diff --git a/lib/puppet/util/ini_file.rb b/lib/puppet/util/ini_file.rb
index 3acbf7a4..b7529812 100644
--- a/lib/puppet/util/ini_file.rb
+++ b/lib/puppet/util/ini_file.rb
@@ -222,7 +222,6 @@ def read_section(name, start_line, line_iter)
       end_line_num = start_line
       min_indentation = nil
       empty = true
-      empty_line_count = 0
       loop do
         line, line_num = line_iter.peek
         if line_num.nil? || @section_regex.match(line)
@@ -230,7 +229,7 @@ def read_section(name, start_line, line_iter)
           # when it's empty, we must be sure it's thought of as new,
           # which is signalled with a nil ending line
           end_line_num = nil if name == '' && empty
-          return Section.new(name, start_line, end_line_num, settings, min_indentation, empty_line_count)
+          return Section.new(name, start_line, end_line_num, settings, min_indentation)
         end
         if (match = @setting_regex.match(line))
           settings[match[2]] = match[4]
@@ -238,8 +237,6 @@ def read_section(name, start_line, line_iter)
           min_indentation = [indentation, min_indentation || indentation].min
         end
         end_line_num = line_num
-        empty_line_count += 1 if line == "\n"
-
         empty = false
         line_iter.next
       end
diff --git a/lib/puppet/util/ini_file/section.rb b/lib/puppet/util/ini_file/section.rb
index 4e29b5fd..46e01477 100644
--- a/lib/puppet/util/ini_file/section.rb
+++ b/lib/puppet/util/ini_file/section.rb
@@ -14,14 +14,13 @@ class Section
     #    `end_line` of `nil`.
     #  * `start_line` and `end_line` will be set to `nil` for a new non-global
     #    section.
-    def initialize(name, start_line, end_line, settings, indentation, empty_line_count = 0)
+    def initialize(name, start_line, end_line, settings, indentation)
       @name = name
       @start_line = start_line
       @end_line = end_line
       @existing_settings = settings.nil? ? {} : settings
       @additional_settings = {}
       @indentation = indentation
-      @empty_line_count = empty_line_count
     end
 
     attr_reader :name, :start_line, :end_line, :additional_settings, :indentation
@@ -51,7 +50,7 @@ def existing_setting?(setting_name)
     # the global section is empty whenever it's new;
     # other sections are empty when they have no lines
     def empty?
-      global? ? new_section? : (start_line == end_line || (end_line && (end_line - @empty_line_count)) == start_line)
+      global? ? new_section? : start_line == end_line
     end
 
     def update_existing_setting(setting_name, value)
diff --git a/spec/unit/puppet/provider/ini_setting/ruby_spec.rb b/spec/unit/puppet/provider/ini_setting/ruby_spec.rb
index ef7da0eb..a250bcde 100644
--- a/spec/unit/puppet/provider/ini_setting/ruby_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/unit/puppet/provider/ini_setting/ruby_spec.rb
@@ -1141,38 +1141,6 @@ def self.file_path
     end
   end
 
-  context 'when section has only empty line' do
-    let(:orig_content) do
-      <<~INIFILE
-        [section1]
-        foo=foovalue
-
-
-        [section2]
-
-        foo= foovalue2
-        baz=bazvalue
-        url = http://
-      INIFILE
-    end
-
-    expected_content = <<~INIFILE
-      [section2]
-
-      foo= foovalue2
-      baz=bazvalue
-      url = http://
-    INIFILE
-
-    it 'remove empty section' do
-      resource = Puppet::Type::Ini_setting.new(common_params.merge(section: 'section1', setting: 'foo', ensure: 'absent'))
-      provider = described_class.new(resource)
-      expect(provider.exists?).to be true
-      provider.destroy
-      validate_file(expected_content, tmpfile)
-    end
-  end
-
   context 'when dealing with indentation in sections' do
     let(:orig_content) do
       <<~INIFILE