diff --git a/src/wp-includes/taxonomy.php b/src/wp-includes/taxonomy.php
index 9ae219f688..8e1898e29f 100644
--- a/src/wp-includes/taxonomy.php
+++ b/src/wp-includes/taxonomy.php
@@ -1369,6 +1369,9 @@ function get_terms($taxonomies, $args = '') {
 		$where .= " AND tt.parent = '$parent'";
 	}
 
+	if ( 'count' == $fields )
+		$hierarchical = false;
+
 	if ( $hide_empty && !$hierarchical )
 		$where .= ' AND tt.count > 0';
 
diff --git a/tests/phpunit/tests/term.php b/tests/phpunit/tests/term.php
index 6b35f4e2f8..40567b5cef 100644
--- a/tests/phpunit/tests/term.php
+++ b/tests/phpunit/tests/term.php
@@ -505,4 +505,11 @@ class Tests_Term extends WP_UnitTestCase {
 		$term2 = get_term_by( 'term_taxonomy_id', $term1['term_taxonomy_id'], 'category' );
 		$this->assertEquals( get_term( $term1['term_id'], 'category' ), $term2 );
 	}
+
+	function test_wp_count_terms() {
+		$count = wp_count_terms( 'category', array( 'hide_empty' => true ) );
+		// the terms inserted in setUp aren't attached to any posts, so should return 0
+		// this previously returned 2
+		$this->assertEquals( 0, $count );
+	}
 }