diff -u b/core/modules/user/user.module b/core/modules/user/user.module
--- b/core/modules/user/user.module
+++ b/core/modules/user/user.module
@@ -422,10 +422,21 @@
  */
 function user_role_permissions(array $roles) {
   $role_permissions = array();
+  if (defined('MAINTENANCE_MODE') && MAINTENANCE_MODE == 'update') {
+    // Can't use the entity system as this function is used during update.
+    $entities = array();
+  }
+  else {
+    $entities = entity_load_multiple('user_role', array_keys($roles));
+  }
   foreach ($roles as $rid => $name) {
     $role_permissions[$rid] = array();
-    // Can not use the entity system as this function is used during update.
-    $permissions = Drupal::config("user.role.$rid")->get('permissions') ?: array();
+    if (isset($entities[$rid])) {
+      $permissions = $entities[$rid]->permissions;
+    }
+    else {
+      $permissions = Drupal::config("user.role.$rid")->get('permissions') ?: array();
+    }
     foreach ($permissions as $permission) {
       $role_permissions[$rid][$permission] = TRUE;
     }