diff --git a/src/Command/Shared/ExportTrait.php b/src/Command/Shared/ExportTrait.php
index 549ffe161..7e4383ba4 100644
--- a/src/Command/Shared/ExportTrait.php
+++ b/src/Command/Shared/ExportTrait.php
@@ -35,6 +35,11 @@ protected function getConfiguration($configName, $uuid = false, $hash = false, $
         // Exclude default_config_hash inside _core is site-specific.
         if ($hash) {
             unset($config['_core']['default_config_hash']);
+
+          // Remove empty _core to match core's output.
+          if (empty($config['_core'])) {
+            unset($config['_core']);
+          }
         }
 
         return $config;