diff --git a/core/modules/aggregator/lib/Drupal/aggregator/Tests/AggregatorRenderingTest.php b/core/modules/aggregator/lib/Drupal/aggregator/Tests/AggregatorRenderingTest.php
index b52aebf..1af69e8 100644
--- a/core/modules/aggregator/lib/Drupal/aggregator/Tests/AggregatorRenderingTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/aggregator/lib/Drupal/aggregator/Tests/AggregatorRenderingTest.php
@@ -51,17 +51,11 @@ public function testBlockLinks() {
     ));
     $this->drupalLogin($admin_user);
 
-    $block = array(
-      'label' => 'feed-' . $feed->title,
-      'configuration' => array(
-        'block_count' => 2,
-      ),
-    );
-    $this->drupalPlaceBlock("aggregator_feed_block:{$feed->fid}", $block);
+    $block = $this->drupalPlaceBlock("aggregator_feed_block:{$feed->fid}", array('label' => 'feed-' . $feed->title), array('block_count' => 2));
 
     // Confirm that the block is now being displayed on pages.
     $this->drupalGet('node');
-    $this->assertText(t($block['label']), 'Feed block is displayed on the page.');
+    $this->assertText($block->label(), 'Feed block is displayed on the page.');
 
     // Find the expected read_more link.
     $href = 'aggregator/sources/' . $feed->fid;
@@ -79,7 +73,7 @@ public function testBlockLinks() {
     aggregator_save_feed((array) $feed);
     // Check that the block is no longer displayed.
     $this->drupalGet('node');
-    $this->assertNoText(t($block['label']), 'Feed block is not displayed on the page when number of items is set to 0.');
+    $this->assertNoText($block->label(), 'Feed block is not displayed on the page when number of items is set to 0.');
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/core/modules/block/lib/Drupal/block/Tests/BlockLanguageTest.php b/core/modules/block/lib/Drupal/block/Tests/BlockLanguageTest.php
index beb2fcc..1b76d07 100644
--- a/core/modules/block/lib/Drupal/block/Tests/BlockLanguageTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/block/lib/Drupal/block/Tests/BlockLanguageTest.php
@@ -99,9 +99,8 @@ public function testLanguageBlockVisibilityLanguageDelete() {
         ),
       ),
       'machine_name' => 'language_block_test',
-      'region' => 'sidebar_first',
     );
-    $block = $this->drupalPlaceBlock('system_powered_by_block', $edit, t('Save block'));
+    $block = $this->drupalPlaceBlock('system_powered_by_block', $edit);
 
     // Check that we have the language in config after saving the setting.
     $visibility = $block->get('visibility');
diff --git a/core/modules/book/lib/Drupal/book/Tests/BookTest.php b/core/modules/book/lib/Drupal/book/Tests/BookTest.php
index ae0bdae..0a1ffcf 100644
--- a/core/modules/book/lib/Drupal/book/Tests/BookTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/book/lib/Drupal/book/Tests/BookTest.php
@@ -331,7 +331,7 @@ function testBookNavigationBlock() {
    */
   function testNavigationBlockOnAccessModuleEnabled() {
     $this->drupalLogin($this->admin_user);
-    $block = $this->drupalPlaceBlock('book_navigation', array('book_block_mode' => 'book pages'));
+    $block = $this->drupalPlaceBlock('book_navigation', array(), array('block_mode' => 'book pages'));
 
     // Give anonymous users the permission 'node test view'.
     $edit = array();
@@ -351,6 +351,10 @@ function testNavigationBlockOnAccessModuleEnabled() {
     // Test correct display of the block to anonymous users.
     $this->drupalGet('node/' . $this->book->nid);
     $this->assertText($block->label(), 'Book navigation block is displayed to anonymous users.');
+
+    // Test the 'book pages' block_mode setting.
+    $this->drupalGet('<front>');
+    $this->assertNoText($block->label(), 'Book navigation block is not shown on non-book pages.');
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/core/modules/comment/lib/Drupal/comment/Tests/CommentBlockTest.php b/core/modules/comment/lib/Drupal/comment/Tests/CommentBlockTest.php
index 8d9ad8c..9f4b4a9 100644
--- a/core/modules/comment/lib/Drupal/comment/Tests/CommentBlockTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/comment/lib/Drupal/comment/Tests/CommentBlockTest.php
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ public static function getInfo() {
    */
   function testRecentCommentBlock() {
     $this->drupalLogin($this->admin_user);
-    $block = $this->drupalPlaceBlock('recent_comments', array('configuration' => array('block_count' => 2)));
+    $block = $this->drupalPlaceBlock('recent_comments', array(), array('block_count' => 2));
 
     // Add some test comments, one without a subject.
     $comment1 = $this->postComment($this->node, $this->randomName(), $this->randomName());
diff --git a/core/modules/node/lib/Drupal/node/Tests/NodeBlockFunctionalTest.php b/core/modules/node/lib/Drupal/node/Tests/NodeBlockFunctionalTest.php
index cb1368f..c3105db 100644
--- a/core/modules/node/lib/Drupal/node/Tests/NodeBlockFunctionalTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/node/lib/Drupal/node/Tests/NodeBlockFunctionalTest.php
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ public function testRecentNodeBlock() {
     ));
 
     // Enable the recent content block with two items.
-    $block = $this->drupalPlaceBlock('node_recent_block', array('machine_name' => 'test_block', 'configuration' => array('block_count' => 2)));
+    $block = $this->drupalPlaceBlock('node_recent_block', array('machine_name' => 'test_block'), array('block_count' => 2));
 
     // Test that block is not visible without nodes.
     $this->drupalGet('');
diff --git a/core/modules/simpletest/lib/Drupal/simpletest/WebTestBase.php b/core/modules/simpletest/lib/Drupal/simpletest/WebTestBase.php
index 7ac863e..1b57f61 100644
--- a/core/modules/simpletest/lib/Drupal/simpletest/WebTestBase.php
+++ b/core/modules/simpletest/lib/Drupal/simpletest/WebTestBase.php
@@ -347,40 +347,41 @@ protected function drupalCreateContentType($settings = array()) {
    *
    * @param string $plugin_id
    *   The plugin ID of the block type for this block instance.
-   * @param array $settings
-   *   (optional) An associative array of settings for the block instance.
-   *   Override the defaults by specifying the key and value  in the array, for
+   * @param array $values
+   *   (optional) An associative array of values for the block entity.
+   *   Override the defaults by specifying the key and value in the array, for
    *   example:
    *   @code
    *     $this->drupalPlaceBlock('system_powered_by_block', array(
-   *       'title' => t('Hello, world!'),
+   *       'label' => t('Hello, world!'),
    *     ));
    *   @endcode
    *   The following defaults are provided:
-   *   - title: Random string.
+   *   - label: Random string.
    *   - machine_name: Random string.
    *   - region: 'sidebar_first'.
-   * @param string $theme
-   *   (optional) The theme for which to add a block instance. Defaults to the
-   *   default theme.
+   *   - theme: The default theme.
+   * @param array $configuration
+   *   (optional) An associative array of plugin-specific configuration.
    *
-   * @return array|false
-   *   The block instance configuration from BlockBase::getConfig(), or FALSE
-   *   on failure.
+   * @return \Drupal\block\Plugin\Core\Entity\Block
+   *   The block entity.
    *
    * @todo
    *   Add support for creating custom block instances.
    */
-  protected function drupalPlaceBlock($plugin_id, array $settings = array(), $theme = NULL) {
-    // If no theme was specified, use the default theme.
-    $theme = $theme ?: variable_get('theme_default', 'stark');
-    $machine_name = isset($settings['machine_name']) ? $settings['machine_name'] : strtolower($this->randomName(8));
-    $block = entity_create('block', $settings + array(
+  protected function drupalPlaceBlock($plugin_id, array $values = array(), array $configuration = array()) {
+    $values += array(
       'plugin' => $plugin_id,
       'label' => $this->randomName(8),
-      'id' => $theme . '.' . $machine_name,
       'region' => 'sidebar_first',
-    ));
+      'theme' => variable_get('theme_default', 'stark'),
+      'machine_name' => strtolower($this->randomName(8)),
+    );
+    // Build the ID out of the theme and machine_name.
+    $values['id'] = $values['theme'] . '.' . $values['machine_name'];
+    $values['configuration'] = $configuration;
+    $block = entity_create('block', $values);
     $block->save();
     return $block;
   }
diff --git a/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Tests/Menu/BreadcrumbTest.php b/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Tests/Menu/BreadcrumbTest.php
index 9c51a89..88f188a 100644
--- a/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Tests/Menu/BreadcrumbTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Tests/Menu/BreadcrumbTest.php
@@ -47,7 +47,8 @@ function setUp() {
       'region' => 'content',
     );
     $this->drupalPlaceBlock('system_menu_block:menu-tools', $settings);
-    $this->drupalPlaceBlock('system_menu_block:menu-tools', $settings, config('system.theme')->get('admin'));
+    $settings['theme'] = config('system.theme')->get('admin');
+    $this->drupalPlaceBlock('system_menu_block:menu-tools', $settings);
   }
 
   /**