diff --git a/flatmap/expand.go b/flatmap/expand.go
index e325077ef..6f2f6a228 100644
--- a/flatmap/expand.go
+++ b/flatmap/expand.go
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ func Expand(m map[string]string, key string) interface{} {
 
 	// Check if this is a prefix in the map
 	prefix := key + "."
-	for k, _ := range m {
+	for k := range m {
 		if strings.HasPrefix(k, prefix) {
 			return expandMap(m, prefix)
 		}
@@ -52,9 +52,17 @@ func expandArray(m map[string]string, prefix string) []interface{} {
 		panic(err)
 	}
 
-	// The Schema "Set" type stores its values in an array format, but using
-	// numeric hash values instead of ordinal keys. Take the set of keys
-	// regardless of value, and expand them in numeric order.
+	// If the number of elements in this array is 0, then return an
+	// empty slice as there is nothing to expand. Trying to expand it
+	// anyway could lead to crashes as any child maps, arrays or sets
+	// that no longer exist are still shown as empty with a count of 0.
+	if num == 0 {
+		return []interface{}{}
+	}
+
+	// The Schema "Set" type stores its values in an array format, but
+	// using numeric hash values instead of ordinal keys. Take the set
+	// of keys regardless of value, and expand them in numeric order.
 	// See GH-11042 for more details.
 	keySet := map[int]bool{}
 	computed := map[string]bool{}
@@ -107,7 +115,7 @@ func expandArray(m map[string]string, prefix string) []interface{} {
 
 func expandMap(m map[string]string, prefix string) map[string]interface{} {
 	result := make(map[string]interface{})
-	for k, _ := range m {
+	for k := range m {
 		if !strings.HasPrefix(k, prefix) {
 			continue
 		}
@@ -125,6 +133,7 @@ func expandMap(m map[string]string, prefix string) map[string]interface{} {
 		if key == "%" {
 			continue
 		}
+
 		result[key] = Expand(m, k[:len(prefix)+len(key)])
 	}
 
diff --git a/flatmap/expand_test.go b/flatmap/expand_test.go
index cf74fadbc..61b151b17 100644
--- a/flatmap/expand_test.go
+++ b/flatmap/expand_test.go
@@ -147,6 +147,22 @@ func TestExpand(t *testing.T) {
 				},
 			},
 		},
+
+		{
+			Map: map[string]string{
+				"struct.#":           "1",
+				"struct.0.name":      "hello",
+				"struct.0.set.#":     "0",
+				"struct.0.set.0.key": "value",
+			},
+			Key: "struct",
+			Output: []interface{}{
+				map[string]interface{}{
+					"name": "hello",
+					"set":  []interface{}{},
+				},
+			},
+		},
 	}
 
 	for _, tc := range cases {
diff --git a/helper/schema/schema.go b/helper/schema/schema.go
index 08c83263e..d04f05b35 100644
--- a/helper/schema/schema.go
+++ b/helper/schema/schema.go
@@ -656,19 +656,6 @@ func (m schemaMap) InternalValidate(topSchemaMap schemaMap) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (m schemaMap) markAsRemoved(k string, schema *Schema, diff *terraform.InstanceDiff) {
-	existingDiff, ok := diff.Attributes[k]
-	if ok {
-		existingDiff.NewRemoved = true
-		diff.Attributes[k] = schema.finalizeDiff(existingDiff)
-		return
-	}
-
-	diff.Attributes[k] = schema.finalizeDiff(&terraform.ResourceAttrDiff{
-		NewRemoved: true,
-	})
-}
-
 func (m schemaMap) diff(
 	k string,
 	schema *Schema,
@@ -792,7 +779,6 @@ func (m schemaMap) diffList(
 
 	switch t := schema.Elem.(type) {
 	case *Resource:
-		countDiff, cOk := diff.GetAttribute(k + ".#")
 		// This is a complex resource
 		for i := 0; i < maxLen; i++ {
 			for k2, schema := range t.Schema {
@@ -801,15 +787,6 @@ func (m schemaMap) diffList(
 				if err != nil {
 					return err
 				}
-
-				// If parent list is being removed
-				// remove all subfields which were missed by the diff func
-				// We process these separately because type-specific diff functions
-				// lack the context (hierarchy of fields)
-				subKeyIsCount := strings.HasSuffix(subK, ".#")
-				if cOk && countDiff.New == "0" && !subKeyIsCount {
-					m.markAsRemoved(subK, schema, diff)
-				}
 			}
 		}
 	case *Schema:
@@ -1019,7 +996,6 @@ func (m schemaMap) diffSet(
 		for _, code := range list {
 			switch t := schema.Elem.(type) {
 			case *Resource:
-				countDiff, cOk := diff.GetAttribute(k + ".#")
 				// This is a complex resource
 				for k2, schema := range t.Schema {
 					subK := fmt.Sprintf("%s.%s.%s", k, code, k2)
@@ -1027,17 +1003,7 @@ func (m schemaMap) diffSet(
 					if err != nil {
 						return err
 					}
-
-					// If parent set is being removed
-					// remove all subfields which were missed by the diff func
-					// We process these separately because type-specific diff functions
-					// lack the context (hierarchy of fields)
-					subKeyIsCount := strings.HasSuffix(subK, ".#")
-					if cOk && countDiff.New == "0" && !subKeyIsCount {
-						m.markAsRemoved(subK, schema, diff)
-					}
 				}
-
 			case *Schema:
 				// Copy the schema so that we can set Computed/ForceNew from
 				// the parent schema (the TypeSet).
diff --git a/helper/schema/schema_test.go b/helper/schema/schema_test.go
index 4d93ffd17..d2f667576 100644
--- a/helper/schema/schema_test.go
+++ b/helper/schema/schema_test.go
@@ -2777,363 +2777,6 @@ func TestSchemaMap_Diff(t *testing.T) {
 				},
 			},
 		},
-
-		{
-			Name: "Removal of TypeList should cause nested Bool fields w/ Default to be removed too",
-			Schema: map[string]*Schema{
-				"deployment_group_name": &Schema{
-					Type:     TypeString,
-					Required: true,
-					ForceNew: true,
-				},
-
-				"alarm_configuration": &Schema{
-					Type:     TypeList,
-					Optional: true,
-					MaxItems: 1,
-					Elem: &Resource{
-						Schema: map[string]*Schema{
-							"alarms": &Schema{
-								Type:     TypeSet,
-								Optional: true,
-								Set:      HashString,
-								Elem:     &Schema{Type: TypeString},
-							},
-
-							"enabled": &Schema{
-								Type:     TypeBool,
-								Optional: true,
-							},
-
-							"ignore_poll_alarm_failure": &Schema{
-								Type:     TypeBool,
-								Optional: true,
-								Default:  false,
-							},
-						},
-					},
-				},
-			},
-
-			State: &terraform.InstanceState{
-				Attributes: map[string]string{
-					"alarm_configuration.#":                           "1",
-					"alarm_configuration.0.alarms.#":                  "1",
-					"alarm_configuration.0.alarms.2356372769":         "foo",
-					"alarm_configuration.0.enabled":                   "true",
-					"alarm_configuration.0.ignore_poll_alarm_failure": "false",
-					"deployment_group_name":                           "foo-group-32345345345",
-				},
-			},
-
-			Config: map[string]interface{}{
-				"deployment_group_name": "foo-group-32345345345",
-			},
-
-			Diff: &terraform.InstanceDiff{
-				Attributes: map[string]*terraform.ResourceAttrDiff{
-					"alarm_configuration.#": &terraform.ResourceAttrDiff{
-						Old:        "1",
-						New:        "0",
-						NewRemoved: false,
-					},
-					"alarm_configuration.0.alarms": &terraform.ResourceAttrDiff{
-						Old:        "",
-						New:        "",
-						NewRemoved: true,
-					},
-					"alarm_configuration.0.alarms.#": &terraform.ResourceAttrDiff{
-						Old:        "1",
-						New:        "0",
-						NewRemoved: false,
-					},
-					"alarm_configuration.0.alarms.2356372769": &terraform.ResourceAttrDiff{
-						Old:        "foo",
-						New:        "",
-						NewRemoved: true,
-					},
-					"alarm_configuration.0.enabled": &terraform.ResourceAttrDiff{
-						Old:        "true",
-						New:        "false",
-						NewRemoved: true,
-					},
-					"alarm_configuration.0.ignore_poll_alarm_failure": &terraform.ResourceAttrDiff{
-						Old:        "",
-						New:        "",
-						NewRemoved: true,
-					},
-				},
-			},
-		},
-
-		{
-			Name: "Removal of TypeList should cause all empty nested String fields to be removed too",
-			Schema: map[string]*Schema{
-				"bucket": {
-					Type:     TypeString,
-					Required: true,
-					ForceNew: true,
-				},
-
-				"acl": {
-					Type:     TypeString,
-					Default:  "private",
-					Optional: true,
-				},
-
-				"website": {
-					Type:     TypeList,
-					Optional: true,
-					Elem: &Resource{
-						Schema: map[string]*Schema{
-							"index_document": {
-								Type:     TypeString,
-								Optional: true,
-							},
-
-							"error_document": {
-								Type:     TypeString,
-								Optional: true,
-							},
-
-							"redirect_all_requests_to": {
-								Type:     TypeString,
-								Optional: true,
-							},
-
-							"routing_rules": {
-								Type:     TypeString,
-								Optional: true,
-							},
-						},
-					},
-				},
-			},
-
-			State: &terraform.InstanceState{
-				Attributes: map[string]string{
-					"acl":                                "public-read",
-					"bucket":                             "tf-test-bucket-5011072831090096749",
-					"website.#":                          "1",
-					"website.0.error_document":           "error.html",
-					"website.0.index_document":           "index.html",
-					"website.0.redirect_all_requests_to": "",
-				},
-			},
-
-			Config: map[string]interface{}{
-				"acl":    "public-read",
-				"bucket": "tf-test-bucket-5011072831090096749",
-			},
-
-			Diff: &terraform.InstanceDiff{
-				Attributes: map[string]*terraform.ResourceAttrDiff{
-					"website.#": &terraform.ResourceAttrDiff{
-						Old:        "1",
-						New:        "0",
-						NewRemoved: false,
-					},
-					"website.0.index_document": &terraform.ResourceAttrDiff{
-						Old:        "index.html",
-						New:        "",
-						NewRemoved: true,
-					},
-					"website.0.error_document": &terraform.ResourceAttrDiff{
-						Old:        "error.html",
-						New:        "",
-						NewRemoved: true,
-					},
-					"website.0.redirect_all_requests_to": &terraform.ResourceAttrDiff{
-						Old:        "",
-						New:        "",
-						NewRemoved: true,
-					},
-					"website.0.routing_rules": &terraform.ResourceAttrDiff{
-						Old:        "",
-						New:        "",
-						NewRemoved: true,
-					},
-				},
-			},
-		},
-
-		{
-			Name: "Removal of TypeList should cause nested Int fields w/ Default to be removed too",
-			Schema: map[string]*Schema{
-				"availability_zones": &Schema{
-					Type:     TypeSet,
-					Elem:     &Schema{Type: TypeString},
-					Optional: true,
-					Computed: true,
-					Set:      HashString,
-				},
-
-				"access_logs": &Schema{
-					Type:     TypeList,
-					Optional: true,
-					MaxItems: 1,
-					Elem: &Resource{
-						Schema: map[string]*Schema{
-							"interval": &Schema{
-								Type:     TypeInt,
-								Optional: true,
-								Default:  60,
-							},
-							"bucket": &Schema{
-								Type:     TypeString,
-								Required: true,
-							},
-							"bucket_prefix": &Schema{
-								Type:     TypeString,
-								Optional: true,
-							},
-							"enabled": &Schema{
-								Type:     TypeBool,
-								Optional: true,
-								Default:  true,
-							},
-						},
-					},
-				},
-			},
-
-			State: &terraform.InstanceState{
-				Attributes: map[string]string{
-					"access_logs.#":                 "1",
-					"access_logs.0.bucket":          "terraform-access-logs-bucket-5906065226840117876",
-					"access_logs.0.bucket_prefix":   "",
-					"access_logs.0.enabled":         "true",
-					"access_logs.0.interval":        "5",
-					"availability_zones.#":          "3",
-					"availability_zones.2050015877": "us-west-2c",
-					"availability_zones.221770259":  "us-west-2b",
-					"availability_zones.2487133097": "us-west-2a",
-				},
-			},
-
-			Config: map[string]interface{}{
-				"availability_zones": []interface{}{"us-west-2a", "us-west-2b", "us-west-2c"},
-			},
-
-			Diff: &terraform.InstanceDiff{
-				Attributes: map[string]*terraform.ResourceAttrDiff{
-					"access_logs.#": &terraform.ResourceAttrDiff{
-						Old:        "1",
-						New:        "0",
-						NewRemoved: false,
-					},
-					"access_logs.0.bucket": &terraform.ResourceAttrDiff{
-						Old:        "terraform-access-logs-bucket-5906065226840117876",
-						New:        "",
-						NewRemoved: true,
-					},
-					"access_logs.0.bucket_prefix": &terraform.ResourceAttrDiff{
-						Old:        "",
-						New:        "",
-						NewRemoved: true,
-					},
-					"access_logs.0.enabled": &terraform.ResourceAttrDiff{
-						Old:        "",
-						New:        "",
-						NewRemoved: true,
-					},
-					"access_logs.0.interval": &terraform.ResourceAttrDiff{
-						Old:        "5",
-						New:        "60",
-						NewRemoved: true,
-					},
-				},
-			},
-		},
-
-		{
-			Name: "Removal of TypeSet should cause computed fields to be removed",
-			Schema: map[string]*Schema{
-				"type_set": &Schema{
-					Type:     TypeSet,
-					Optional: true,
-					Elem: &Resource{
-						Schema: map[string]*Schema{
-							"name": &Schema{
-								Type:     TypeString,
-								Optional: true,
-							},
-							"required": &Schema{
-								Type:     TypeString,
-								Required: true,
-							},
-							"value": &Schema{
-								Type:     TypeInt,
-								Optional: true,
-							},
-							"required_value": &Schema{
-								Type:     TypeInt,
-								Required: true,
-							},
-							"computed_value": &Schema{
-								Type:     TypeString,
-								Optional: true,
-								Computed: true,
-							},
-						},
-					},
-					Set: func(i interface{}) int {
-						if i != nil {
-							return 12345
-						}
-						return 0
-					},
-				},
-			},
-
-			State: &terraform.InstanceState{
-				Attributes: map[string]string{
-					"type_set.#":                    "1",
-					"type_set.12345.name":           "Name",
-					"type_set.12345.required":       "Required",
-					"type_set.12345.value":          "0",
-					"type_set.12345.required_value": "5",
-					"type_set.12345.computed_value": "COMPUTED",
-				},
-			},
-
-			Config: map[string]interface{}{
-				"type_set": []interface{}{},
-			},
-
-			Diff: &terraform.InstanceDiff{
-				Attributes: map[string]*terraform.ResourceAttrDiff{
-					"type_set.#": &terraform.ResourceAttrDiff{
-						Old:        "1",
-						New:        "0",
-						NewRemoved: false,
-					},
-					"type_set.12345.name": &terraform.ResourceAttrDiff{
-						Old:        "Name",
-						New:        "",
-						NewRemoved: true,
-					},
-					"type_set.12345.required": &terraform.ResourceAttrDiff{
-						Old:        "Required",
-						New:        "",
-						NewRemoved: true,
-					},
-					"type_set.12345.value": &terraform.ResourceAttrDiff{
-						Old:        "0",
-						New:        "0",
-						NewRemoved: true,
-					},
-					"type_set.12345.required_value": &terraform.ResourceAttrDiff{
-						Old:        "5",
-						New:        "0",
-						NewRemoved: true,
-					},
-					"type_set.12345.computed_value": &terraform.ResourceAttrDiff{
-						NewRemoved: true,
-					},
-				},
-			},
-		},
 	}
 
 	for i, tc := range cases {
diff --git a/terraform/state.go b/terraform/state.go
index 84d4c2669..074b68245 100644
--- a/terraform/state.go
+++ b/terraform/state.go
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ import (
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"log"
 	"reflect"
-	"regexp"
 	"sort"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
@@ -1713,32 +1712,6 @@ func (s *InstanceState) MergeDiff(d *InstanceDiff) *InstanceState {
 		}
 	}
 
-	// Remove any now empty array, maps or sets because a parent structure
-	// won't include these entries in the count value.
-	isCount := regexp.MustCompile(`\.[%#]$`).MatchString
-	var deleted []string
-
-	for k, v := range result.Attributes {
-		if isCount(k) && v == "0" {
-			delete(result.Attributes, k)
-			deleted = append(deleted, k)
-		}
-	}
-
-	for _, k := range deleted {
-		// Sanity check for invalid structures.
-		// If we removed the primary count key, there should have been no
-		// other keys left with this prefix.
-
-		// this must have a "#" or "%" which we need to remove
-		base := k[:len(k)-1]
-		for k, _ := range result.Attributes {
-			if strings.HasPrefix(k, base) {
-				panic(fmt.Sprintf("empty structure %q has entry %q", base, k))
-			}
-		}
-	}
-
 	return result
 }
 
diff --git a/terraform/state_test.go b/terraform/state_test.go
index 324ab7970..5578f89c9 100644
--- a/terraform/state_test.go
+++ b/terraform/state_test.go
@@ -1450,66 +1450,6 @@ func TestInstanceState_MergeDiff(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-// Make sure we don't leave empty maps or arrays in the flatmapped Attributes,
-// since those may affect the counts of a parent structure.
-func TestInstanceState_MergeDiffRemoveCounts(t *testing.T) {
-	is := InstanceState{
-		ID: "foo",
-		Attributes: map[string]string{
-			"all.#":        "3",
-			"all.1111":     "x",
-			"all.1234.#":   "1",
-			"all.1234.0":   "a",
-			"all.5678.%":   "1",
-			"all.5678.key": "val",
-
-			// nested empty lists need to be removed cleanly
-			"all.nested.#":         "0",
-			"all.nested.0.empty.#": "0",
-			"all.nested.1.empty.#": "0",
-
-			// the value has a prefix that matches another key
-			// and ntohing should happen to this.
-			"all.nested_value": "y",
-		},
-	}
-
-	diff := &InstanceDiff{
-		Attributes: map[string]*ResourceAttrDiff{
-			"all.#": &ResourceAttrDiff{
-				Old: "3",
-				New: "1",
-			},
-			"all.1234.0": &ResourceAttrDiff{
-				NewRemoved: true,
-			},
-			"all.1234.#": &ResourceAttrDiff{
-				Old: "1",
-				New: "0",
-			},
-			"all.5678.key": &ResourceAttrDiff{
-				NewRemoved: true,
-			},
-			"all.5678.%": &ResourceAttrDiff{
-				Old: "1",
-				New: "0",
-			},
-		},
-	}
-
-	is2 := is.MergeDiff(diff)
-
-	expected := map[string]string{
-		"all.#":            "1",
-		"all.1111":         "x",
-		"all.nested_value": "y",
-	}
-
-	if !reflect.DeepEqual(expected, is2.Attributes) {
-		t.Fatalf("bad: %#v", is2.Attributes)
-	}
-}
-
 // GH-12183. This tests that a list with a computed set generates the
 // right partial state. This never failed but is put here for completion
 // of the test case for GH-12183.