diff --git a/core/includes/install.core.inc b/core/includes/install.core.inc
index 2b117bc..a333233 100644
--- a/core/includes/install.core.inc
+++ b/core/includes/install.core.inc
@@ -1707,6 +1707,11 @@ function install_finished(&$install_state) {
   // Will also trigger indexing of profile-supplied content or feeds.
   drupal_cron_run();
 
+  // Save a snapshot of the intially installed configuration.
+  $active = drupal_container()->get('config.storage');
+  $snapshot = drupal_container()->get('config.storage.snapshot');
+  config_import_create_snapshot($active, $snapshot);
+
   return $output;
 }
 
diff --git a/core/modules/config/lib/Drupal/config/Tests/ConfigCRUDTest.php b/core/modules/config/lib/Drupal/config/Tests/ConfigCRUDTest.php
index 31aa81c..a22d25f 100644
--- a/core/modules/config/lib/Drupal/config/Tests/ConfigCRUDTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/config/lib/Drupal/config/Tests/ConfigCRUDTest.php
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ public static function getInfo() {
    */
   function testCRUD() {
     $storage = $this->container->get('config.storage');
+    $snapshot = $this->container->get('config.storage.snapshot');
     $name = 'config_test.crud';
 
     $config = config($name);
diff --git a/core/modules/config/lib/Drupal/config/Tests/ConfigImportTest.php b/core/modules/config/lib/Drupal/config/Tests/ConfigImportTest.php
index 9416f07..ff4af24 100644
--- a/core/modules/config/lib/Drupal/config/Tests/ConfigImportTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/config/lib/Drupal/config/Tests/ConfigImportTest.php
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 
 namespace Drupal\config\Tests;
 
-use Drupal\simpletest\DrupalUnitTestBase;
+use Drupal\simpletest\WebTestBase;
 
 /**
  * Tests importing configuration from files into active configuration.
@@ -37,6 +37,12 @@ function setUp() {
     // variable being used for recording hook invocations by this test already,
     // so it has to be cleared out manually.
     unset($GLOBALS['hook_config_test']);
+
+    // After installation we enabled config_test.module, which changed the
+    // active configuration. Create a new snapshot to get us back to parity.
+    $active = drupal_container()->get('config.storage');
+    $snapshot = drupal_container()->get('config.storage.snapshot');
+    config_import_create_snapshot($active, $snapshot);
   }
 
   /**
@@ -60,6 +66,11 @@ function testDeleted() {
     $dynamic_name = 'config_test.dynamic.default';
     $storage = $this->container->get('config.storage');
     $staging = $this->container->get('config.storage.staging');
+    $snapshot = $this->container->get('config.storage.snapshot');
+
+    // Verify that we have an initial snapshot of configuration that matches
+    // the active configuration.
+    $this->assertFalse(config_sync_get_changes($snapshot, $storage));
 
     // Verify the default configuration values exist.
     $config = config($dynamic_name);
@@ -86,6 +97,10 @@ function testDeleted() {
 
     // Verify that there is nothing more to import.
     $this->assertFalse(config_sync_get_changes($staging, $storage));
+
+    // Verify that a new snapshot was successfully created, and that its values
+    // match the active configuration.
+    $this->assertFalse(config_sync_get_changes($snapshot, $storage));
   }
 
   /**
@@ -95,6 +110,11 @@ function testNew() {
     $dynamic_name = 'config_test.dynamic.new';
     $storage = $this->container->get('config.storage');
     $staging = $this->container->get('config.storage.staging');
+    $snapshot = $this->container->get('config.storage.snapshot');
+
+    // Verify that we have an initial snapshot of configuration that matches
+    // the active configuration.
+    $this->assertFalse(config_sync_get_changes($snapshot, $storage));
 
     // Verify the configuration to create does not exist yet.
     $this->assertIdentical($storage->exists($dynamic_name), FALSE, $dynamic_name . ' not found.');
@@ -135,6 +155,10 @@ function testNew() {
 
     // Verify that there is nothing more to import.
     $this->assertFalse(config_sync_get_changes($staging, $storage));
+
+    // Verify that a new snapshot was successfully created, and that its values
+    // match the active configuration.
+    $this->assertFalse(config_sync_get_changes($snapshot, $storage));
   }
 
   /**
@@ -145,6 +169,11 @@ function testUpdated() {
     $dynamic_name = 'config_test.dynamic.default';
     $storage = $this->container->get('config.storage');
     $staging = $this->container->get('config.storage.staging');
+    $snapshot = $this->container->get('config.storage.snapshot');
+
+    // Verify that we have an initial snapshot of configuration that matches
+    // the active configuration.
+    $this->assertFalse(config_sync_get_changes($snapshot, $storage));
 
     // Verify that the configuration objects to import exist.
     $this->assertIdentical($storage->exists($name), TRUE, $name . ' found.');
@@ -192,6 +221,10 @@ function testUpdated() {
 
     // Verify that there is nothing more to import.
     $this->assertFalse(config_sync_get_changes($staging, $storage));
+
+    // Verify that a new snapshot was successfully created, and that its values
+    // match the active configuration.
+    $this->assertFalse(config_sync_get_changes($snapshot, $storage));
   }
 
 }
diff --git a/core/modules/config/lib/Drupal/config/Tests/ConfigSnapshotTest.php b/core/modules/config/lib/Drupal/config/Tests/ConfigSnapshotTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1db07ca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/modules/config/lib/Drupal/config/Tests/ConfigSnapshotTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+<?php
+
+/**
+ * @file
+ * Definition of Drupal\config\Tests\ConfigSnapshotTest.
+ */
+
+namespace Drupal\config\Tests;
+
+use Drupal\simpletest\WebTestBase;
+
+/**
+ * Tests config snapshot creation and updating.
+ */
+class ConfigSnapshotTest extends WebTestBase {
+  public static function getInfo() {
+    return array(
+      'name' => 'Snapshot functionality',
+      'description' => 'Config snapshot creation and updating.',
+      'group' => 'Configuration',
+    );
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Tests config snapshot creation and updating.
+   */
+  function testSnapshot() {
+    $storage = $this->container->get('config.storage');
+    $staging = $this->container->get('config.storage.staging');
+    $snapshot = $this->container->get('config.storage.snapshot');
+    $name = 'system.performance';
+    $key = 'cache.page.max_age';
+    $original_data = '0';
+    $new_data = '10';
+
+    // Verify that we have an initial snapshot of configuration that matches
+    // the active configuration.
+    $this->assertFalse(config_sync_get_changes($snapshot, $storage));
+
+    // Write new data to the active directory.
+    $config = config($name);
+    $config->set($key, $new_data)->save();
+
+    // Save it for later.
+    $staging_data = $config->get();
+
+    // Verify the active configuration contains the saved value.
+    $this->assertIdentical(config($name)->get($key), $new_data);
+
+    // Verify that the active and snapshot storage do not match.
+    $this->assertTrue(config_sync_get_changes($snapshot, $storage));
+
+    // Reset data back to original value.
+    config($name)->set($key, $original_data)->save();
+
+    // Verify that the active and snapshot storage match again.
+    $this->assertFalse(config_sync_get_changes($snapshot, $storage));
+
+    // Write modified data to staging.
+    $staging->write($name, $staging_data);
+
+    // Verify that active and snapshot match, and that staging doesn't match
+    // either.
+    $this->assertFalse(config_sync_get_changes($snapshot, $storage));
+    $this->assertTrue(config_sync_get_changes($snapshot, $staging));
+    $this->assertTrue(config_sync_get_changes($staging, $storage));
+
+    // Import.
+    config_import();
+
+    // Verify config was imported.
+    $this->assertIdentical(config($name)->get($key), $new_data);
+
+    // Verify that active and snapshot match after new config imported.
+    $this->assertFalse(config_sync_get_changes($snapshot, $storage));
+  }
+
+}