diff --git a/src/ir/module-splitting.cpp b/src/ir/module-splitting.cpp
index 6105e81c664..35408d63c45 100644
--- a/src/ir/module-splitting.cpp
+++ b/src/ir/module-splitting.cpp
@@ -1182,8 +1182,18 @@ void ModuleSplitter::shareImportableItems() {
 
     auto usingSecondaries =
       getUsingSecondaries(global->name, &UsedNames::globals);
-    bool usedInPrimary = primaryUsed.globals.count(global->name);
-    if (!usedInPrimary && usingSecondaries.size() == 1) {
+    bool inPrimary = primaryUsed.globals.count(global->name);
+
+    if (!inPrimary && usingSecondaries.empty()) {
+      // It's not used anywhere, so delete it. Unlike other unused module items
+      // (memories, tables, and tags) that can just sit in the primary module
+      // and later be DCE'ed by another pass, we should remove it here, because
+      // an unused global can contain an initialier that refers to another
+      // global that will be moved to a secondary module, like
+      // (global $unused i32 (global.get $a)) // $a is moved to a secondary
+      globalsToRemove.push_back(global->name);
+
+    } else if (!inPrimary && usingSecondaries.size() == 1) {
       // We are moving this global to this secondary module
       auto* secondary = usingSecondaries[0];
       auto* secondaryGlobal = ModuleUtils::copyGlobal(global.get(), *secondary);
@@ -1213,6 +1223,7 @@ void ModuleSplitter::shareImportableItems() {
           // function.
         }
       }
+
     } else { // We are NOT moving this global to the secondary module
       if (global->init) {
         for (auto* ref : FindAll<RefFunc>(global->init).list) {
diff --git a/test/example/module-splitting.txt b/test/example/module-splitting.txt
index 88de5da0a4e..5f03322b7fe 100644
--- a/test/example/module-splitting.txt
+++ b/test/example/module-splitting.txt
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ Keeping: <none>
 After:
 (module
  (type $0 (func (param i32)))
- (global $glob (mut i32) (i32.const 7))
  (memory $mem 3 42 shared)
  (table $tab 3 42 funcref)
  (tag $e (type $0) (param i32))
@@ -46,7 +45,6 @@ After:
  (type $0 (func (param i32)))
  (import "env" "mem" (memory $mem 3 42 shared))
  (import "env" "tab" (table $tab 3 42 funcref))
- (import "env" "glob" (global $glob (mut i32)))
  (import "env" "e" (tag $e (type $0) (param i32)))
 )
 Secondary:
diff --git a/test/lit/wasm-split/ref.func.wast b/test/lit/wasm-split/ref.func.wast
index 11007235ffe..38eea498d72 100644
--- a/test/lit/wasm-split/ref.func.wast
+++ b/test/lit/wasm-split/ref.func.wast
@@ -45,6 +45,12 @@
  ;; PRIMARY-NEXT:  (drop
  ;; PRIMARY-NEXT:   (ref.func $trampoline_second)
  ;; PRIMARY-NEXT:  )
+ ;; PRIMARY-NEXT:  (drop
+ ;; PRIMARY-NEXT:   (global.get $glob1)
+ ;; PRIMARY-NEXT:  )
+ ;; PRIMARY-NEXT:  (drop
+ ;; PRIMARY-NEXT:   (global.get $glob2)
+ ;; PRIMARY-NEXT:  )
  ;; PRIMARY-NEXT: )
  (func $prime
   (drop
@@ -53,6 +59,12 @@
   (drop
    (ref.func $second)
   )
+  (drop
+   (global.get $glob1)
+  )
+  (drop
+   (global.get $glob2)
+  )
  )
 
  ;; SECONDARY:      (type $0 (func))
diff --git a/test/lit/wasm-split/transitive-globals.wast b/test/lit/wasm-split/transitive-globals.wast
index 6bf5ce6636f..a0bac6c3364 100644
--- a/test/lit/wasm-split/transitive-globals.wast
+++ b/test/lit/wasm-split/transitive-globals.wast
@@ -34,6 +34,11 @@
 
   ;; SECONDARY:      (global $d i32 (global.get $e))
 
+  ;; This dead global is referring to a global ($a) that's moved to the
+  ;; secondary module. This should be deleted.
+  ;; PRIMARY-NOT:  (global (global $dead i32 (global.get $a))
+  (global $dead i32 (global.get $a))
+
   ;; PRIMARY:      (func $keep
   ;; PRIMARY-NEXT:  (drop
   ;; PRIMARY-NEXT:   (global.get $e)