diff -u b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/Plugin/Field/FieldType/ChangedItem.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/Plugin/Field/FieldType/ChangedItem.php
--- b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/Plugin/Field/FieldType/ChangedItem.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/Plugin/Field/FieldType/ChangedItem.php
@@ -40,26 +40,33 @@
       }
     }
     else {
-      $field_name = $this->getFieldDefinition()->getName();
-      // We have to clone the original because getTranslation() will modify
-      // the state of original.
-      $original = clone $entity->original;
-      if ($this->getFieldDefinition()->isTranslatable()) {
-        $original = $original->getTranslation($entity->language()->getId());
+      // Don't allow an illegal value.
+      if (!$this->value) {
+        $this->value = REQUEST_TIME;
       }
-      // If the timestamp has not been set explicitly auto detect a modification
-      // of the current translation and set the timestamp if needed.
-      // An example of setting the timestamp explicitly is
-      // \Drupal\content_translation\ContentTranslationMetadataWrapperInterface::setChangedTime()
-      if ($this->value == $original->{$field_name}->value) {
-        foreach ($entity->getFieldDefinitions() as $other_field_definition) {
-          $other_field_name = $other_field_definition->getName();
-          if ($other_field_name != $field_name && $other_field_definition->isTranslatable()) {
-            $items = $entity->get($other_field_name)->filterEmptyItems();
-            $original_items = $original->get($other_field_name)->filterEmptyItems();
-            if (!$items->equals($original_items)) {
-              $this->value = REQUEST_TIME;
-              break;
+      else {
+        $field_name = $this->getFieldDefinition()->getName();
+        // We have to clone the original because getTranslation() will modify
+        // the state of original.
+        $original = clone $entity->original;
+        if ($this->getFieldDefinition()->isTranslatable()) {
+          $original = $original->getTranslation($entity->language()->getId());
+        }
+        // If the timestamp has not been set explicitly auto detect a modification
+        // of the current translation and set the timestamp if needed.
+        // An example of setting the timestamp explicitly is
+        // \Drupal\content_translation\ContentTranslationMetadataWrapperInterface::setChangedTime()
+        if ($this->value == $original->{$field_name}->value) {
+          foreach ($entity->getFieldDefinitions() as $other_field_definition) {
+            $other_field_name = $other_field_definition->getName();
+            if ($other_field_name != $field_name && $other_field_definition->isTranslatable()) {
+              $items = $entity->get($other_field_name)->filterEmptyItems();
+              $original_items = $original->get($other_field_name)
+                ->filterEmptyItems();
+              if (!$items->equals($original_items)) {
+                $this->value = REQUEST_TIME;
+                break;
+              }
             }
           }
         }
diff -u b/core/modules/node/src/Tests/NodeSaveTest.php b/core/modules/node/src/Tests/NodeSaveTest.php
--- b/core/modules/node/src/Tests/NodeSaveTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/node/src/Tests/NodeSaveTest.php
@@ -120,8 +120,8 @@
 
     entity_create('node', $edit)->save();
     $node = $this->drupalGetNodeByTitle($edit['title']);
-    $this->assertEqual($node->getCreatedTime(), 280299600, 'Creating a node uses user-set "created" timestamp.');
-    $this->assertNotEqual($node->getChangedTime(), 979534800, 'Creating a node does not use user-set "changed" timestamp.');
+    $this->assertEqual($node->getCreatedTime(), 280299600, 'Creating a node programmatically uses programmatically set "created" timestamp.');
+    $this->assertEqual($node->getChangedTime(), 979534800, 'Creating a node programmatically uses programmatically set "changed" timestamp.');
 
     // Update the timestamps.
     $node->setCreatedTime(979534800);
only in patch2:
unchanged:
--- a/core/modules/file/src/Tests/SaveTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/file/src/Tests/SaveTest.php
@@ -22,8 +22,6 @@ function testFileSave() {
       'filename' => 'druplicon.txt',
       'uri' => 'public://druplicon.txt',
       'filemime' => 'text/plain',
-      'created' => 1,
-      'changed' => 1,
       'status' => FILE_STATUS_PERMANENT,
     ));
     file_put_contents($file->getFileUri(), 'hello world');
@@ -64,8 +62,6 @@ function testFileSave() {
       'filename' => 'DRUPLICON.txt',
       'uri' => 'public://DRUPLICON.txt',
       'filemime' => 'text/plain',
-      'created' => 1,
-      'changed' => 1,
       'status' => FILE_STATUS_PERMANENT,
     ));
     file_put_contents($uppercase_file->getFileUri(), 'hello world');
only in patch2:
unchanged:
--- a/core/modules/menu_link_content/src/Tests/LinksTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/menu_link_content/src/Tests/LinksTest.php
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ public function testCreateLink() {
       'title' => 'Test Link',
     );
     $link->link->options = $options;
-    $link->changed->value = REQUEST_TIME - 5;
+    $link->changed->value = 0;
     $link->save();
     // Make sure the changed timestamp is updated.
     $this->assertEqual($link->getChangedTime(), REQUEST_TIME, 'Changing a menu link sets "changed" timestamp.');