diff --git a/core/modules/block/block.install b/core/modules/block/block.install
index 0d7e8b8..6c925ca 100644
--- a/core/modules/block/block.install
+++ b/core/modules/block/block.install
@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ function block_update_8008() {
       'module' => 'text',
       'cardinality' => 1,
     );
-    _update_8000_field_create_field($body_field);
+    _update_8003_field_create_field($body_field);
 
     $instance = array(
       'id' => 'custom_block.basic.block_body',
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ function block_update_8008() {
       'label' => 'Block body',
       'settings' => array('display_summary' => FALSE),
     );
-    _update_8000_field_create_instance($body_field, $instance);
+    _update_8003_field_create_instance($body_field, $instance);
 
     module_load_install('entity');
     // Assign form settings for the 'default' form mode.
diff --git a/core/modules/field/field.install b/core/modules/field/field.install
index 1b5ba96..3163c81 100644
--- a/core/modules/field/field.install
+++ b/core/modules/field/field.install
@@ -11,12 +11,15 @@
 /**
  * Creates a field by writing directly to configuration.
  *
+ * Upgrades using this function need to use hook_update_dependencies() to ensure
+ * they get executed after field_update_8003().
+ *
  * @param array $field_config
  *   An array of field properties.
  *
  * @ingroup update_api
  */
-function _update_8000_field_create_field(array &$field_config) {
+function _update_8003_field_create_field(array &$field_config) {
   $uuid = new Uuid();
 
   // Merge in default values.
@@ -56,14 +59,17 @@ function _update_8000_field_create_field(array &$field_config) {
 /**
  * Writes a field instance directly to configuration.
  *
+ * Upgrades using this function need to use hook_update_dependencies() to ensure
+  * they get executed after field_update_8003().
+ *
  * @param array $field_config
  *   An array of field properties.
- * @param array $instance
+ * @param array $instance_config
  *   An array of field instance properties.
  *
  * @ingroup update_api
  */
-function _update_8000_field_create_instance(array $field_config, array &$instance_config) {
+function _update_8003_field_create_instance(array $field_config, array &$instance_config) {
   $uuid = new Uuid();
 
   // Merge in defaults.
@@ -89,18 +95,6 @@ function _update_8000_field_create_instance(array $field_config, array &$instanc
 }
 
 /**
- * Implements hook_update_dependencies().
- */
-function field_update_dependencies() {
-  // Convert Field API to ConfigEntities after the {file.usage}.id column
-  // has moved to varchar.
-  $dependencies['field'][8003] = array(
-    'file' => 8001,
-  );
-  return $dependencies;
-}
-
-/**
  * @addtogroup updates-7.x-to-8.x
  * @{
  */
diff --git a/core/modules/file/file.install b/core/modules/file/file.install
index 3ca855e..58bd7a8 100644
--- a/core/modules/file/file.install
+++ b/core/modules/file/file.install
@@ -234,6 +234,18 @@ function file_requirements($phase) {
 }
 
 /**
+ * Implements hook_update_dependencies().
+ */
+function file_update_dependencies() {
+  // Convert image field's default image configuration to the new format after
+  // the fields and instances are converted ConfigEntities.
+  $dependencies['file'][8002] = array(
+    'field' => 8003,
+  );
+  return $dependencies;
+}
+
+/**
 * Converts default_file_main variable to config.
 *
 * @ingroup config_upgrade
@@ -264,26 +276,44 @@ function file_update_8001() {
 * Convert image field's default image configuration to the new format.
 */
 function file_update_8002() {
-  if (module_exists('field_sql_storage')) {
-    $fields = field_read_fields(array('type' => 'image'), array('include_deleted' => TRUE, 'include_inactive' => TRUE));
-    foreach ($fields as $field) {
-      if (!empty($field['settings']['default_image'])) {
-        $field['settings']['default_image'] = array($field['settings']['default_image']);
+  $updated_fields = array();
+  foreach (config_get_storage_names_with_prefix('field.field.') as $config_name) {
+    $field_config = config($config_name);
+    // Only update image fields.
+    if ($field_config->get('type') == 'image') {
+      $settings = $field_config->get('settings');
+
+      if (!empty($settings['default_image'])) {
+        $settings['default_image'] = array($settings['default_image']);
       }
       else {
-        $field['settings']['default_image'] = array();
+        $settings['default_image'] = array();
       }
-      field_update_field($field);
+      $field_config->set('settings', $settings);
+      $field_config->save();
+
+      // Keep a list of updated fields so we know what instances needs updating
+      // as well.
+      $updated_fields[] = $field_config->get('uuid');
+    }
+  }
+
+  // Update the instances, if needed.
+  if (!empty($updated_fields)) {
+    foreach (config_get_storage_names_with_prefix('field.instance.') as $config_name) {
+      $instance_config = config($config_name);
+      // Only update image fields that use the default SQL storage.
+      if (in_array($instance_config->get('field_uuid'), $updated_fields)) {
+        $settings = $instance_config->get('settings');
 
-      $instances = field_read_instances(array('field_name' => $field['field_name']));
-      foreach ($instances as $instance) {
-        if (!empty($instance['settings']['default_image'])) {
-          $instance['settings']['default_image'] = array($instance['settings']['default_image']);
+        if (!empty($settings['default_image'])) {
+          $settings['default_image'] = array($settings['default_image']);
         }
         else {
-          $instance['settings']['default_image'] = array();
+          $settings['default_image'] = array();
         }
-        field_update_instance($instance);
+        $instance_config->set('settings', $settings);
+        $instance_config->save();
       }
     }
   }
diff --git a/core/modules/user/user.install b/core/modules/user/user.install
index 078e7e6..b3e3c15 100644
--- a/core/modules/user/user.install
+++ b/core/modules/user/user.install
@@ -724,7 +724,7 @@ function user_update_8011() {
       'default_image' => FALSE,
     ),
   );
-  _update_8000_field_create_field($field);
+  _update_8003_field_create_field($field);
 
   $instance = array(
     'id' => 'user.user.user_picture',
@@ -744,7 +744,7 @@ function user_update_8011() {
       'default_image' => !empty($default_image_fid) ? $default_image_fid : 0,
     ),
   );
-  _update_8000_field_create_instance($field, $instance);
+  _update_8003_field_create_instance($field, $instance);
 
   module_load_install('entity');
   if (update_variable_get('user_pictures', 0)) {