diff --git a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Config/ConfigManager.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Config/ConfigManager.php
index 0761cb7398..f8ca052f33 100644
--- a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Config/ConfigManager.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Config/ConfigManager.php
@@ -295,19 +295,19 @@ public function getConfigEntitiesToChangeOnDependencyRemoval($type, array $names
     // Determine the current list of dependent configuration entities and set up
     // initial values.
     $dependency_manager = $this->getConfigDependencyManager();
-    $dependents = $this->findConfigEntityDependentsAsEntities($type, $names, $dependency_manager);
+    $original_dependencies = $this->findConfigEntityDependentsAsEntities($type, $names, $dependency_manager);
     // Store the list of dependencies in three separate variables. This allows
     // us to determine how the dependency graph changes as entities are fixed by
     // calling the onDependencyRemoval() method. The variables are:
-    // - $dependents is the list of dependencies to process. This list changes
-    //   as entities are processed and either fixed or deleted.
     // - $current_dependencies is the list of dependencies on $names. This list
     //   is recalculated when calling an entity's onDependencyRemoval() method
     //   results in the entity changing. This list is passed to each entity's
     //   onDependencyRemoval() method as the list of affected entities.
+    // - $dependencies_to_process is the list of dependencies to process. This list changes
+    //   as entities are processed and either fixed or deleted.
     // - $original_dependencies is the list of original dependencies on $names.
     //   This list never changes.
-    $original_dependencies = $current_dependencies = $dependents;
+    $dependencies_to_process = $current_dependencies = $original_dependencies;
     $affected_uuids = [];
 
     $return = [
@@ -321,7 +321,7 @@ public function getConfigEntitiesToChangeOnDependencyRemoval($type, array $names
     // first. For example, this ensures that Menu UI third party dependencies on
     // node types are fixed before processing the node type's other
     // dependencies.
-    while ($dependent = array_pop($dependents)) {
+    while ($dependent = array_pop($dependencies_to_process)) {
       /** @var \Drupal\Core\Config\Entity\ConfigEntityInterface $dependent */
       if ($dry_run) {
         // Clone the entity so any changes do not change any static caches.
@@ -339,17 +339,17 @@ public function getConfigEntitiesToChangeOnDependencyRemoval($type, array $names
         // Rebuild the list of entities that we need to process using the new
         // list of current dependencies and removing any entities that we've
         // already processed.
-        $dependents = array_filter($current_dependencies, function ($current_dependency) use ($affected_uuids) {
+        $dependencies_to_process = array_filter($current_dependencies, function ($current_dependency) use ($affected_uuids) {
           return !in_array($current_dependency->uuid(), $affected_uuids);
         });
         // Ensure that the dependency has actually been fixed. It is possible
         // that the dependent has multiple dependencies that cause it to be in
         // the dependency chain.
         $fixed = TRUE;
-        foreach ($dependents as $key => $entity) {
+        foreach ($dependencies_to_process as $key => $entity) {
           if ($entity->uuid() == $dependent->uuid()) {
             $fixed = FALSE;
-            unset($dependents[$key]);
+            unset($dependencies_to_process[$key]);
             break;
           }
         }