diff --git a/__tests__/TelInput.test.js b/__tests__/TelInput.test.js
index 2ddbac789..90db68f86 100644
--- a/__tests__/TelInput.test.js
+++ b/__tests__/TelInput.test.js
@@ -446,6 +446,16 @@ describe('TelInput', function () { // eslint-disable-line func-names
       subject.setProps({ value: 'foo bar' });
       expect(inputComponent.props().value).toBe('foo bar');
     });
+
+    it('should be able to delete country code after input field has been populated with number', () => {
+      const subject = this.makeSubject();
+
+      subject.setProps({ value: '+447598455159' });
+
+      subject.setProps({ value: '+' });
+
+      expect(subject.state().value).toBe('+');
+    });
   });
 
   describe('uncontrolled', () => {
diff --git a/src/components/IntlTelInputApp.js b/src/components/IntlTelInputApp.js
index 9338c3ae3..c39a4f0ca 100644
--- a/src/components/IntlTelInputApp.js
+++ b/src/components/IntlTelInputApp.js
@@ -726,9 +726,6 @@ class IntlTelInputApp extends Component {
       // Note: use getNumeric here because the number has not been
       // formatted yet, so could contain bad chars
       countryCode = null;
-    } else if (!number || number === '+') {
-      // empty, or just a plus, so default
-      countryCode = this.defaultCountry;
     }
 
     if (countryCode !== null) {