diff --git a/core/modules/block_content/block_content.install b/core/modules/block_content/block_content.install
index c6ada4c7d5..578ecd7b52 100644
--- a/core/modules/block_content/block_content.install
+++ b/core/modules/block_content/block_content.install
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 
 use Drupal\Core\Field\BaseFieldDefinition;
 use Drupal\Core\StringTranslation\TranslatableMarkup;
-use Drupal\Core\Database\Database;
+use Drupal\block_content\BlockContentInterface;
 
 /**
  * Implements hook_update_dependencies().
@@ -164,48 +164,15 @@ function block_content_update_8600() {
     ->setInitialValue(NULL);
 
   $update_manager->installFieldStorageDefinition('parent_entity_id', 'block_content', 'block_content', $parent_entity_id);
-}
 
-/**
- * Implements hook_schema().
- */
-function block_content_schema() {
-  $schema['block_content_delete'] = [
-    'description' => 'Tracks block_content entities to delete.',
-    'fields' => [
-      'block_content_id' => [
-        'description' => 'Block Content entity ID.',
-        'type' => 'int',
-        'unsigned' => TRUE,
-        'not null' => TRUE,
-      ],
-    ],
-    'primary key' => ['block_content_id'],
-    'indexes' => [
-      'block_content_id' => ['block_content_id'],
-    ],
-  ];
-  return $schema;
-}
+  $parent_status = BaseFieldDefinition::create('integer')
+    ->setLabel(t('Parent status'))
+    ->setDescription(t('The status parent entity if any.'))
+    ->setTranslatable(FALSE)
+    ->setRevisionable(FALSE)
+    ->setDefaultValue(BlockContentInterface::PARENT_NONE)
+    ->setInitialValue(BlockContentInterface::PARENT_NONE);
 
-/**
- * Adds 'block_content_delete' table.
- */
-function block_content_update_8601() {
-  $block_content_delete = [
-    'description' => 'Tracks block_content entities to delete.',
-    'fields' => [
-      'block_content_id' => [
-        'description' => 'Block Content entity ID.',
-        'type' => 'int',
-        'unsigned' => TRUE,
-        'not null' => TRUE,
-      ],
-    ],
-    'primary key' => ['block_content_id'],
-    'indexes' => [
-      'block_content_id' => ['block_content_id'],
-    ],
-  ];
-  Database::getConnection()->schema()->createTable('block_content_delete', $block_content_delete);
+  $update_manager->installFieldStorageDefinition('parent_status', 'block_content', 'block_content', $parent_status);
 }
+
diff --git a/core/modules/block_content/block_content.module b/core/modules/block_content/block_content.module
index cef9b4c575..f6b53ce9ab 100644
--- a/core/modules/block_content/block_content.module
+++ b/core/modules/block_content/block_content.module
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@
 use Drupal\Core\Database\Query\SelectInterface;
 use Drupal\Core\Database\Query\AlterableInterface;
 use Drupal\Core\Database\Query\ConditionInterface;
-use Drupal\block_content\BlockContentWithParentDeleter;
 
 /**
  * Implements hook_help().
@@ -179,16 +178,16 @@ function _block_content_has_parent_entity_condition(array $condition) {
  * Implements hook_entity_delete().
  */
 function block_content_entity_delete(EntityInterface $entity) {
-  /** @var \Drupal\block_content\BlockContentWithParentDeleter $block_deleter */
-  $block_deleter = \Drupal::service('class_resolver')->getInstanceFromDefinition(BlockContentWithParentDeleter::class);
-  $block_deleter->handleEntityDelete($entity);
+  /** @var \Drupal\block_content\BlockContentStorageInterface $storage */
+  $storage = \Drupal::entityTypeManager()->getStorage('block_content');
+  $storage->setParentStatus($entity->getEntityTypeId(), $entity->id(), \Drupal\block_content\BlockContentInterface::PARENT_DELETED);
 }
 
 /**
  * Implements hook_cron().
  */
 function block_content_cron() {
-  /** @var \Drupal\block_content\BlockContentWithParentDeleter $block_deleter */
-  $block_deleter = \Drupal::service('class_resolver')->getInstanceFromDefinition(BlockContentWithParentDeleter::class);
-  $block_deleter->removeUnused();
+  /** @var \Drupal\block_content\BlockContentStorageInterface $storage */
+  $storage = \Drupal::entityTypeManager()->getStorage('block_content');
+  $storage->deleteBlocksWithParentDeleted();
 }
diff --git a/core/modules/block_content/src/BlockContentAccessControlHandler.php b/core/modules/block_content/src/BlockContentAccessControlHandler.php
index 6bdbaa4faf..d932429b44 100644
--- a/core/modules/block_content/src/BlockContentAccessControlHandler.php
+++ b/core/modules/block_content/src/BlockContentAccessControlHandler.php
@@ -3,50 +3,16 @@
 namespace Drupal\block_content;
 
 use Drupal\Core\Access\AccessResult;
-use Drupal\Core\Database\Connection;
-use Drupal\Core\Entity\EntityHandlerInterface;
 use Drupal\Core\Entity\EntityInterface;
 use Drupal\Core\Entity\EntityAccessControlHandler;
-use Drupal\Core\Entity\EntityTypeInterface;
 use Drupal\Core\Session\AccountInterface;
-use Symfony\Component\DependencyInjection\ContainerInterface;
 
 /**
  * Defines the access control handler for the custom block entity type.
  *
  * @see \Drupal\block_content\Entity\BlockContent
  */
-class BlockContentAccessControlHandler extends EntityAccessControlHandler implements EntityHandlerInterface {
-
-  /**
-   * The database connection.
-   *
-   * @var \Drupal\Core\Database\Connection
-   */
-  protected $database;
-
-  /**
-   * Constructs a BlockContentAccessControlHandler instance.
-   *
-   * @param \Drupal\Core\Entity\EntityTypeInterface $entity_type
-   *   The entity type definition.
-   * @param \Drupal\Core\Database\Connection $database
-   *   The database connection.
-   */
-  public function __construct(EntityTypeInterface $entity_type, Connection $database) {
-    parent::__construct($entity_type);
-    $this->database = $database;
-  }
-
-  /**
-   * {@inheritdoc}
-   */
-  public static function createInstance(ContainerInterface $container, EntityTypeInterface $entity_type) {
-    return new static(
-      $entity_type,
-      $container->get('database')
-    );
-  }
+class BlockContentAccessControlHandler extends EntityAccessControlHandler {
 
   /**
    * {@inheritdoc}
@@ -61,7 +27,7 @@ protected function checkAccess(EntityInterface $entity, $operation, AccountInter
     }
     /** @var \Drupal\block_content\BlockContentInterface $entity */
     if ($entity->hasParentEntity()) {
-      if ($this->isParentDeleted($entity)) {
+      if ($entity->get('parent_status')->value === BlockContentInterface::PARENT_DELETED) {
         // If the blocks parent has been deleted then access is forbidden. This
         // must be checked before loading the parent entity because if the
         // parent entity type allows arbitrary IDs then the entity type ID could
@@ -81,21 +47,4 @@ protected function checkAccess(EntityInterface $entity, $operation, AccountInter
     return $access;
   }
 
-  /**
-   * Checks if blocks parent has been deleted.
-   *
-   * @param \Drupal\block_content\BlockContentInterface $block
-   *   The block content entity.
-   *
-   * @return bool
-   *   TRUE if the 'block_content' entity parent entity has been deleted
-   *   otherwise FALSE.
-   */
-  protected function isParentDeleted(BlockContentInterface $block) {
-    $query = $this->database->select('block_content_delete')
-      ->fields('block_content_delete', ['block_content_id']);
-    $query->condition('block_content_id', $block->id());
-    return !empty($query->execute()->fetchCol());
-  }
-
 }
diff --git a/core/modules/block_content/src/BlockContentInterface.php b/core/modules/block_content/src/BlockContentInterface.php
index 16d427561e..45e239f153 100644
--- a/core/modules/block_content/src/BlockContentInterface.php
+++ b/core/modules/block_content/src/BlockContentInterface.php
@@ -13,6 +13,21 @@
  */
 interface BlockContentInterface extends ContentEntityInterface, EntityChangedInterface, RevisionLogInterface, EntityPublishedInterface {
 
+  /**
+   * Denotes that the block has no parent.
+   */
+  const PARENT_NONE = 0;
+
+  /**
+   * Denotes that the block has an active parent.
+   */
+  const PARENT_ACTIVE = 1;
+
+  /**
+   * Denotes that the block has a parent that has been deleted.
+   */
+  const PARENT_DELETED = 2;
+
   /**
    * Returns the block revision log message.
    *
diff --git a/core/modules/block_content/src/BlockContentStorage.php b/core/modules/block_content/src/BlockContentStorage.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..02b2942a53
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/modules/block_content/src/BlockContentStorage.php
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace Drupal\block_content;
+
+use Drupal\Core\Entity\Sql\SqlContentEntityStorage;
+
+/**
+ * Defines the storage handler class for content blocks.
+ *
+ * This extends the base storage class, adding required special handling for
+ * 'block_content' entities.
+ */
+class BlockContentStorage extends SqlContentEntityStorage implements BlockContentStorageInterface {
+
+  /**
+   * {@inheritdoc}
+   */
+  public function setParentStatus($parent_entity_type, $parent_id, $parent_status) {
+    $datatable = $this->entityManager->getDefinition('block_content')->getDataTable();
+    $this->database->update($datatable)
+      ->fields(['parent_status' => $parent_status])
+      ->condition('parent_entity_type', $parent_entity_type)
+      ->condition('parent_entity_id', $parent_id)
+      ->execute();
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * {@inheritdoc}
+   */
+  public function deleteBlocksWithParentDeleted($limit = 100) {
+    $query = $this->getQuery();
+    $query->condition('parent_status', BlockContentInterface::PARENT_DELETED)
+      ->range(0, $limit)->execute();
+    $blocks = $this->loadMultiple($query->execute());
+    $this->delete($blocks);
+  }
+}
diff --git a/core/modules/block_content/src/BlockContentStorageInterface.php b/core/modules/block_content/src/BlockContentStorageInterface.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..aef73bfa30
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/modules/block_content/src/BlockContentStorageInterface.php
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace Drupal\block_content;
+
+use Drupal\Core\Entity\ContentEntityStorageInterface;
+
+/**
+ * Defines an interface for block_content entity storage classes.
+ */
+interface BlockContentStorageInterface extends ContentEntityStorageInterface {
+
+  /**
+   * Sets the parent status for matching blocks.
+   *
+   * @param string $parent_entity_type
+   *   The parent entity type.
+   * @param string $parent_id
+   *   The parent entity id.
+   * @param int $parent_status
+   *   The parent status.
+   */
+  public function setParentStatus($parent_entity_type, $parent_id, $parent_status);
+
+  /**
+   * Delete blocks with a deleted parent entity.
+   *
+   * @param int $limit
+   *   The limit of blocks to delete.
+   */
+  public function deleteBlocksWithParentDeleted($limit = 100);
+
+}
diff --git a/core/modules/block_content/src/BlockContentWithParentDeleter.php b/core/modules/block_content/src/BlockContentWithParentDeleter.php
deleted file mode 100644
index fc3e327f35..0000000000
--- a/core/modules/block_content/src/BlockContentWithParentDeleter.php
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,103 +0,0 @@
-<?php
-
-namespace Drupal\block_content;
-
-use Drupal\Core\Database\Connection;
-use Drupal\Core\DependencyInjection\ContainerInjectionInterface;
-use Drupal\Core\Entity\EntityInterface;
-use Drupal\Core\Entity\EntityTypeManagerInterface;
-use Symfony\Component\DependencyInjection\ContainerInterface;
-
-/**
- * A class for deleting 'block_content' entities when parents are deleted.
- *
- * @internal
- */
-class BlockContentWithParentDeleter implements ContainerInjectionInterface {
-
-  /**
-   * The block storage.
-   *
-   * @var \Drupal\Core\Entity\EntityStorageInterface
-   */
-  protected $storage;
-
-  /**
-   * The database connection.
-   *
-   * @var \Drupal\Core\Database\Connection
-   */
-  protected $database;
-
-  /**
-   * Constructs a new  BlockContentWithParentDeleter object.
-   *
-   * @param \Drupal\Core\Entity\EntityTypeManagerInterface $entityTypeManager
-   *   The entity type manager service.
-   * @param \Drupal\Core\Database\Connection $database
-   *   The database connection.
-   *
-   * @throws \Drupal\Component\Plugin\Exception\InvalidPluginDefinitionException
-   * @throws \Drupal\Component\Plugin\Exception\PluginNotFoundException
-   */
-  public function __construct(EntityTypeManagerInterface $entityTypeManager, Connection $database) {
-    $this->storage = $entityTypeManager->getStorage('block_content');
-    $this->database = $database;
-  }
-
-  /**
-   * {@inheritdoc}
-   */
-  public static function create(ContainerInterface $container) {
-    return new static(
-      $container->get('entity_type.manager'),
-      $container->get('database')
-    );
-  }
-
-  /**
-   * Handles reacting to a deleting a parent entity.
-   *
-   * @param \Drupal\Core\Entity\EntityInterface $entity
-   *   The parent entity.
-   *
-   * @throws \Exception
-   */
-  public function handleEntityDelete(EntityInterface $entity) {
-    $query = $this->storage->getQuery();
-    $query->condition('parent_entity_id', $entity->id());
-    $query->condition('parent_entity_type', $entity->getEntityTypeId());
-    $block_ids = $query->execute();
-
-    $query = $this->database->insert('block_content_delete')
-      ->fields(['block_content_id']);
-    foreach ($block_ids as $block_id) {
-      $query->values([$block_id]);
-    }
-    $query->execute();
-  }
-
-  /**
-   * Removes unused block content entities.
-   *
-   * @param int $limit
-   *   The maximum number of block content entities to remove.
-   *
-   * @throws \Drupal\Core\Entity\EntityStorageException
-   */
-  public function removeUnused($limit = 100) {
-    $query = $this->database->select('block_content_delete')
-      ->range(0, $limit)
-      ->fields('block_content_delete', ['block_content_id']);
-    $block_content_ids = $query->execute()->fetchCol();
-    foreach ($block_content_ids as $block_content_id) {
-      if ($block = $this->storage->load($block_content_id)) {
-        $block->delete();
-      }
-    }
-    $this->database->delete('block_content_delete')
-      ->condition('block_content_id', $block_content_ids, 'IN')
-      ->execute();
-  }
-
-}
diff --git a/core/modules/block_content/src/Entity/BlockContent.php b/core/modules/block_content/src/Entity/BlockContent.php
index 2a83477036..1644a213b3 100644
--- a/core/modules/block_content/src/Entity/BlockContent.php
+++ b/core/modules/block_content/src/Entity/BlockContent.php
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
  *   ),
  *   bundle_label = @Translation("Custom block type"),
  *   handlers = {
- *     "storage" = "Drupal\Core\Entity\Sql\SqlContentEntityStorage",
+ *     "storage" = "Drupal\block_content\BlockContentStorage",
  *     "access" = "Drupal\block_content\BlockContentAccessControlHandler",
  *     "list_builder" = "Drupal\block_content\BlockContentListBuilder",
  *     "view_builder" = "Drupal\block_content\BlockContentViewBuilder",
@@ -228,6 +228,14 @@ public static function baseFieldDefinitions(EntityTypeInterface $entity_type) {
       ->setDefaultValue(NULL)
       ->setInitialValue(NULL);
 
+    $fields['parent_status'] = BaseFieldDefinition::create('integer')
+      ->setLabel(t('Parent status'))
+      ->setDescription(t('The status parent entity if any.'))
+      ->setTranslatable(FALSE)
+      ->setRevisionable(FALSE)
+      ->setDefaultValue(BlockContentInterface::PARENT_NONE)
+      ->setInitialValue(BlockContentInterface::PARENT_NONE);
+
     return $fields;
   }
 
@@ -324,6 +332,7 @@ protected static function invalidateBlockPluginCache() {
   public function setParentEntity(EntityInterface $parent_entity) {
     $this->set('parent_entity_type', $parent_entity->getEntityTypeId());
     $this->set('parent_entity_id', $parent_entity->id());
+    $this->set('parent_status', BlockContentInterface::PARENT_ACTIVE);
     return $this;
   }
 
@@ -343,6 +352,7 @@ public function getParentEntity() {
   public function removeParentEntity() {
     $this->set('parent_entity_type', NULL);
     $this->set('parent_entity_id', NULL);
+    $this->set('parent_status', BlockContentInterface::PARENT_NONE);
     return $this;
   }
 
diff --git a/core/modules/block_content/src/Plugin/Derivative/BlockContent.php b/core/modules/block_content/src/Plugin/Derivative/BlockContent.php
index edf82bc46a..3dd08a3ad5 100644
--- a/core/modules/block_content/src/Plugin/Derivative/BlockContent.php
+++ b/core/modules/block_content/src/Plugin/Derivative/BlockContent.php
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ public function getDerivativeDefinitions($base_plugin_definition) {
     $block_contents = $this->blockContentStorage->loadMultiple($block_ids);
     // Reset the discovered definitions.
     $this->derivatives = [];
-    /* @var $block_content \Drupal\block_content\Entity\BlockContent */
+    /** @var $block_content \Drupal\block_content\Entity\BlockContent */
     foreach ($block_contents as $block_content) {
       $this->derivatives[$block_content->uuid()] = $base_plugin_definition;
       $this->derivatives[$block_content->uuid()]['admin_label'] = $block_content->label();
diff --git a/core/modules/block_content/tests/src/Functional/Rest/BlockContentResourceTestBase.php b/core/modules/block_content/tests/src/Functional/Rest/BlockContentResourceTestBase.php
index 13b2df05b1..0b6f42ebbc 100644
--- a/core/modules/block_content/tests/src/Functional/Rest/BlockContentResourceTestBase.php
+++ b/core/modules/block_content/tests/src/Functional/Rest/BlockContentResourceTestBase.php
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 namespace Drupal\Tests\block_content\Functional\Rest;
 
+use Drupal\block_content\BlockContentInterface;
 use Drupal\block_content\Entity\BlockContent;
 use Drupal\block_content\Entity\BlockContentType;
 use Drupal\Core\Cache\Cache;
@@ -94,6 +95,11 @@ protected function getExpectedNormalizedEntity() {
       ],
       'parent_entity_type' => [],
       'parent_entity_id' => [],
+      'parent_status' => [
+        [
+          'value' => BlockContentInterface::PARENT_NONE,
+        ],
+      ],
       'type' => [
         [
           'target_id' => 'basic',
diff --git a/core/modules/block_content/tests/src/Functional/Update/BlockContentParentEntityUpdateTest.php b/core/modules/block_content/tests/src/Functional/Update/BlockContentParentEntityUpdateTest.php
index 7a2ab3034c..e7a92d3cef 100644
--- a/core/modules/block_content/tests/src/Functional/Update/BlockContentParentEntityUpdateTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/block_content/tests/src/Functional/Update/BlockContentParentEntityUpdateTest.php
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ public function testParentFieldsAddition() {
     $entity_definition_update_manager = \Drupal::entityDefinitionUpdateManager();
 
     // Delete custom block library view.
-    View::load('block_content')->delete();
+    $this->config('views.view.block_content')->delete();
     // Install the test module with the 'block_content' view with an extra
     // display with overridden filters. This extra display should also have the
     // 'has_parent' filter added so that it does not expose fields with parents
diff --git a/core/modules/block_content/tests/src/Kernel/BlockContentDeriverTest.php b/core/modules/block_content/tests/src/Kernel/BlockContentDeriverTest.php
index dededb611a..6f4c5d282a 100644
--- a/core/modules/block_content/tests/src/Kernel/BlockContentDeriverTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/block_content/tests/src/Kernel/BlockContentDeriverTest.php
@@ -68,6 +68,13 @@ public function testBlocksWithParentsNotDerived() {
     // Ensure the block content with a parent is not provided a derivative block
     // plugin.
     $this->assertFalse($block_manager->hasDefinition($plugin_id));
+
+    $block_content->removeParentEntity();
+    $block_content->save();
+
+    // Ensure the block content is provided a derivative block
+    // plugin after the parent is removed.
+    $this->assertTrue($block_manager->hasDefinition($plugin_id));
   }
 
 }
diff --git a/core/modules/block_content/tests/src/Kernel/BlockContentParentDeleteTest.php b/core/modules/block_content/tests/src/Kernel/BlockContentParentDeleteTest.php
index 2bc5292e74..61f8390e1b 100644
--- a/core/modules/block_content/tests/src/Kernel/BlockContentParentDeleteTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/block_content/tests/src/Kernel/BlockContentParentDeleteTest.php
@@ -41,7 +41,6 @@ public function setUp() {
     $this->installSchema('system', ['sequence']);
     $this->installSchema('system', ['sequences']);
     $this->installSchema('user', ['users_data']);
-    $this->installSchema('block_content', ['block_content_delete']);
     $this->installEntitySchema('user');
     $this->installEntitySchema('block_content');
 
@@ -98,7 +97,7 @@ public function testDeleteParent() {
     $this->assertNotEmpty($block_storage->load($block_content->id()));
     $this->assertEmpty($block_storage->load($block_content_with_parent->id()));
 
-    // Test a parent entity type without a datatable.
+    // Test a parent config entity type.
     $config_entity = $this->entityTypeManager->getStorage('config_test')->create([
       'id' => 'test_entity',
       'label' => 'Test config entity',