diff --git a/django/db/migrations/operations/models.py b/django/db/migrations/operations/models.py
index ad436cf611..549b2bfc62 100644
--- a/django/db/migrations/operations/models.py
+++ b/django/db/migrations/operations/models.py
@@ -449,10 +449,11 @@ class ModelOptionOperation(ModelOperation):
 
 class FieldRelatedOptionOperation(ModelOptionOperation):
     def reduce(self, operation, app_label=None):
-        if (isinstance(operation, FieldOperation) and
-                self.name_lower == operation.model_name_lower and
-                not self.references_field(operation.model_name, operation.name)):
-            return [operation, self]
+        if isinstance(operation, FieldOperation) and self.name_lower == operation.model_name_lower:
+            if isinstance(operation, RemoveField):
+                return False
+            if not self.references_field(operation.model_name, operation.name):
+                return [operation, self]
         return super().reduce(operation, app_label=app_label)
 
 
diff --git a/tests/migrations/test_autodetector.py b/tests/migrations/test_autodetector.py
index e3ce3a129a..b181b084be 100644
--- a/tests/migrations/test_autodetector.py
+++ b/tests/migrations/test_autodetector.py
@@ -1529,10 +1529,10 @@ class AutodetectorTests(TestCase):
         )
         # Right number/type of migrations?
         self.assertNumberMigrations(changes, "otherapp", 1)
-        self.assertOperationTypes(changes, "otherapp", 0, ["RemoveField", "AlterUniqueTogether", "AlterIndexTogether"])
-        self.assertOperationAttributes(changes, "otherapp", 0, 0, model_name="book", name="newfield")
-        self.assertOperationAttributes(changes, "otherapp", 0, 1, name="book", unique_together={("author", "title")})
-        self.assertOperationAttributes(changes, "otherapp", 0, 2, name="book", index_together={("author", "title")})
+        self.assertOperationTypes(changes, "otherapp", 0, ["AlterUniqueTogether", "AlterIndexTogether", "RemoveField"])
+        self.assertOperationAttributes(changes, "otherapp", 0, 0, name="book", unique_together={("author", "title")})
+        self.assertOperationAttributes(changes, "otherapp", 0, 1, name="book", index_together={("author", "title")})
+        self.assertOperationAttributes(changes, "otherapp", 0, 2, model_name="book", name="newfield")
 
     def test_rename_field_and_foo_together(self):
         """
diff --git a/tests/migrations/test_commands.py b/tests/migrations/test_commands.py
index f625a47c7f..3c42755917 100644
--- a/tests/migrations/test_commands.py
+++ b/tests/migrations/test_commands.py
@@ -1335,7 +1335,7 @@ class SquashMigrationsTests(MigrationTestBase):
         out = io.StringIO()
         with self.temporary_migration_module(module="migrations.test_migrations"):
             call_command("squashmigrations", "migrations", "0002", interactive=False, verbosity=1, stdout=out)
-        self.assertIn("Optimized from 8 operations to 3 operations.", out.getvalue())
+        self.assertIn("Optimized from 8 operations to 4 operations.", out.getvalue())
 
     def test_ticket_23799_squashmigrations_no_optimize(self):
         """
diff --git a/tests/migrations/test_optimizer.py b/tests/migrations/test_optimizer.py
index a408db9ef2..b841b531b1 100644
--- a/tests/migrations/test_optimizer.py
+++ b/tests/migrations/test_optimizer.py
@@ -712,7 +712,7 @@ class OptimizerTests(SimpleTestCase):
             ],
         )
 
-        self.assertOptimizesTo(
+        self.assertDoesNotOptimize(
             [
                 migrations.CreateModel("Foo", [
                     ("a", models.IntegerField()),
@@ -722,13 +722,6 @@ class OptimizerTests(SimpleTestCase):
                 alter,
                 migrations.RemoveField("Foo", "c"),
             ],
-            [
-                migrations.CreateModel("Foo", [
-                    ("a", models.IntegerField()),
-                    ("b", models.IntegerField()),
-                ]),
-                alter,
-            ],
         )
 
     def test_create_alter_unique_field(self):