diff --git a/lib/puppet/util/ini_file.rb b/lib/puppet/util/ini_file.rb
index b7529812..478cc208 100644
--- a/lib/puppet/util/ini_file.rb
+++ b/lib/puppet/util/ini_file.rb
@@ -122,14 +122,6 @@ def remove_setting(section_name, setting)
       # was modified.
       section_index = @section_names.index(section_name)
       decrement_section_line_numbers(section_index + 1)
-
-      return unless section.empty?
-
-      # By convention, it's time to remove this newly emptied out section
-      lines.delete_at(section.start_line)
-      decrement_section_line_numbers(section_index + 1)
-      @section_names.delete_at(section_index)
-      @sections_hash.delete(section.name)
     end
 
     def save
diff --git a/lib/puppet/util/ini_file/section.rb b/lib/puppet/util/ini_file/section.rb
index 46e01477..478d1661 100644
--- a/lib/puppet/util/ini_file/section.rb
+++ b/lib/puppet/util/ini_file/section.rb
@@ -47,8 +47,6 @@ def existing_setting?(setting_name)
       @existing_settings.key?(setting_name)
     end
 
-    # 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
diff --git a/spec/acceptance/ini_setting_spec.rb b/spec/acceptance/ini_setting_spec.rb
index 140a35e5..d0dd04d0 100644
--- a/spec/acceptance/ini_setting_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/acceptance/ini_setting_spec.rb
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@
         subject { super().content }
 
         it { is_expected.to match %r{four = five} }
-        it { is_expected.not_to match %r{\[one\]} }
+        it { is_expected.to match %r{^ \[one\]$} }
         it { is_expected.not_to match %r{two = three} }
       end
     end
@@ -296,7 +296,8 @@
           describe '#content' do
             subject { super().content }
 
-            it { is_expected.to be_empty }
+            it { is_expected.to match %r{^\[section1\]$} }
+            it { is_expected.not_to match %r{valueinsection1 = newValue} }
           end
         end
       end
diff --git a/spec/acceptance/ini_subsetting_spec.rb b/spec/acceptance/ini_subsetting_spec.rb
index 297ce4c7..3d75571e 100644
--- a/spec/acceptance/ini_subsetting_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/acceptance/ini_subsetting_spec.rb
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@
       describe '#content' do
         subject { super().content }
 
-        it { is_expected.not_to match %r{\[one\]} }
+        it { is_expected.to match %r{^\[one\]$} }
         it { is_expected.not_to match %r{key =} }
         it { is_expected.not_to match %r{alphabet} }
         it { is_expected.not_to match %r{betatrons} }
diff --git a/spec/unit/puppet/provider/ini_setting/ruby_spec.rb b/spec/unit/puppet/provider/ini_setting/ruby_spec.rb
index a250bcde..a442933f 100644
--- a/spec/unit/puppet/provider/ini_setting/ruby_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/unit/puppet/provider/ini_setting/ruby_spec.rb
@@ -1002,6 +1002,7 @@ def self.file_path
           #another comment
        ; yet another comment
 
+       -nonstandard-
     INIFILE
     it 'removes a setting with pre/suffix that exists' do
       resource = Puppet::Type::Ini_setting.new(common_params.merge(section: 'nonstandard', setting: 'shoes', ensure: 'absent', section_prefix: '-', section_suffix: '-'))
@@ -1124,6 +1125,7 @@ def self.file_path
       [section3]
       # com = ment
       uncom = ment
+      [section4]
       [section:sub]
       subby=bar
           #another comment
@@ -1132,7 +1134,7 @@ def self.file_path
        -nonstandard-
          shoes = purple
     INIFILE
-    it 'removes the section when removing the last line in the section' do
+    it 'does not remove the section when removing the last line in the section' do
       resource = Puppet::Type::Ini_setting.new(common_params.merge(section: 'section4', setting: 'uncom', ensure: 'absent'))
       provider = described_class.new(resource)
       expect(provider.exists?).to be true
diff --git a/spec/unit/puppet/provider/ini_subsetting/ruby_spec.rb b/spec/unit/puppet/provider/ini_subsetting/ruby_spec.rb
index 9236fb68..5addcf44 100644
--- a/spec/unit/puppet/provider/ini_subsetting/ruby_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/unit/puppet/provider/ini_subsetting/ruby_spec.rb
@@ -345,9 +345,11 @@ def validate_file(expected_content, tmpfile)
         something = else
     INIFILE
 
-    expected_content_two = ''
+    expected_content_two = <<-INIFILE
+        [main]
+    INIFILE
 
-    it 'removes the subsetting when the it is empty' do
+    it 'removes the subsetting and not the section when the list is empty' do
       resource = Puppet::Type::Ini_subsetting.new(common_params.merge(setting: 'reports', subsetting: 'http', subsetting_separator: ','))
       provider = described_class.new(resource)
       provider.destroy