diff --git a/core/modules/entity_reference/entity_reference.module b/core/modules/entity_reference/entity_reference.module
index 7205e95..0b2eca9 100644
--- a/core/modules/entity_reference/entity_reference.module
+++ b/core/modules/entity_reference/entity_reference.module
@@ -249,14 +249,14 @@ function _entity_reference_field_instance_settings_process($form, $form_state) {
 
   $form['handler'] = array(
     '#type' => 'fieldset',
-    '#title' => t('Entity selection'),
+    '#title' => t('Selection'),
     '#tree' => TRUE,
     '#process' => array('_entity_reference_form_process_merge_parent'),
   );
 
   $form['handler']['handler'] = array(
     '#type' => 'select',
-    '#title' => t('Mode'),
+    '#title' => t('Method'),
     '#options' => $handlers_options,
     '#default_value' => $settings['handler'],
     '#required' => TRUE,
@@ -325,9 +325,9 @@ function _entity_reference_field_instance_settings_ajax_process_element(&$elemen
 function _entity_reference_form_process_merge_parent($element) {
   $parents = $element['#parents'];
   array_pop($parents);
-  // For the 'Entity selection' fieldset, we need to go one more level above
+  // For the 'Selection' fieldset, we need to go one more level above
   // because of our extra container.
-  if (isset($element['#title']) && $element['#title'] == t('Entity selection')) {
+  if (isset($element['#title']) && $element['#title'] == t('Selection')) {
     array_pop($parents);
   }
   $element['#parents'] = $parents;
diff --git a/core/modules/entity_reference/lib/Drupal/entity_reference/Plugin/entity_reference/selection/SelectionBase.php b/core/modules/entity_reference/lib/Drupal/entity_reference/Plugin/entity_reference/selection/SelectionBase.php
index 97bb5be..9037fa6 100644
--- a/core/modules/entity_reference/lib/Drupal/entity_reference/Plugin/entity_reference/selection/SelectionBase.php
+++ b/core/modules/entity_reference/lib/Drupal/entity_reference/Plugin/entity_reference/selection/SelectionBase.php
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
  * @Plugin(
  *   id = "base",
  *   module = "entity_reference",
- *   label = @Translation("Simple selection"),
+ *   label = @Translation("Default"),
  *   group = "base",
  *   weight = 0,
  *   derivative = "Drupal\entity_reference\Plugin\Derivative\SelectionBase"
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ public static function settingsForm(&$field, &$instance) {
     $instance['settings']['handler_settings'] += array(
       'target_bundles' => array(),
       'sort' => array(
-        'type' => 'none',
+        'field' => '_none',
       ),
       'auto_create' => FALSE,
     );
@@ -83,14 +83,23 @@ public static function settingsForm(&$field, &$instance) {
         $bundles[$bundle_name] = $bundle_info['label'];
       }
 
+      $target_bundles_title = t('Bundles');
+      // Default core entity types with sensible labels.
+      if ($field['settings']['target_type'] == 'node') {
+        $target_bundles_title = t('Content types');
+      }
+      elseif ($field['settings']['target_type'] == 'taxonomy_term') {
+        $target_bundles_title = t('Vocabularies');
+      }
+
       $form['target_bundles'] = array(
         '#type' => 'checkboxes',
-        '#title' => t('Target bundles'),
+        '#title' => $target_bundles_title,
         '#options' => $bundles,
-        '#default_value' => $instance['settings']['handler_settings']['target_bundles'],
+        '#default_value' => (!empty($instance['settings']['handler_settings']['target_bundles'])) ? $instance['settings']['handler_settings']['target_bundles'] : array_keys($bundles),
         '#size' => 6,
         '#multiple' => TRUE,
-        '#description' => t('The bundles of the entity type that can be referenced. Optional, leave empty for all bundles.'),
+        '#description' => t('The bundles of the entity type that can be referenced.'),
         '#element_validate' => array('_entity_reference_element_validate_filter'),
       );
     }
@@ -101,16 +110,27 @@ public static function settingsForm(&$field, &$instance) {
       );
     }
 
-    $form['sort']['type'] = array(
+    // @todo Use Entity::getPropertyDefinitions() when all entity types are
+    // converted to the new Field API.
+    $fields = drupal_map_assoc($entity_info['schema_fields_sql']['base_table']);
+    foreach (field_info_instances($field['settings']['target_type']) as $bundle_instances) {
+      foreach ($bundle_instances as $instance_name => $instance_info) {
+        $field_info = field_info_field($instance_name);
+        foreach ($field_info['columns'] as $column_name => $column_info) {
+          $fields[$instance_name . '.' . $column_name] = t('@label (@column)', array('@label' => $instance_info['label'], '@column' => $column_name));
+        }
+      }
+    }
+
+    $form['sort']['field'] = array(
       '#type' => 'select',
       '#title' => t('Sort by'),
       '#options' => array(
-        'none' => t("Don't sort"),
-        'field' => t('A field of the referenced entity'),
-      ),
+        '_none' => t('- None -'),
+      ) + $fields,
       '#ajax' => TRUE,
       '#limit_validation_errors' => array(),
-      '#default_value' => $instance['settings']['handler_settings']['sort']['type'],
+      '#default_value' => $instance['settings']['handler_settings']['sort']['field'],
     );
 
     $form['sort']['settings'] = array(
@@ -119,34 +139,7 @@ public static function settingsForm(&$field, &$instance) {
       '#process' => array('_entity_reference_form_process_merge_parent'),
     );
 
-    if ($instance['settings']['handler_settings']['sort']['type'] == 'field') {
-      // Merge-in default values.
-      $instance['settings']['handler_settings']['sort'] += array(
-        'field' => NULL,
-      );
-
-      // @todo Use Entity::getPropertyDefinitions() when all entity types are
-      // converted to the new Field API.
-      $fields = drupal_map_assoc($entity_info['schema_fields_sql']['base_table']);
-      foreach (field_info_instances($field['settings']['target_type']) as $bundle_instances) {
-        foreach ($bundle_instances as $instance_name => $instance_info) {
-          $field_info = field_info_field($instance_name);
-          foreach ($field_info['columns'] as $column_name => $column_info) {
-            $fields[$instance_name . '.' . $column_name] = t('@label (@column)', array('@label' => $instance_info['label'], '@column' => $column_name));
-          }
-        }
-      }
-
-      $form['sort']['settings']['field'] = array(
-        '#type' => 'select',
-        '#title' => t('Sort field'),
-        '#required' => TRUE,
-        '#options' => $fields,
-        '#default_value' => $instance['settings']['handler_settings']['sort']['field'],
-      );
-    }
-
-    if ($instance['settings']['handler_settings']['sort']['type'] != 'none') {
+    if ($instance['settings']['handler_settings']['sort']['field'] != '_none') {
       // Merge-in default values.
       $instance['settings']['handler_settings']['sort'] += array(
         'direction' => 'ASC',
@@ -305,7 +298,7 @@ public function buildEntityQuery($match = NULL, $match_operator = 'CONTAINS') {
     // Add the sort option.
     if (!empty($this->instance['settings']['handler_settings']['sort'])) {
       $sort_settings = $this->instance['settings']['handler_settings']['sort'];
-      if ($sort_settings['type'] == 'field') {
+      if ($sort_settings['field'] != '_none') {
         $query->sort($sort_settings['field'], $sort_settings['direction']);
       }
     }
diff --git a/core/modules/entity_reference/lib/Drupal/entity_reference/Tests/EntityReferenceAdminTest.php b/core/modules/entity_reference/lib/Drupal/entity_reference/Tests/EntityReferenceAdminTest.php
index 6f0222c..437e0ae 100644
--- a/core/modules/entity_reference/lib/Drupal/entity_reference/Tests/EntityReferenceAdminTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/entity_reference/lib/Drupal/entity_reference/Tests/EntityReferenceAdminTest.php
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ public function testFieldAdminHandler() {
     // The base handler should be selected by default.
     $this->assertFieldByName('instance[settings][handler]', 'base');
 
-    // The base handler settings should be diplayed.
+    // The base handler settings should be displayed.
     $entity_type = 'node';
     $entity_info = entity_get_info($entity_type);
     foreach ($entity_info['bundles'] as $bundle_name => $bundle_info) {
@@ -90,20 +90,14 @@ public function testFieldAdminHandler() {
     }
 
     // Test the sort settings.
-    $options = array('none', 'field');
-    $this->assertFieldSelectOptions('instance[settings][handler_settings][sort][type]', $options);
     // Option 0: no sort.
-    $this->assertFieldByName('instance[settings][handler_settings][sort][type]', 'none');
-    $this->assertNoFieldByName('instance[settings][handler_settings][sort][property]');
-    $this->assertNoFieldByName('instance[settings][handler_settings][sort][field]');
+    $this->assertFieldByName('instance[settings][handler_settings][sort][field]', '_none');
     $this->assertNoFieldByName('instance[settings][handler_settings][sort][direction]');
     // Option 1: sort by field.
-    $this->drupalPostAJAX(NULL, array('instance[settings][handler_settings][sort][type]' => 'field'), 'instance[settings][handler_settings][sort][type]');
-    $this->assertNoFieldByName('instance[settings][handler_settings][sort][property]');
-    $this->assertFieldByName('instance[settings][handler_settings][sort][field]', '');
+    $this->drupalPostAJAX(NULL, array('instance[settings][handler_settings][sort][field]' => 'nid'), 'instance[settings][handler_settings][sort][field]');
     $this->assertFieldByName('instance[settings][handler_settings][sort][direction]', 'ASC');
     // Set back to no sort.
-    $this->drupalPostAJAX(NULL, array('instance[settings][handler_settings][sort][type]' => 'none'), 'instance[settings][handler_settings][sort][type]');
+    $this->drupalPostAJAX(NULL, array('instance[settings][handler_settings][sort][field]' => '_none'), 'instance[settings][handler_settings][sort][field]');
 
     // Third step: confirm.
     $this->drupalPost(NULL, array(), t('Save settings'));
diff --git a/core/modules/entity_reference/lib/Drupal/entity_reference/Tests/EntityReferenceSelectionSortTest.php b/core/modules/entity_reference/lib/Drupal/entity_reference/Tests/EntityReferenceSelectionSortTest.php
index 59d2ce1..418d85c 100644
--- a/core/modules/entity_reference/lib/Drupal/entity_reference/Tests/EntityReferenceSelectionSortTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/entity_reference/lib/Drupal/entity_reference/Tests/EntityReferenceSelectionSortTest.php
@@ -73,7 +73,6 @@ public function testSort() {
           'target_bundles' => array(),
           // Add sorting.
           'sort' => array(
-            'type' => 'field',
             'field' => 'field_text.value',
             'direction' => 'DESC',
           ),
@@ -137,7 +136,6 @@ public function testSort() {
 
     // Assert sort by property.
     $instance['settings']['handler_settings']['sort'] = array(
-      'type' => 'field',
       'field' => 'nid',
       'direction' => 'ASC',
     );
diff --git a/core/modules/user/lib/Drupal/user/Plugin/entity_reference/selection/UserSelection.php b/core/modules/user/lib/Drupal/user/Plugin/entity_reference/selection/UserSelection.php
index 8048dad..4a1352b 100644
--- a/core/modules/user/lib/Drupal/user/Plugin/entity_reference/selection/UserSelection.php
+++ b/core/modules/user/lib/Drupal/user/Plugin/entity_reference/selection/UserSelection.php
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ public static function settingsForm(&$field, &$instance) {
     // Merge-in default values.
     $instance['settings']['handler_settings'] += array(
       'filter' => array(
-        'type' => 'none',
+        'type' => '_none',
       ),
     );
 
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ public static function settingsForm(&$field, &$instance) {
       '#type' => 'select',
       '#title' => t('Filter by'),
       '#options' => array(
-        'none' => t("Don't filter"),
+        '_none' => t('- None -'),
         'role' => t('User role'),
       ),
       '#ajax' => TRUE,