diff --git a/core/modules/field/field.install b/core/modules/field/field.install
index f7949d4..884e457 100644
--- a/core/modules/field/field.install
+++ b/core/modules/field/field.install
@@ -579,34 +579,7 @@ function field_update_8006(&$sandbox) {
   $sandbox['#finished'] = empty($sandbox['max']) ? 1 : ($sandbox['index'] / $sandbox['max']);
 }
 
-/**
- * Convert image field and instance setting 'default_image'.
- */
-function field_update_8007(&$sandbox) {
-  $image_factory = \Drupal::service('image.factory');
-  foreach (array('field', 'instance') as $type) {
-    $prefix = "field.$type";
-    foreach (config_get_storage_names_with_prefix($prefix) as $config_id) {
-      $config = \Drupal::config($config_id);
-      if (($type == 'field' && $config->get('type') == 'image') || ($type == 'instance' && $config->get('field_type') == 'image')) {
-        if ($fid = $config->get('settings.default_image')) {
-          $file = file_load($fid);
-          $image = $image_factory->get($file->getFileUri());
-        }
-        $default_image = array(
-          'fid' => (int) $fid,
-          'alt' => '',
-          'title' => '',
-          'width' => $fid ? $image->getWidth() : 0,
-          'height' => $fid ? $image->getHeight() : 0,
-        );
-        $config
-          ->set('settings.default_image', $default_image)
-          ->save();
-      }
-    }
-  }
-}
+
 
 /**
  * @} End of "addtogroup updates-7.x-to-8.x".
diff --git a/core/modules/image/image.install b/core/modules/image/image.install
index 9a14749..2cf4b2c 100644
--- a/core/modules/image/image.install
+++ b/core/modules/image/image.install
@@ -59,6 +59,17 @@ function image_requirements($phase) {
 }
 
 /**
+ * Implements hook_update_dependencies().
+ */
+function image_update_dependencies() {
+  // Convert image field and instance setting 'default_image' from integer to
+  // array only after fields and instances were converted to config.
+  $dependencies['image'][8003] = array('field' => 8006);
+
+  return $dependencies;
+}
+
+/**
  * Loads all effects for an image style from backend.
  *
  * @param array $style
@@ -237,3 +248,35 @@ function image_update_8002() {
     'image_style_preview_image' => 'preview_image',
   ));
 }
+
+/**
+ * Convert image field and instance setting 'default_image' from integer to
+ * array by adding alt, title, width, and height options.
+ */
+function image_update_8003() {
+  $image_factory = \Drupal::service('image.factory');
+  foreach (array('field', 'instance') as $type) {
+    $prefix = "field.$type";
+    foreach (config_get_storage_names_with_prefix($prefix) as $config_id) {
+      $config = \Drupal::config($config_id);
+      $is_image = ($type == 'field' && $config->get('type') == 'image') || ($type == 'instance' && $config->get('field_type') == 'image');
+      if (!$is_image) {
+        continue;
+      }
+      if ($fid = (int) $config->get('settings.default_image')) {
+        $uri = db_query('SELECT fid FROM {file_managed} WHERE fid = :fid', array(':fid' => $fid))->fetchField();
+        $image = $image_factory->get($fid);
+      }
+      $default_image = array(
+        'fid' => $fid ?: NULL,
+        'alt' => '',
+        'title' => '',
+        'width' => $fid ? $image->getWidth() : NULL,
+        'height' => $fid ? $image->getHeight() : NULL,
+      );
+      $config
+        ->set('settings.default_image', $default_image)
+        ->save();
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/core/modules/image/image.module b/core/modules/image/image.module
index d465aba..9a33112 100644
--- a/core/modules/image/image.module
+++ b/core/modules/image/image.module
@@ -417,26 +417,31 @@ function image_entity_presave(EntityInterface $entity, $type) {
   elseif ($entity instanceof Field) {
     $field = $entity;
   }
-  if ($field && $field->type == 'image' && is_array($entity->settings['default_image']['fid'])) {
-    if (!empty($entity->settings['default_image']['fid'][0])) {
-      $fid = $entity->settings['default_image']['fid'][0];
-      $entity->settings['default_image']['fid'] = $fid;
-
-      // If there's a new default image get save the width and height in the
-      // field/instance settings.
-      $original_fid = isset($entity->original) ? $entity->original->settings['default_image']['fid'] : 0;
-      if ($fid != $original_fid) {
-        $image = \Drupal::service('image.factory')->get(file_load($fid)->getFileUri());
-        $entity->settings['default_image']['width'] = $image->getWidth();
-        $entity->settings['default_image']['height'] = $image->getHeight();
-      }
-    }
-    else {
-      $entity->settings['default_image']['fid'] = 0;
-      $entity->settings['default_image']['width'] = 0;
-      $entity->settings['default_image']['height'] = 0;
+  // Exit, if not saving an image field or image field instance entity.
+  if (!$field || $field->type != 'image') {
+    return;
+  }
+
+  if (!empty($entity->settings['default_image']['fid'][0])) {
+    $entity->settings['default_image']['fid'] = $entity->settings['default_image']['fid'][0];
+  }
+  if ($fid = $entity->settings['default_image']['fid']) {
+    $original_fid = isset($entity->original) ? $entity->original->settings['default_image']['fid'] : NULL;
+    if ($fid != $original_fid) {
+      $image = \Drupal::service('image.factory')->get(file_load($fid)->getFileUri());
+      $entity->settings['default_image']['width'] = $image->getWidth();
+      $entity->settings['default_image']['height'] = $image->getHeight();
     }
   }
+  else {
+    $entity->settings['default_image'] = array(
+      'fid' => NULL,
+      'alt' => '',
+      'title' => '',
+      'width' => NULL,
+      'height' => NULL,
+    );
+  }
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/core/modules/image/lib/Drupal/image/Plugin/field/field_type/ImageItem.php b/core/modules/image/lib/Drupal/image/Plugin/field/field_type/ImageItem.php
index 6d7f9e6..f8f4b7c 100644
--- a/core/modules/image/lib/Drupal/image/Plugin/field/field_type/ImageItem.php
+++ b/core/modules/image/lib/Drupal/image/Plugin/field/field_type/ImageItem.php
@@ -20,11 +20,11 @@
  *   settings = {
  *     "uri_scheme" = "",
  *     "default_image" = {
- *       "fid" = 0,
+ *       "fid" = NULL,
  *       "alt" = "",
  *       "title" = "",
- *       "width" = 0,
- *       "height" = 0
+ *       "width" = NULL,
+ *       "height" = NULL
  *     },
  *     "column_groups" = {
  *       "file" = {
@@ -52,11 +52,11 @@
  *     "max_resolution" = "",
  *     "min_resolution" = "",
  *     "default_image" = {
- *       "fid" = 0,
+ *       "fid" = NULL,
  *       "alt" = "",
  *       "title" = "",
- *       "width" = 0,
- *       "height" = 0
+ *       "width" = NULL,
+ *       "height" = NULL
  *     }
  *   },
  *   default_widget = "image_image",
@@ -322,8 +322,6 @@ public static function validateResolution($element, &$form_state) {
   /**
    * Builds the default_image details element.
    *
-   * Code reusing in both, settingsForm() and instanceSettingsForm() methods.
-   *
    * @param array $element
    *   The form associative array passed by reference.
    * @param array $settings
@@ -335,7 +333,6 @@ protected function defaultImageForm(array &$element, array $settings) {
       '#title' => t('Default image'),
       '#open' => TRUE,
     );
-
     $element['default_image']['fid'] = array(
       '#type' => 'managed_file',
       '#title' => t('Image'),
@@ -343,28 +340,24 @@ protected function defaultImageForm(array &$element, array $settings) {
       '#default_value' => empty($settings['default_image']['fid']) ? array() : array($settings['default_image']['fid']),
       '#upload_location' => $settings['uri_scheme'] . '://default_images/',
     );
-
     $element['default_image']['alt'] = array(
       '#type' => 'textfield',
       '#title' => t('Alternate text'),
-      '#description' => t('This text will be used by screen readers, search engines, or when the image cannot be loaded.'),
+      '#description' => t('This text will be used by screen readers, search engines, and when the image cannot be loaded.'),
       '#default_value' => $settings['default_image']['alt'],
       '#maxlength' => 512,
     );
-
     $element['default_image']['title'] = array(
       '#type' => 'textfield',
       '#title' => t('Title'),
-      '#description' => t('The title is used as a tool tip when the user hovers the mouse over the image.'),
+      '#description' => t('The title attribute is used as a tooltip when the mouse hovers over the image.'),
       '#default_value' => $settings['default_image']['title'],
       '#maxlength' => 1024,
     );
-
     $element['default_image']['width'] = array(
       '#type' => 'value',
       '#value' => $settings['default_image']['width'],
     );
-
     $element['default_image']['height'] = array(
       '#type' => 'value',
       '#value' => $settings['default_image']['height'],
diff --git a/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Tests/Upgrade/ImageUpgradePathTest.php b/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Tests/Upgrade/ImageUpgradePathTest.php
index 9bc0235..7d742a7 100644
--- a/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Tests/Upgrade/ImageUpgradePathTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Tests/Upgrade/ImageUpgradePathTest.php
@@ -145,4 +145,41 @@ public function sortByKey(array $data) {
     }
     return $data;
   }
+
+  /**
+   * Tests if the field and instance setting 'default_image' has been
+   * successfully converted from an integer to an associative array.
+   */
+  public function testImageFieldDefaultImageUpgrade() {
+    // Perform upgrade.
+    $this->assertTrue($this->performUpgrade(), 'The upgrade was completed successfully.');
+
+    // While this test is testing the upgrade path against a Drupal 7 'standard'
+    // profile installation we assume that node bundle 'article', having the
+    // 'field_image' image field, is installed too.
+    $cases = array('field.field.node.field_image', 'field.instance.node.article.field_image');
+    foreach ($cases as $case) {
+      $default_image = \Drupal::config($case)->get('settings.default_image');
+
+      // Check is was converted to an array.
+      $this->assertTrue(is_array($default_image));
+
+      // Check if 'default_image' contains a key named 'fid'. It might be an
+      // integer or NULL.
+      $this->assertTrue(array_key_exists('fid', $default_image));
+
+      // Check if 'alt' key exists and is a string.
+      $this->assertTrue(isset($default_image['alt']) && is_string($default_image['alt']));
+
+      // Check if 'title' key exists and is a string.
+      $this->assertTrue(isset($default_image['title']) && is_string($default_image['title']));
+
+      // Check if 'width' key exists. It might be an integer or NULL.
+      $this->assertTrue(array_key_exists('width', $default_image));
+
+      // Check if 'height' key exists. It might be an integer or NULL.
+      $this->assertTrue(array_key_exists('height', $default_image));
+    }
+  }
+
 }
diff --git a/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Tests/Upgrade/UserPictureUpgradePathTest.php b/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Tests/Upgrade/UserPictureUpgradePathTest.php
index ecd82e8..85822dc 100644
--- a/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Tests/Upgrade/UserPictureUpgradePathTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Tests/Upgrade/UserPictureUpgradePathTest.php
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ public function testUserPictureUpgrade() {
     $instance = field_info_instance('user', 'user_picture', 'user');
     // We explicitly avoid using the getFieldSetting() method here, since it
     // merges field and instance settings.
-    $file = entity_load('file', $instance->settings['default_image']['fid'][0]);
+    $file = entity_load('file', $instance->settings['default_image']['fid']);
     $this->assertTrue($file, 'Default user picture has been migrated.');
     $this->assertEqual($file->getFileUri(), 'public://user_pictures_dir/druplicon.png', 'File id matches the uri expected.');
     $this->assertEqual($file->getFilename(), 'druplicon.png');
diff --git a/core/modules/user/user.install b/core/modules/user/user.install
index 7620ee5..ef916d4 100644
--- a/core/modules/user/user.install
+++ b/core/modules/user/user.install
@@ -272,7 +272,13 @@ function user_install_picture_field() {
     'indexes' => array('target_id' => array('target_id')),
     'settings' => array(
       'uri_scheme' => 'public',
-      'default_image' => FALSE,
+      'default_image' => array(
+        'fid' => NULL,
+        'alt' => '',
+        'title' => '',
+        'width' => NULL,
+        'height' => NULL,
+      ),
     ),
   );
   entity_create('field_entity', $field)->save();
@@ -292,7 +298,13 @@ function user_install_picture_field() {
       'title_field' => 0,
       'max_resolution' => '85x85',
       'min_resolution' => '',
-      'default_image' => 0,
+      'default_image' => array(
+        'fid' => NULL,
+        'alt' => '',
+        'title' => '',
+        'width' => NULL,
+        'height' => NULL,
+      ),
     ),
   );
   entity_create('field_instance', $instance)->save();
@@ -660,7 +672,13 @@ function user_update_8011() {
     'indexes' => array('target_id' => array('target_id')),
     'settings' => array(
       'uri_scheme' => 'public',
-      'default_image' => FALSE,
+      'default_image' => array(
+        'fid' => NULL,
+        'alt' => '',
+        'title' => '',
+        'width' => NULL,
+        'height' => NULL,
+      ),
     ),
     'schema' => array(
       'columns' => array(
@@ -706,6 +724,13 @@ function user_update_8011() {
   );
   _update_8003_field_create_field($field);
 
+  // Get the default image object, if exists. We want to obtain later the image
+  // dimensions.
+  $has_default_image = !empty($default_image_fid);
+  if ($has_default_image) {
+    $image = \Drupal::service('image.factory')->get($destination);
+  }
+
   $instance = array(
     'entity_type' => 'user',
     'bundle' => 'user',
@@ -720,7 +745,13 @@ function user_update_8011() {
       'title_field' => 0,
       'max_resolution' => update_variable_get('user_picture_dimensions', '85x85'),
       'min_resolution' => '',
-      'default_image' => !empty($default_image_fid) ? array($default_image_fid) : array(),
+      'default_image' => array(
+        'fid' => $has_default_image ? $default_image_fid : NULL,
+        'alt' => '',
+        'title' => '',
+        'width' => $has_default_image ? $image->getWidth() : NULL,
+        'height' => $has_default_image ? $image->getHeight() : NULL,
+      ),
     ),
   );
   _update_8003_field_create_instance($field, $instance);
@@ -778,7 +809,7 @@ function user_update_8011() {
   $display->save();
 
   // Add file usage for the default field.
-  if (!empty($default_image_fid)) {
+  if ($has_default_image) {
     db_insert('file_usage')
       ->fields(array(
         'fid' => $default_image_fid,
diff --git a/core/profiles/standard/config/field.field.node.field_image.yml b/core/profiles/standard/config/field.field.node.field_image.yml
index 6277cba..458baaf 100644
--- a/core/profiles/standard/config/field.field.node.field_image.yml
+++ b/core/profiles/standard/config/field.field.node.field_image.yml
@@ -8,11 +8,11 @@ active: '1'
 settings:
   uri_scheme: public
   default_image:
-    fid: 0
+    fid: null
     alt: ''
     title: ''
-    width: 0
-    height: 0
+    width: null
+    height: null
   column_groups:
     file:
       label: File
diff --git a/core/profiles/standard/config/field.instance.node.article.field_image.yml b/core/profiles/standard/config/field.instance.node.article.field_image.yml
index 488cabe..23db673 100644
--- a/core/profiles/standard/config/field.instance.node.article.field_image.yml
+++ b/core/profiles/standard/config/field.instance.node.article.field_image.yml
@@ -20,10 +20,10 @@ settings:
   alt_field_required: 0
   title_field_required: 0
   default_image:
-    fid: 0
+    fid: null
     alt: ''
     title: ''
-    width: 0
-    height: 0
+    width: null
+    height: null
 status: 1
 langcode: und