diff --git a/core/modules/image/image.field.inc b/core/modules/image/image.field.inc
index a287620..eed43df 100644
--- a/core/modules/image/image.field.inc
+++ b/core/modules/image/image.field.inc
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ function image_field_info() {
       'description' => t('This field stores the ID of an image file as an integer value.'),
       'settings' => array(
         'uri_scheme' => file_default_scheme(),
-        'default_image' => array(),
+        'default_image' => 0,
         'column_groups' => array(
           'file' => array(
             'label' => t('File'),
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ function image_field_info() {
         'title_field_required' => 0,
         'max_resolution' => '',
         'min_resolution' => '',
-        'default_image' => array(),
+        'default_image' => 0,
       ),
       'default_widget' => 'image_image',
       'default_formatter' => 'image',
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ function image_field_settings_form($field, $instance) {
     '#title' => t('Default image'),
     '#type' => 'managed_file',
     '#description' => t('If no image is uploaded, this image will be shown on display.'),
-    '#default_value' => $field['settings']['default_image'],
+    '#default_value' => empty($field['settings']['default_image']) ? array() : array($field['settings']['default_image']),
     '#upload_location' => $settings['uri_scheme'] . '://default_images/',
   );
 
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ function image_field_instance_settings_form($field, $instance) {
     '#title' => t('Default image'),
     '#type' => 'managed_file',
     '#description' => t("If no image is uploaded, this image will be shown on display and will override the field's default image."),
-    '#default_value' => $settings['default_image'],
+    '#default_value' => empty($settings['default_image']) ? array() : array($settings['default_image']),
     '#upload_location' => $field['settings']['uri_scheme'] . '://default_images/',
   );
 
@@ -234,11 +234,11 @@ function image_field_prepare_view($entity_type, $entities, $field, $instances, $
       $fid = array();
       // Use the default for the instance if one is available.
       if (!empty($instances[$id]['settings']['default_image'])) {
-        $fid = $instances[$id]['settings']['default_image'];
+        $fid = array($instances[$id]['settings']['default_image']);
       }
       // Otherwise, use the default for the field.
       elseif (!empty($field['settings']['default_image'])) {
-        $fid = $field['settings']['default_image'];
+        $fid = array($field['settings']['default_image']);
       }
 
       // Add the default image if one is found.
diff --git a/core/modules/image/image.install b/core/modules/image/image.install
index ea20840..573fb3f 100644
--- a/core/modules/image/image.install
+++ b/core/modules/image/image.install
@@ -188,48 +188,3 @@ function image_update_8002() {
     'image_style_preview_image' => 'preview_image',
   ));
 }
-
-
-/**
- * Convert image field's default image configuration to the new format.
- */
-function image_update_8003() {
-  foreach (config_get_storage_names_with_prefix('field.field.') as $config_name) {
-    $field_config = config($config_name);
-    if ($field_config->get('type') == 'image') {
-      $settings = $field_config->get('settings');
-
-      // Some update hooks (like user_update_8011()) create image fields with
-      // the 'default_image' setting directly in the correct format. We do not
-      // need to update those.
-      if (!is_array($settings['default_image'])) {
-        if (!empty($settings['default_image'])) {
-          $settings['default_image'] = array($settings['default_image']);
-        }
-        else {
-          $settings['default_image'] = array();
-        }
-        $field_config->set('settings', $settings);
-        $field_config->save();
-      }
-
-    }
-  }
-
-  foreach (config_get_storage_names_with_prefix('field.instance.') as $config_name) {
-    $instance_config = config($config_name);
-    if ($instance_config->get('field_type') == 'image') {
-      $settings = $instance_config->get('settings');
-      if (!is_array($settings['default_image'])) {
-        if (!empty($settings['default_image'])) {
-          $settings['default_image'] = array($settings['default_image']);
-        }
-        else {
-          $settings['default_image'] = array();
-        }
-        $instance_config->set('settings', $settings);
-        $instance_config->save();
-      }
-    }
-  }
-}
diff --git a/core/modules/image/image.module b/core/modules/image/image.module
index a7696a6..addc388 100644
--- a/core/modules/image/image.module
+++ b/core/modules/image/image.module
@@ -1030,3 +1030,23 @@ function image_filter_keyword($value, $current_pixels, $new_pixels) {
 function _image_effect_definitions_sort($a, $b) {
   return strcasecmp($a['name'], $b['name']);
 }
+
+/**
+ * Implements hook_entity_presave().
+ *
+ * Transforms default image of image field from array into single value at save.
+ */
+function image_entity_presave(Drupal\Core\Entity\EntityInterface $entity, $type) {
+  $instance = $type == 'field_instance';
+  $instance = $instance && config('field.field.' . $entity->field_name)->get('type') == 'image';
+  $field = $type == 'field_entity' && $entity->type == 'image';
+
+  if ($instance || $field) {
+    if (!empty($entity->settings['default_image'][0])) {
+      $entity->settings['default_image'] = $entity->settings['default_image'][0];
+    }
+    else {
+      $entity->settings['default_image'] = 0;
+    }
+  }
+}