diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/figure.py b/lib/matplotlib/figure.py
index cd26af84ccbe..11b42b1e1ac7 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/figure.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/figure.py
@@ -1577,6 +1577,7 @@ def add_subfigure(self, subplotspec, **kwargs):
         """
         sf = SubFigure(self, subplotspec, **kwargs)
         self.subfigs += [sf]
+        sf._remove_method = self.subfigs.remove
         return sf
 
     def sca(self, a):
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_figure.py b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_figure.py
index 6d6a3d772f4e..24d4f1c0f059 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_figure.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_figure.py
@@ -1482,6 +1482,13 @@ def test_subfigures_wspace_hspace():
     np.testing.assert_allclose(sub_figs[1, 2].bbox.max, [w, h * 0.4])
 
 
+def test_subfigure_remove():
+    fig = plt.figure()
+    sfs = fig.subfigures(2, 2)
+    sfs[1, 1].remove()
+    assert len(fig.subfigs) == 3
+
+
 def test_add_subplot_kwargs():
     # fig.add_subplot() always creates new axes, even if axes kwargs differ.
     fig = plt.figure()