A pneumatic tire is provided which includes an outer circumferential rubber tread and a supporting carcass. A rubber inner liner is disposed inwardly from the supporting carcass. A built-in sealant layer is situated adjacent to an innermost removable barrier layer and disposed inwardly from the rubber inner liner. The built-in sealant layer provides self-sealing properties to the pneumatic tire. The pneumatic tire, with its innermost removable barrier layer, keeps the sealant layer from sticking to a tire-building apparatus during tire assembly and, after curing of the assembled tire, is eventually removed to permit gas from the built-in sealant layer to become part of the tire's inflation air to prevent or reduce instances of inner liner blister formation.