diff --git a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Config/ConfigInstaller.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Config/ConfigInstaller.php
index fce8628..7153ab9 100644
--- a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Config/ConfigInstaller.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Config/ConfigInstaller.php
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@
 use Drupal\Core\Config\Entity\ConfigDependencyManager;
 use Drupal\Core\Config\Entity\ConfigEntityDependency;
 use Drupal\Core\Entity\EntityTypeInterface;
-use Drupal\Core\Site\Settings;
 use Symfony\Component\EventDispatcher\EventDispatcherInterface;
 
 class ConfigInstaller implements ConfigInstallerInterface {
diff --git a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/DrupalKernel.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/DrupalKernel.php
index ce5e7d8..65a3a20 100644
--- a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/DrupalKernel.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/DrupalKernel.php
@@ -1452,9 +1452,12 @@ protected function addServiceFiles($service_yamls) {
   }
 
   /**
-   * {@inheritdoc}
+   * Gets the active install profile.
+   *
+   * @return string|null
+   *   The name of the any active install profile or distribution.
    */
-  public function getInstallProfile() {
+  protected function getInstallProfile() {
     $install_profile = Settings::get('install_profile');
     if (empty($install_profile)) {
       $install_profile = $this->getDistribution();
diff --git a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/DrupalKernelInterface.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/DrupalKernelInterface.php
index 33ac646..287102b 100644
--- a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/DrupalKernelInterface.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/DrupalKernelInterface.php
@@ -135,14 +135,6 @@ public function preHandle(Request $request);
   public function loadLegacyIncludes();
 
   /**
-   * Gets the active install profile.
-   *
-   * @return string|null
-   *   The name of the any active install profile or distribution.
-   */
-  public function getInstallProfile();
-
-  /**
    * Get the name of any discovered profile that is a distribution.
    *
    * If multiple profiles are distributions, then the first discovered profile
diff --git a/core/modules/system/src/Tests/Bootstrap/GetFilenameUnitTest.php b/core/modules/system/src/Tests/Bootstrap/GetFilenameUnitTest.php
index 27ca162..2d28302 100644
--- a/core/modules/system/src/Tests/Bootstrap/GetFilenameUnitTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/system/src/Tests/Bootstrap/GetFilenameUnitTest.php
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 namespace Drupal\system\Tests\Bootstrap;
 
 use Drupal\simpletest\KernelTestBase;
+use Drupal\Core\DependencyInjection\ContainerBuilder;
 
 /**
  * Tests that drupal_get_filename() works correctly.
@@ -17,14 +18,18 @@
 class GetFilenameUnitTest extends KernelTestBase {
 
   /**
+   * {@inheritdoc}
+   */
+  public function containerBuild(ContainerBuilder $container) {
+    parent::containerBuild($container);
+    // Use the testing install profile.
+    $container->setParameter('install_profile', 'testing');
+  }
+
+  /**
    * Tests that drupal_get_filename() works when the file is not in database.
    */
   function testDrupalGetFilename() {
-    // drupal_get_profile() is using obtaining the profile from state if the
-    // install_state global is not set.
-    global $install_state;
-    $install_state['parameters']['profile'] = 'testing';
-
     // Rebuild system.module.files state data.
     // @todo Remove as part of https://www.drupal.org/node/2186491
     drupal_static_reset('system_rebuild_module_data');
diff --git a/core/modules/system/src/Tests/Installer/InstallerExistingSettingsNoProfileTest.php b/core/modules/system/src/Tests/Installer/InstallerExistingSettingsNoProfileTest.php
index c664028..f7b41fe 100644
--- a/core/modules/system/src/Tests/Installer/InstallerExistingSettingsNoProfileTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/system/src/Tests/Installer/InstallerExistingSettingsNoProfileTest.php
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@
 
 namespace Drupal\system\Tests\Installer;
 
-use Drupal\Core\Site\Settings;
 use Drupal\simpletest\InstallerTestBase;
 use Drupal\Core\Database\Database;
 
diff --git a/sites/default/default.settings.php b/sites/default/default.settings.php
index 9ad5cae..99ec3a9 100644
--- a/sites/default/default.settings.php
+++ b/sites/default/default.settings.php
@@ -258,12 +258,20 @@
 /**
  * The active installation profile.
  *
+ * This setting should not be accessed directly using the Settings object. Use
+ * \Drupal::installProfile() or inject the install_profile container parameter
+ * instead.
+ *
  * Changing this after installation is not recommended as it changes which
  * directories are scanned during extension discovery. If this is set prior to
  * installation this value will be rewritten according to the profile selected
- * by the user.
+ * by the user. If the installation is using a distribution then this does not
+ * need to be set.
  *
  * @see install_select_profile()
+ * @see \Drupal::installProfile()
+ * @see \Drupal\Core\DrupalKernel::getInstallProfile()
+ * @see \Drupal\Core\DrupalKernel::getDistribution()
  */
 # $settings['install_profile'] = '';