diff --git a/core/modules/path/src/Plugin/Field/FieldType/PathFieldItemList.php b/core/modules/path/src/Plugin/Field/FieldType/PathFieldItemList.php
index a459b6e..a9c27d4 100644
--- a/core/modules/path/src/Plugin/Field/FieldType/PathFieldItemList.php
+++ b/core/modules/path/src/Plugin/Field/FieldType/PathFieldItemList.php
@@ -38,18 +38,23 @@ public function delete() {
    * {@inheritdoc}
    */
   public function getValue($include_computed = FALSE) {
-    /**
-     * @todo Is there better way to do this???
-     * This is needed because:
-     * 1. for this class to work with \Drupal\serialization\Normalizer\ListNormalizer::normalize
-     *    I think because \Drupal\Core\Entity\ContentEntityBase::__sleep call $field->getValue()
-     *    otherwise this will always return empty.
-     * 2. For $node->path->getValue() to work.
-     *      getValue() will work if you just saved node with the path
-     *      But if you try node_load($node->id(), TRUE); getValue() will NOT work.
-     */
-    $this->first()->getValue();
+    // Automatically create the first item for computed fields.
+    // @todo: Move this to the base class.
+    if (!isset($this->list[0]) && $this->definition->isComputed()) {
+      $this->list[0] = $this->createItem(0);
+    }
     return parent::getValue($include_computed);
   }
 
+  /**
+   * {@inheritdoc}
+   */
+  public function isEmpty() {
+    // Automatically create the first item for computed fields.
+    if (!isset($this->list[0]) && $this->definition->isComputed()) {
+      $this->list[0] = $this->createItem(0);
+    }
+    return parent::isEmpty();
+  }
+
 }
diff --git a/core/modules/path/src/Plugin/Field/FieldType/PathItem.php b/core/modules/path/src/Plugin/Field/FieldType/PathItem.php
index 9c218a4..a3f8892 100644
--- a/core/modules/path/src/Plugin/Field/FieldType/PathItem.php
+++ b/core/modules/path/src/Plugin/Field/FieldType/PathItem.php
@@ -78,6 +78,14 @@ public function getValue() {
   /**
    * {@inheritdoc}
    */
+  public function isEmpty() {
+    $this->ensureLoaded();
+    return parent::isEmpty();
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * {@inheritdoc}
+   */
   public function preSave() {
     $this->alias = trim($this->alias);
   }
diff --git a/core/modules/path/tests/src/Kernel/PathItemTest.php b/core/modules/path/tests/src/Kernel/PathItemTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..461c596
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/modules/path/tests/src/Kernel/PathItemTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,109 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace Drupal\Tests\path\Kernel;
+
+use Drupal\KernelTests\KernelTestBase;
+use Drupal\node\Entity\Node;
+use Drupal\node\Entity\NodeType;
+
+/**
+ * Tests loading and storing data using PathItem.
+ *
+ * @group path
+ */
+class PathItemTest extends KernelTestBase {
+
+  /**
+   * Modules to enable.
+   *
+   * @var array
+   */
+  public static $modules = array('path', 'node', 'user', 'system');
+
+  protected function setUp() {
+    parent::setUp();
+
+    $this->installEntitySchema('node');
+    $this->installEntitySchema('user');
+
+    $this->installSchema('node', ['node_access']);
+
+    \Drupal::service('router.builder')->rebuild();
+
+    $node_type = NodeType::create(['type' => 'foo']);
+    $node_type->save();
+
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Tests for no canonical link templates.
+   */
+  public function testPathItem() {
+
+    /** @var \Drupal\Core\Path\AliasStorageInterface $alias_storage */
+    $alias_storage = \Drupal::service('path.alias_storage');
+
+    $node_storage = \Drupal::entityTypeManager()->getStorage('node');
+
+    $node = Node::create([
+      'title' => 'Testing create()',
+      'type' => 'foo',
+      'path' => ['alias' => '/foo']
+    ]);
+    $this->assertFalse($node->get('path')->isEmpty());
+    $this->assertEquals('/foo', $node->get('path')->alias);
+
+    $node->save();
+    $this->assertFalse($node->get('path')->isEmpty());
+    $this->assertEquals('/foo', $node->get('path')->alias);
+
+    $stored_alias = $alias_storage->lookupPathAlias('/' . $node->toUrl()->getInternalPath(), $node->language()->getId());
+    $this->assertEquals('/foo', $stored_alias);
+
+    $node_storage->resetCache();
+    $loaded_node = $node_storage->load($node->id());
+    $this->assertFalse($loaded_node->get('path')->isEmpty());
+    $this->assertEquals('/foo', $loaded_node->get('path')->alias);
+
+    $node_storage->resetCache();
+    $loaded_node = $node_storage->load($node->id());
+    $values = $loaded_node->get('path')->getValue();
+    $this->assertEquals('/foo', $values[0]['alias']);
+
+    $loaded_node->get('path')->alias = '/bar';
+    $this->assertFalse($loaded_node->get('path')->isEmpty());
+    $this->assertEquals('/bar', $loaded_node->get('path')->alias);
+
+    $loaded_node->save();
+    $this->assertFalse($loaded_node->get('path')->isEmpty());
+    $this->assertEquals('/bar', $loaded_node->get('path')->alias);
+
+    $node_storage->resetCache();
+    $loaded_node = $node_storage->load($node->id());
+    $this->assertFalse($loaded_node->get('path')->isEmpty());
+    $this->assertEquals('/bar', $loaded_node->get('path')->alias);
+
+    $loaded_node->get('path')->alias = '/bar';
+    $this->assertFalse($loaded_node->get('path')->isEmpty());
+    $this->assertEquals('/bar', $loaded_node->get('path')->alias);
+
+    $loaded_node->save();
+    $this->assertFalse($loaded_node->get('path')->isEmpty());
+    $this->assertEquals('/bar', $loaded_node->get('path')->alias);
+
+    $stored_alias = $alias_storage->lookupPathAlias('/' . $node->toUrl()->getInternalPath(), $node->language()->getId());
+    $this->assertEquals('/bar', $stored_alias);
+
+    $old_alias = $alias_storage->lookupPathSource('/foo', $node->language()->getId());
+    $this->assertFalse($old_alias);
+
+    $loaded_node->get('path')->alias = '';
+    $this->assertEquals('', $loaded_node->get('path')->alias);
+
+    $loaded_node->save();
+
+    $stored_alias = $alias_storage->lookupPathAlias('/' . $node->toUrl()->getInternalPath(), $node->language()->getId());
+    $this->assertFalse($stored_alias);
+  }
+
+}