diff --git a/core/includes/menu.inc b/core/includes/menu.inc
index c0133b1..fe4635a 100644
--- a/core/includes/menu.inc
+++ b/core/includes/menu.inc
@@ -1082,12 +1082,7 @@ function menu_tree_output($tree) {
     // Allow menu-specific theme overrides.
     $element['#theme'] = 'menu_link__' . strtr($data['link']['menu_name'], '-', '_');
     $element['#attributes']['class'] = $class;
-    $element['link']['#type'] = 'link';
-    $element['link']['#title'] = $data['link']['title'];
-    $element['link']['#href'] = $data['link']['href'];
-    $element['link']['#route_name'] = $data['link']['route_name'];
-    $element['link']['#route_parameters'] = $data['link']['route_parameters'];
-    $element['link']['#options'] = !empty($data['link']['localized_options']) ? $data['link']['localized_options'] : array();
+    $element['link'] = $data['link']->build();
     $element['below'] = $data['below'] ? menu_tree_output($data['below']) : $data['below'];
     $element['#original_link'] = $data['link'];
     // Index using the link's unique mlid.
diff --git a/core/modules/menu_link/lib/Drupal/menu_link/Entity/MenuLink.php b/core/modules/menu_link/lib/Drupal/menu_link/Entity/MenuLink.php
index 36ef6c1..527ba57 100644
--- a/core/modules/menu_link/lib/Drupal/menu_link/Entity/MenuLink.php
+++ b/core/modules/menu_link/lib/Drupal/menu_link/Entity/MenuLink.php
@@ -622,4 +622,21 @@ protected function findParent(EntityStorageControllerInterface $storage_controll
     return $parent;
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Builds and returns the renderable array for this menu link.
+   *
+   * @return array
+   *   A renderable array representing the content of the link.
+   */
+  public function build() {
+    $build = array(
+      '#type' => 'link',
+      '#title' => $this->title,
+      '#href' => $this->href,
+      '#route_name' => $this->route_name ? $this->route_name : NULL,
+      '#route_parameters' => $this->route_parameters,
+      '#options' => !empty($this->localized_options) ? $this->localized_options : array(),
+    );
+    return $build;
+  }
 }
diff --git a/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Controller/SystemController.php b/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Controller/SystemController.php
index 6145a11..7b560dc 100644
--- a/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Controller/SystemController.php
+++ b/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Controller/SystemController.php
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ public function overview() {
       if (!empty($result)) {
         $menu_links = $menu_link_storage->loadMultiple($result);
         foreach ($menu_links as $item) {
-          _menu_link_translate($item);
+          _menu_link_prepare($item);
           if (!$item['access']) {
             continue;
           }
diff --git a/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/SystemManager.php b/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/SystemManager.php
index 1fa6246..5637ff6 100644
--- a/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/SystemManager.php
+++ b/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/SystemManager.php
@@ -207,18 +207,19 @@ public function getAdminBlock($item) {
     $content = array();
     $menu_links = $this->menuLinkStorage->loadByProperties(array('plid' => $item['mlid'], 'menu_name' => $item['menu_name'], 'hidden' => 0));
     foreach ($menu_links as $link) {
-      _menu_link_translate($link);
+      _menu_link_prepare($link);
       if ($link['access']) {
-        // The link description, either derived from 'description' in
-        // hook_menu() or customized via menu module is used as title attribute.
-        if (!empty($link['localized_options']['attributes']['title'])) {
-          $link['description'] = $link['localized_options']['attributes']['title'];
-          unset($link['localized_options']['attributes']['title']);
-        }
         // Prepare for sorting as in function _menu_tree_check_access().
         // The weight is offset so it is always positive, with a uniform 5-digits.
         $key = (50000 + $link['weight']) . ' ' . Unicode::strtolower($link['title']) . ' ' . $link['mlid'];
-        $content[$key] = $link;
+        $content[$key] = $link->build();
+        // The link description, either derived from 'description' in
+        // hook_menu() or customized via menu module is used as title attribute.
+        // @todo - make description a separate entity property.
+        if (!empty($content[$key]['#options']['attributes']['title'])) {
+          $content[$key]['#description'] = $content[$key]['#options']['attributes']['title'];
+          unset($content[$key]['#options']['attributes']['title']);
+        }
       }
     }
     ksort($content);
diff --git a/core/modules/system/system.admin.inc b/core/modules/system/system.admin.inc
index f075799..771a3ab 100644
--- a/core/modules/system/system.admin.inc
+++ b/core/modules/system/system.admin.inc
@@ -347,9 +347,9 @@ function theme_admin_block_content($variables) {
     }
     $output .= '<dl class="' . $class . '">';
     foreach ($content as $item) {
-      $output .= '<dt>' . l($item['title'], $item['href'], $item['localized_options']) . '</dt>';
-      if (!$compact && isset($item['description'])) {
-        $output .= '<dd>' . filter_xss_admin($item['description']) . '</dd>';
+      $output .= '<dt>' . drupal_render($item) . '</dt>';
+      if (!$compact && isset($item['#description'])) {
+        $output .= '<dd>' . filter_xss_admin($item['#description']) . '</dd>';
       }
     }
     $output .= '</dl>';
diff --git a/core/themes/seven/seven.theme b/core/themes/seven/seven.theme
index 7defd49..26527ff 100644
--- a/core/themes/seven/seven.theme
+++ b/core/themes/seven/seven.theme
@@ -114,13 +114,12 @@ function seven_admin_block_content($variables) {
     $output = system_admin_compact_mode() ? '<ul class="admin-list compact">' : '<ul class="admin-list">';
     foreach ($content as $item) {
       $output .= '<li>';
-      $content = '<span class="label">' . filter_xss_admin($item['title']) . '</span>';
-      $options = $item['localized_options'];
-      $options['html'] = TRUE;
-      if (isset($item['description']) && !system_admin_compact_mode()) {
-        $content .= '<div class="description">' . filter_xss_admin($item['description']) . '</div>';
+      $item['#title'] = '<span class="label">' . filter_xss_admin($item['#title']) . '</span>';
+      $item['#options']['html'] = TRUE;
+      if (isset($item['#description']) && !system_admin_compact_mode()) {
+        $item['#title'] .= '<div class="description">' . filter_xss_admin($item['#description']) . '</div>';
       }
-      $output .= l($content, $item['href'], $options);
+      $output .= drupal_render($item);
       $output .= '</li>';
     }
     $output .= '</ul>';