diff --git a/core/modules/file/src/Entity/File.php b/core/modules/file/src/Entity/File.php
index 5deb382..56ba2d7 100644
--- a/core/modules/file/src/Entity/File.php
+++ b/core/modules/file/src/Entity/File.php
@@ -4,9 +4,12 @@
 
 use Drupal\Core\Entity\ContentEntityBase;
 use Drupal\Core\Entity\EntityChangedTrait;
+use Drupal\Core\Entity\EntityMalformedException;
 use Drupal\Core\Entity\EntityStorageInterface;
 use Drupal\Core\Entity\EntityTypeInterface;
+use Drupal\Core\Entity\Exception\UndefinedLinkTemplateException;
 use Drupal\Core\Field\BaseFieldDefinition;
+use Drupal\Core\Url;
 use Drupal\file\FileInterface;
 use Drupal\user\UserInterface;
 
@@ -71,12 +74,36 @@ public function setFileUri($uri) {
    * @see file_url_transform_relative()
    */
   public function url($rel = 'canonical', $options = array()) {
+    // This method is deprecated on the interface. For file entities it is
+    // especially important to use not use url() because the behavior is
+    // different from self::toUrl(). In the case where the URL for a
+    // physical file is needed (as opposed to the canonical URL for the file
+    // entity) call file_create_url($this->getFileUri()) directly.
+    trigger_error('For file entities, it is important to use toUrl().', E_USER_DEPRECATED);
     return file_create_url($this->getFileUri());
   }
 
   /**
    * {@inheritdoc}
    */
+  public function toUrl($rel = 'canonical', array $options = []) {
+    // Core does not provide any link templates for file entities and the ID is
+    // not needed to generate the URL. This function catches exceptions for both
+    // situations and creates a link if the canonical relationship is requested.
+    try {
+      return parent::toUrl($rel, $options);
+    }
+    catch (\Exception $e) {
+      if ($rel === 'canonical' && ($e instanceof UndefinedLinkTemplateException || $e instanceof EntityMalformedException)) {
+        return Url::fromUri(file_create_url($this->getFileUri()), $options);
+      }
+      throw $e;
+    }
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * {@inheritdoc}
+   */
   public function getMimeType() {
     return $this->get('filemime')->value;
   }