diff --git a/core/includes/update.inc b/core/includes/update.inc
index 91715f3..e0e8750 100644
--- a/core/includes/update.inc
+++ b/core/includes/update.inc
@@ -556,7 +556,9 @@ function update_prepare_d8_language() {
       // In D8, the 'language_default' is not anymore an object, but an array,
       // so make sure that the new value that is saved into this variable is an
       // array.
-      variable_set('language_default', (array) $language_default);
+      $language_default = (array) $language_default;
+      $language_default['langcode'] = 'en';
+      variable_set('language_default', $language_default);
     }
 
     // Convert languages to config entities.
diff --git a/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Tests/Upgrade/LanguageUpgradePathTest.php b/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Tests/Upgrade/LanguageUpgradePathTest.php
index 86433d1..ebd5c77 100644
--- a/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Tests/Upgrade/LanguageUpgradePathTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Tests/Upgrade/LanguageUpgradePathTest.php
@@ -53,8 +53,7 @@ public function testLanguageUpgrade() {
       'direction' => 0,
       'weight' => 0,
       'locked' => 0,
-      'status' => 1,
-      'langcode' => Language::LANGCODE_NOT_SPECIFIED,
+      'langcode' => 'en',
     ));
 
     // Ensure Catalan was properly upgraded to be the new default language.
diff --git a/core/modules/system/tests/upgrade/drupal-7.language.database.php b/core/modules/system/tests/upgrade/drupal-7.language.database.php
index 5ecf769..ab8a816 100644
--- a/core/modules/system/tests/upgrade/drupal-7.language.database.php
+++ b/core/modules/system/tests/upgrade/drupal-7.language.database.php
@@ -392,7 +392,7 @@
 ))
 ->values(array(
   'name' => 'language_default',
-  'value' => 'O:8:"stdClass":7:{s:8:"langcode";s:2:"ca";s:4:"name";s:7:"Catalan";s:9:"direction";i:0;s:7:"enabled";b:1;s:6:"weight";i:0;s:7:"default";b:1;s:6:"is_new";b:1;}',
+  'value' => 'O:8:"stdClass":7:{s:8:"language";s:2:"ca";s:4:"name";s:7:"Catalan";s:9:"direction";i:0;s:7:"enabled";b:1;s:6:"weight";i:0;s:7:"default";b:1;s:6:"is_new";b:1;}',
 ))
 ->values(array(
   'name' => 'language_negotiation_language',