diff --git a/core/UPGRADE.txt b/core/UPGRADE.txt
index f035b6c..579f904 100644
--- a/core/UPGRADE.txt
+++ b/core/UPGRADE.txt
@@ -203,7 +203,10 @@ following the instructions in the INTRODUCTION section at the top of this file:
 
      sites/default/settings.php
 
-14. Run update.php by visiting http://www.example.com/core/update.php (replace
+14. If your files directory is not in sites/default/files, read
+   https://drupal.org/upgrade/file_public_path
+
+15. Run update.php by visiting http://www.example.com/core/update.php (replace
    www.example.com with your domain name). This will update the core database
    tables.
 
@@ -220,17 +223,17 @@ following the instructions in the INTRODUCTION section at the top of this file:
    - Once the upgrade is done, $settings['update_free_access'] must be
      reverted to FALSE.
 
-15. Backup your database after the core upgrade has run.
+16. Backup your database after the core upgrade has run.
 
-16. Replace and update your non-core modules and themes, following the
+17. Replace and update your non-core modules and themes, following the
    procedures at http://drupal.org/node/948216
 
-17. Go to Administration > Reports > Status report. Verify that everything is
+18. Go to Administration > Reports > Status report. Verify that everything is
    working as expected.
 
-18. Ensure that $settings['update_free_access'] is FALSE in settings.php.
+19. Ensure that $settings['update_free_access'] is FALSE in settings.php.
 
-19. Go to Administration > Configuration > Development > Maintenance mode.
+20. Go to Administration > Configuration > Development > Maintenance mode.
    Disable the "Put site into maintenance mode" checkbox and save the
    configuration.
 
diff --git a/core/includes/bootstrap.inc b/core/includes/bootstrap.inc
index 69faba0..1ea6a67 100644
--- a/core/includes/bootstrap.inc
+++ b/core/includes/bootstrap.inc
@@ -430,7 +430,7 @@ function config_get_config_directory($type = CONFIG_ACTIVE_DIRECTORY) {
   if (!empty($config_directories[$type])) {
     // Allow a configuration directory path to be outside of webroot.
     if (empty($config_directories[$type]['absolute'])) {
-      $path = conf_path() . '/files/' . $config_directories[$type]['path'];
+      $path = settings()->get('file_public_path', conf_path() . '/files') . '/' . $config_directories[$type]['path'];
     }
     else {
       $path = $config_directories[$type]['path'];
diff --git a/core/modules/simpletest/lib/Drupal/simpletest/TestBase.php b/core/modules/simpletest/lib/Drupal/simpletest/TestBase.php
index 91925e1..8c5611d 100644
--- a/core/modules/simpletest/lib/Drupal/simpletest/TestBase.php
+++ b/core/modules/simpletest/lib/Drupal/simpletest/TestBase.php
@@ -923,6 +923,8 @@ protected function prepareEnvironment() {
     file_prepare_directory($this->private_files_directory, FILE_CREATE_DIRECTORY);
     file_prepare_directory($this->temp_files_directory, FILE_CREATE_DIRECTORY);
     file_prepare_directory($this->translation_files_directory, FILE_CREATE_DIRECTORY);
+    $this->settingsSet('file_public_path', $this->public_files_directory);
+
     $this->generatedTestFiles = FALSE;
 
     // Create and set new configuration directories.
@@ -972,14 +974,14 @@ protected function prepareConfigDirectories() {
     include_once DRUPAL_ROOT . '/core/includes/install.inc';
     foreach (array(CONFIG_ACTIVE_DIRECTORY, CONFIG_STAGING_DIRECTORY) as $type) {
       // Assign the relative path to the global variable.
-      $path = 'simpletest/' . substr($this->databasePrefix, 10) . '/config_' . $type;
+      $path = 'config_' . $type;
       $GLOBALS['config_directories'][$type]['path'] = $path;
       // Ensure the directory can be created and is writeable.
       if (!install_ensure_config_directory($type)) {
         return FALSE;
       }
       // Provide the already resolved path for tests.
-      $this->configDirectories[$type] = $this->originalFileDirectory . '/' . $path;
+      $this->configDirectories[$type] = $this->public_files_directory . '/' . $path;
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/core/modules/simpletest/lib/Drupal/simpletest/WebTestBase.php b/core/modules/simpletest/lib/Drupal/simpletest/WebTestBase.php
index 7b9302a..7d212cb 100644
--- a/core/modules/simpletest/lib/Drupal/simpletest/WebTestBase.php
+++ b/core/modules/simpletest/lib/Drupal/simpletest/WebTestBase.php
@@ -780,7 +780,6 @@ protected function setUp() {
         NestedArray::setValue($GLOBALS['conf'], array_merge(array($config_base), explode('.', $name)), $value);
       }
     }
-    $this->settingsSet('file_public_path', $this->public_files_directory);
     // Execute the non-interactive installer.
     require_once DRUPAL_ROOT . '/core/includes/install.core.inc';
     $this->settingsSet('cache', array('default' => 'cache.backend.memory'));
diff --git a/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Tests/Upgrade/BareMinimalNoConfigUpgradePathTest.php b/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Tests/Upgrade/BareMinimalNoConfigUpgradePathTest.php
index 00feb89..856c3fc 100644
--- a/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Tests/Upgrade/BareMinimalNoConfigUpgradePathTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Tests/Upgrade/BareMinimalNoConfigUpgradePathTest.php
@@ -27,6 +27,10 @@ public function setUp() {
     parent::setUp();
 
     // Override $conf_path and $config_directories in settings.php.
+    $settings['settings']['file_public_path'] = (object) array(
+      'value' => $this->public_files_directory,
+      'required' => TRUE,
+    );
     $settings['conf_path'] = (object) array(
       'value' => $this->public_files_directory,
       'required' => TRUE,
@@ -45,22 +49,8 @@ protected function refreshVariables() {
     // Refresh the variables only if the site was already upgraded.
     if ($this->upgradedSite) {
       // update.php puts the new, randomized config directries in this file.
+      global $config_directories;
       include $this->public_files_directory . '/settings.php';
-      $GLOBALS['config_directories'] = array();
-      foreach ($config_directories as $type => $data) {
-        // update.php runs as the child site, so writes the paths relative to
-        // that "$conf_path/files", but here, we're running as the parent site,
-        // so need to make the paths relative to our "conf_path()/files".
-        //
-        // Example:
-        // - Parent site conf_path(): 'sites/default'
-        // - Child site $conf_path: 'sites/default/files/simpletest/123456'
-        // - Child site $data['path']: 'config_xyz'
-        // - Desired result: 'simpletest/123456/files/config_xyz'
-        //
-        // @see config_get_config_directory()
-        $GLOBALS['config_directories'][$type]['path'] = substr($conf_path, strlen(conf_path() . '/files/')) . '/files/' . $data['path'];
-      }
       parent::refreshVariables();
     }
   }
diff --git a/core/modules/system/system.install b/core/modules/system/system.install
index 7777e0c..76be315 100644
--- a/core/modules/system/system.install
+++ b/core/modules/system/system.install
@@ -2243,15 +2243,6 @@ function system_update_8059() {
 }
 
 /**
- * Move the file_public_path variable to settings.
- */
-function system_upgrade_8060() {
-  if ($path = update_variable_get('file_public_path')) {
-    drupal_rewrite_settings(array('settings' => array('file_public_path' => $path)));
-  }
-}
-
-/**
  * Add route_parameters column to the menu_links table.
  */
 function system_update_8060() {