diff --git a/lib/Doctrine/ORM/Persisters/Collection/OneToManyPersister.php b/lib/Doctrine/ORM/Persisters/Collection/OneToManyPersister.php
index 9dc2fad54..fab5e9393 100644
--- a/lib/Doctrine/ORM/Persisters/Collection/OneToManyPersister.php
+++ b/lib/Doctrine/ORM/Persisters/Collection/OneToManyPersister.php
@@ -157,11 +157,17 @@ class OneToManyPersister extends AbstractCollectionPersister
      */
     public function removeElement(PersistentCollection $collection, $element)
     {
+        $mapping = $collection->getMapping();
+
+        if ( ! $mapping['orphanRemoval']) {
+            // no-op: this is not the owning side, therefore no operations should be applied
+            return false;
+        }
+
         if ( ! $this->isValidEntityState($element)) {
             return false;
         }
 
-        $mapping   = $collection->getMapping();
         $persister = $this->uow->getEntityPersister($mapping['targetEntity']);
 
         $targetMetadata = $this->em->getClassMetadata($mapping['targetEntity']);