diff --git a/Lib/fontTools/ttLib/tables/_g_l_y_f.py b/Lib/fontTools/ttLib/tables/_g_l_y_f.py
index b8020ca7b..83d5315bb 100644
--- a/Lib/fontTools/ttLib/tables/_g_l_y_f.py
+++ b/Lib/fontTools/ttLib/tables/_g_l_y_f.py
@@ -917,8 +917,12 @@ class Glyph(object):
 			expanding it."""
 		if not hasattr(self, "data"):
 			if remove_hinting:
-				self.program = ttProgram.Program()
-				self.program.fromBytecode([])
+				if self.isComposite():
+					if hasattr(self, "program"):
+						del self.program
+				else:
+					self.program = ttProgram.Program()
+					self.program.fromBytecode([])
 			# No padding to trim.
 			return
 		if not self.data:
diff --git a/Tests/ttLib/tables/_g_l_y_f_test.py b/Tests/ttLib/tables/_g_l_y_f_test.py
index 00c74bcf5..b30528aae 100644
--- a/Tests/ttLib/tables/_g_l_y_f_test.py
+++ b/Tests/ttLib/tables/_g_l_y_f_test.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ from fontTools.misc.fixedTools import otRound
 from fontTools.pens.ttGlyphPen import TTGlyphPen
 from fontTools.ttLib import TTFont, newTable, TTLibError
 from fontTools.ttLib.tables._g_l_y_f import GlyphCoordinates
+from fontTools.ttLib.tables import ttProgram
 import sys
 import array
 import pytest
@@ -240,6 +241,41 @@ class glyfTableTest(unittest.TestCase):
         with self.assertRaisesRegex(TTLibError, "glyph '.' contains a recursive component reference"):
             glyph_A.getCoordinates(glyphSet)
 
+    def test_trim_remove_hinting_composite_glyph(self):
+        glyphSet = {"dummy": TTGlyphPen(None).glyph()}
+
+        pen = TTGlyphPen(glyphSet)
+        pen.addComponent("dummy", (1, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0))
+        composite = pen.glyph()
+        p = ttProgram.Program()
+        p.fromAssembly(['SVTCA[0]'])
+        composite.program = p
+        glyphSet["composite"] = composite
+
+        glyfTable = newTable("glyf")
+        glyfTable.glyphs = glyphSet
+        glyfTable.glyphOrder = sorted(glyphSet)
+
+        composite.compact(glyfTable)
+
+        self.assertTrue(hasattr(composite, "data"))
+
+        # remove hinting from the compacted composite glyph, without expanding it
+        composite.trim(remove_hinting=True)
+
+        # check that, after expanding the glyph, we have no instructions
+        composite.expand(glyfTable)
+        self.assertFalse(hasattr(composite, "program"))
+
+        # now remove hinting from expanded composite glyph
+        composite.program = p
+        composite.trim(remove_hinting=True)
+
+        # check we have no instructions
+        self.assertFalse(hasattr(composite, "program"))
+
+        composite.compact(glyfTable)
+
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     import sys