diff -u b/core/modules/system/system.admin.inc b/core/modules/system/system.admin.inc
--- b/core/modules/system/system.admin.inc
+++ b/core/modules/system/system.admin.inc
@@ -1679,25 +1679,28 @@
     '#title' => t('Caching'),
   );
 
-  $form['caching']['cache'] = config_form_element($form, $form_state, $config, 'cache', array(
+  $form['caching']['cache'] = array(
     '#type' => 'checkbox',
     '#title' => t('Cache pages for anonymous users'),
+    '#config' => 'system.performance:cache',
     '#weight' => -2,
-  ));
+  );
   $period = drupal_map_assoc(array(0, 60, 180, 300, 600, 900, 1800, 2700, 3600, 10800, 21600, 32400, 43200, 86400), 'format_interval');
   $period[0] = '<' . t('none') . '>';
-  $form['caching']['cache_lifetime'] = config_form_element($form, $form_state, $config, 'cache_lifetime', array(
+  $form['caching']['cache_lifetime'] = array(
     '#type' => 'select',
     '#title' => t('Minimum cache lifetime'),
+    '#config' => 'system.performance:cache_lifetime',
     '#options' => $period,
     '#description' => t('Cached pages will not be re-created until at least this much time has elapsed.'),
-  ));
-  $form['caching']['page_cache_maximum_age'] = config_form_element($form, $form_state, $config, 'page_cache_maximum_age', array(
+  );
+  $form['caching']['page_cache_maximum_age'] = array(
     '#type' => 'select',
     '#title' => t('Expiration of cached pages'),
+    '#config' => 'system.performance:page_cache_maximum_age',
     '#options' => $period,
     '#description' => t('The maximum time an external cache can use an old version of a page.'),
-  ));
+  );
 
   $directory = 'public://';
   $is_writable = is_dir($directory) && is_writable($directory);
@@ -1714,22 +1717,25 @@
   );
 
   $js_hide = $config->get('cache') ? '' : ' class="js-hide"';
-  $form['bandwidth_optimization']['page_compression'] = config_form_element($form, $form_state, $config, 'page_compression', array(
+  $form['bandwidth_optimization']['page_compression'] = array(
     '#type' => 'checkbox',
     '#title' => t('Compress cached pages.'),
+    '#config' => 'system.performance:page_compression',
     '#prefix' => '<div id="page-compression-wrapper"' . $js_hide . '>',
     '#suffix' => '</div>',
-  ));
-  $form['bandwidth_optimization']['preprocess_css'] = config_form_element($form, $form_state, $config, 'preprocess_css', array(
+  );
+  $form['bandwidth_optimization']['preprocess_css'] = array(
     '#type' => 'checkbox',
     '#title' => t('Aggregate and compress CSS files.'),
+    '#config' => 'system.performance:preprocess_css',
     '#disabled' => $disabled,
-  ));
-  $form['bandwidth_optimization']['preprocess_js'] = config_form_element($form, $form_state, $config, 'preprocess_js', array(
+  );
+  $form['bandwidth_optimization']['preprocess_js'] = array(
     '#type' => 'checkbox',
     '#title' => t('Aggregate JavaScript files.'),
+    '#config' => 'system.performance:preprocess_js',
     '#disabled' => $disabled,
-  ));
+  );
 
   $form['actions'] = array('#type' => 'actions');
   $form['actions']['submit'] = array(
only in patch2:
unchanged:
--- a/core/includes/form.inc
+++ b/core/includes/form.inc
@@ -1759,6 +1759,9 @@ function form_builder($form_id, &$element, &$form_state) {
     '#title_display' => 'before',
   );
 
+  // Allow modules to alter elements prior to building/processing them.
+  drupal_alter('form_element', $element, $form_state);
+
   // Special handling if we're on the top level form element.
   if (isset($element['#type']) && $element['#type'] == 'form') {
     if (!empty($element['#https']) && variable_get('https', FALSE) &&
only in patch2:
unchanged:
--- a/core/modules/system/system.module
+++ b/core/modules/system/system.module
@@ -4069,3 +4069,13 @@ function country_get_list() {
   drupal_alter('countries', $countries);
   return $countries;
 }
+
+/**
+ * @todo Move to config.module when system.module is able to have dependencies.
+ */
+function system_form_element_alter(&$element, &$form_state) {
+  if (isset($element['#config'])) {
+    list($config_name, $config_key) = explode(':', $element['#config']);
+    $element = config_form_element($form_state['complete_form'], $form_state, config($config_name), $config_key, $element);
+  }
+}