diff -u b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/WidgetBase.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/WidgetBase.php
--- b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/WidgetBase.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/WidgetBase.php
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@
             '#weight' => 100,
           );
 
-          if ($cardinality == FieldStorageDefinitionInterface::CARDINALITY_UNLIMITED && !$form_state->isProgrammed()) {
+          if ($cardinality == FieldStorageDefinitionInterface::CARDINALITY_UNLIMITED && !$form_state->isProgrammed() && $field_state['items_count'] > 0) {
             $element['remove_item'] = array(
               '#type' => 'submit',
               '#value' => $this->t('Remove item'),