diff --git a/core/includes/common.inc b/core/includes/common.inc
index 689d136..6a59408 100644
--- a/core/includes/common.inc
+++ b/core/includes/common.inc
@@ -5249,7 +5249,12 @@ function drupal_cron_run() {
     }
 
     // Record cron time.
-    variable_set('cron_last', REQUEST_TIME);
+    db_merge('state')
+      ->key(array(
+        'name' => 'system.cron_last',
+      ))
+      ->fields(array('value' => REQUEST_TIME))
+      ->execute();
     watchdog('cron', 'Cron run completed.', array(), WATCHDOG_NOTICE);
 
     // Release cron lock.
diff --git a/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Tests/System/CronRunTest.php b/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Tests/System/CronRunTest.php
index 601c5a8..a6282df 100644
--- a/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Tests/System/CronRunTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Tests/System/CronRunTest.php
@@ -54,19 +54,31 @@ class CronRunTest extends WebTestBase {
     // not passed.
     $cron_last = time();
     $cron_safe_threshold = 100;
-    variable_set('cron_last', $cron_last);
+    db_merge('state')
+      ->key(array(
+        'name' => 'system.cron_last',
+      ))
+      ->fields(array('value' => $cron_last))
+      ->execute();
     config('system.cron')
       ->set('cron_safe_threshold', $cron_safe_threshold)
       ->save();
     $this->drupalGet('');
-    $this->assertTrue($cron_last == variable_get('cron_last', NULL), t('Cron does not run when the cron threshold is not passed.'));
+    $new_cron_last = db_query('SELECT value FROM {state} WHERE name = :name', array(':name' => 'system.cron_last'))->fetchField();
+    $this->assertTrue($cron_last == $new_cron_last, t('Cron does not run when the cron threshold is not passed.'));
 
     // Test if cron runs when the cron threshold was passed.
     $cron_last = time() - 200;
-    variable_set('cron_last', $cron_last);
+    db_update('state')
+      ->fields(array(
+        'name' => 'system.cron_last',
+        'value' => $cron_last,
+      ))
+      ->execute();
     $this->drupalGet('');
     sleep(1);
-    $this->assertTrue($cron_last < variable_get('cron_last', NULL), t('Cron runs when the cron threshold is passed.'));
+    $new_cron_last = db_query('SELECT value FROM {state} WHERE name = :name', array(':name' => 'system.cron_last'))->fetchField();
+    $this->assertTrue($cron_last < $new_cron_last, t('Cron runs when the cron threshold is passed.'));
 
     // Disable the cron threshold through the interface.
     $admin_user = $this->drupalCreateUser(array('administer site configuration'));
@@ -78,8 +90,15 @@ class CronRunTest extends WebTestBase {
     // Test if cron does not run when the cron threshold is disabled.
     $cron_last = time() - 200;
     variable_set('cron_last', $cron_last);
+    db_update('state')
+      ->fields(array(
+        'name' => 'system.cron_last',
+        'value' => $cron_last,
+      ))
+      ->execute();
     $this->drupalGet('');
-    $this->assertTrue($cron_last == variable_get('cron_last', NULL), t('Cron does not run when the cron threshold is disabled.'));
+    $new_cron_last = db_query('SELECT value FROM {state} WHERE name = :name', array(':name' => 'system.cron_last'))->fetchField();
+    $this->assertTrue($cron_last == $new_cron_last, t('Cron does not run when the cron threshold is disabled.'));
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/core/modules/system/system.admin.inc b/core/modules/system/system.admin.inc
index f64447e..e6e04bf 100644
--- a/core/modules/system/system.admin.inc
+++ b/core/modules/system/system.admin.inc
@@ -1596,7 +1596,8 @@ function system_cron_settings($form, &$form_state) {
     '#value' => t('Run cron'),
     '#submit' => array('system_run_cron_submit'),
   );
-  $status = '<p>' . t('Last run: %cron-last ago.', array('%cron-last' => format_interval(REQUEST_TIME - variable_get('cron_last')),)) . '</p>';
+  $cron_last = db_query('SELECT value FROM {state} WHERE name = :name', array(':name' => 'system.cron_last'))->fetchField();
+  $status = '<p>' . t('Last run: %cron-last ago.', array('%cron-last' => format_interval(REQUEST_TIME - $cron_last))) . '</p>';
   $form['status'] = array(
     '#markup' => $status,
   );
diff --git a/core/modules/system/system.api.php b/core/modules/system/system.api.php
index 12428fe..1d22e1e 100644
--- a/core/modules/system/system.api.php
+++ b/core/modules/system/system.api.php
@@ -2597,7 +2597,7 @@ function hook_requirements($phase) {
 
   // Report cron status
   if ($phase == 'runtime') {
-    $cron_last = variable_get('cron_last');
+    $cron_last = db_query('SELECT value FROM {state} WHERE name = :name', array(':name' => 'system.cron_last'))->fetchField();
 
     if (is_numeric($cron_last)) {
       $requirements['cron']['value'] = $t('Last run !time ago', array('!time' => format_interval(REQUEST_TIME - $cron_last)));
diff --git a/core/modules/system/system.install b/core/modules/system/system.install
index 9a2217d..a127c4e 100644
--- a/core/modules/system/system.install
+++ b/core/modules/system/system.install
@@ -272,8 +272,9 @@ function system_requirements($phase) {
     $help = $t('For more information, see the online handbook entry for <a href="@cron-handbook">configuring cron jobs</a>.', array('@cron-handbook' => 'http://drupal.org/cron'));
 
     // Determine when cron last ran.
-    $cron_last = variable_get('cron_last');
+    $cron_last = db_query('SELECT value FROM {state} WHERE name = :name', array(':name' => 'system.cron_last'))->fetchField();
     if (!is_numeric($cron_last)) {
+      // @todo And the next one... ;)
       $cron_last = variable_get('install_time', 0);
     }
 
@@ -1581,6 +1582,26 @@ function system_schema() {
     ),
   );
 
+  $schema['state'] = array(
+    'description' => 'Stores persistent state data (not configuration) of modules.',
+    'fields' => array(
+      'name' => array(
+        'description' => 'The state item name, prefixed with the module name (delimited by a dot).',
+        'type' => 'varchar',
+        'length' => 255,
+        'not null' => TRUE,
+        'default' => '',
+      ),
+      'value' => array(
+        'description' => 'The state item value.',
+        'type' => 'blob',
+        'not null' => TRUE,
+        'size' => 'big',
+      ),
+    ),
+    'primary key' => array('name'),
+  );
+
   $schema['system'] = array(
     'description' => "A list of all modules, themes, and theme engines that are or have been installed in Drupal's file system.",
     'fields' => array(
@@ -1954,6 +1975,32 @@ function system_update_8012() {
 }
 
 /**
+ * Create the {state} table.
+ */
+function system_update_8013() {
+  $schema['state'] = array(
+    'description' => 'Stores persistent state data (not configuration) of modules.',
+    'fields' => array(
+      'name' => array(
+        'description' => 'The state item name, prefixed with the module name (delimited by a dot).',
+        'type' => 'varchar',
+        'length' => 255,
+        'not null' => TRUE,
+        'default' => '',
+      ),
+      'value' => array(
+        'description' => 'The state item value.',
+        'type' => 'blob',
+        'not null' => TRUE,
+        'size' => 'big',
+      ),
+    ),
+    'primary key' => array('name'),
+  );
+  db_create_table('state', $schema['state']);
+}
+
+/**
  * @} End of "defgroup updates-7.x-to-8.x".
  * The next series of updates should start at 9000.
  */
diff --git a/core/modules/system/system.module b/core/modules/system/system.module
index 75b1fa2..7e4bba4 100644
--- a/core/modules/system/system.module
+++ b/core/modules/system/system.module
@@ -3784,8 +3784,8 @@ function system_run_automated_cron() {
   // Otherwise it could be triggered prematurely by Ajax requests during
   // installation.
   if (($threshold = config('system.cron')->get('cron_safe_threshold')) > 0 && variable_get('install_task') == 'done') {
-    $cron_last = variable_get('cron_last', NULL);
-    if (!isset($cron_last) || (REQUEST_TIME - $cron_last > $threshold)) {
+    $cron_last = db_query('SELECT value FROM {state} WHERE name = :name', array(':name' => 'system.cron_last'))->fetchField();
+    if (empty($cron_last) || (REQUEST_TIME - $cron_last > $threshold)) {
       drupal_cron_run();
     }
   }