diff --git a/core/modules/hal/src/Normalizer/FieldItemNormalizer.php b/core/modules/hal/src/Normalizer/FieldItemNormalizer.php
index f9b952ba16..6fd8afd594 100644
--- a/core/modules/hal/src/Normalizer/FieldItemNormalizer.php
+++ b/core/modules/hal/src/Normalizer/FieldItemNormalizer.php
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 use Drupal\Core\Entity\FieldableEntityInterface;
 use Drupal\Core\Field\FieldItemInterface;
+use Drupal\Core\Field\FieldStorageDefinitionInterface;
 use Symfony\Component\Serializer\Exception\InvalidArgumentException;
 
 /**
@@ -134,7 +135,8 @@ protected function createTranslatedInstance(FieldItemInterface $item, $langcode)
     $field = $entity_translation->get($field_name);
 
     // Append an item only if the item list is empty or allows multiple values.
-    if (!count($field) || $item->getFieldDefinition()->getFieldStorageDefinition()->isMultiple()) {
+    $cardinality = $item->getFieldDefinition()->getFieldStorageDefinition()->getCardinality();
+    if ($cardinality === FieldStorageDefinitionInterface::CARDINALITY_UNLIMITED || count($field) < $cardinality) {
       return $field->appendItem();
     }
     return $field->first();