saved.
+  if (!empty($original->{$field['field_name']}[$langcode])) {
+    $original_ids = field_collection_field_item_to_ids($original->{$field['field_name']}[$langcode]);
+    $orphaned_field_collection_items = array_diff($original_ids, $current_ids);
+    // Delete orphaned field_collection_item entities. Otherwise they'll be around forever.
+    if (!empty($orphaned_field_collection_items)) {
+      entity_delete_multiple('field_collection_item', $orphaned_field_collection_items);
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+/**
  * Implements hook_field_delete().
  */
 function field_collection_field_delete($entity_type, $entity, $field, $instance, $langcode, &$items) {