diff --git a/helper/schema/resource_data.go b/helper/schema/resource_data.go
index 5bb09ca5e..b00c4b154 100644
--- a/helper/schema/resource_data.go
+++ b/helper/schema/resource_data.go
@@ -532,7 +532,9 @@ func (d *ResourceData) stateList(
 	count := countRaw.(int)
 
 	result := make(map[string]string)
-	result[prefix+".#"] = strconv.FormatInt(int64(count), 10)
+	if count > 0 {
+		result[prefix+".#"] = strconv.FormatInt(int64(count), 10)
+	}
 	for i := 0; i < count; i++ {
 		key := fmt.Sprintf("%s.%d", prefix, i)
 
diff --git a/helper/schema/resource_data_test.go b/helper/schema/resource_data_test.go
index 4578d7574..e07daab08 100644
--- a/helper/schema/resource_data_test.go
+++ b/helper/schema/resource_data_test.go
@@ -406,6 +406,44 @@ func TestResourceDataGet(t *testing.T) {
 				},
 			},
 		},
+
+		// List of maps with removal in diff
+		{
+			Schema: map[string]*Schema{
+				"config_vars": &Schema{
+					Type:     TypeList,
+					Optional: true,
+					Computed: true,
+					Elem: &Schema{
+						Type: TypeMap,
+					},
+				},
+			},
+
+			State: &terraform.ResourceState{
+				Attributes: map[string]string{
+					"config_vars.#":     "1",
+					"config_vars.0.FOO": "bar",
+				},
+			},
+
+			Diff: &terraform.ResourceDiff{
+				Attributes: map[string]*terraform.ResourceAttrDiff{
+					"config_vars.#": &terraform.ResourceAttrDiff{
+						Old: "1",
+						New: "0",
+					},
+					"config_vars.0.FOO": &terraform.ResourceAttrDiff{
+						Old:        "bar",
+						NewRemoved: true,
+					},
+				},
+			},
+
+			Key: "config_vars",
+
+			Value: []interface{}{},
+		},
 	}
 
 	for i, tc := range cases {
@@ -1171,6 +1209,44 @@ func TestResourceDataState(t *testing.T) {
 				},
 			},
 		},
+
+		// List of maps with removal in diff
+		{
+			Schema: map[string]*Schema{
+				"config_vars": &Schema{
+					Type:     TypeList,
+					Optional: true,
+					Computed: true,
+					Elem: &Schema{
+						Type: TypeMap,
+					},
+				},
+			},
+
+			State: &terraform.ResourceState{
+				Attributes: map[string]string{
+					"config_vars.#":     "1",
+					"config_vars.0.FOO": "bar",
+				},
+			},
+
+			Diff: &terraform.ResourceDiff{
+				Attributes: map[string]*terraform.ResourceAttrDiff{
+					"config_vars.#": &terraform.ResourceAttrDiff{
+						Old: "1",
+						New: "0",
+					},
+					"config_vars.0.FOO": &terraform.ResourceAttrDiff{
+						Old:        "bar",
+						NewRemoved: true,
+					},
+				},
+			},
+
+			Result: &terraform.ResourceState{
+				Attributes: map[string]string{},
+			},
+		},
 	}
 
 	for i, tc := range cases {