diff --git a/core/modules/update/update.module b/core/modules/update/update.module
index 4aed1ef..000f3dd 100644
--- a/core/modules/update/update.module
+++ b/core/modules/update/update.module
@@ -475,6 +475,7 @@ function update_mail($key, &$message, $params) {
  */
 function _update_message_text($msg_type, $msg_reason, $report_link = FALSE, $langcode = NULL) {
   $text = '';
+  $skip_update_manager = FALSE;
   switch ($msg_reason) {
     case UPDATE_NOT_SECURE:
       if ($msg_type == 'core') {
@@ -517,11 +518,14 @@ function _update_message_text($msg_type, $msg_reason, $report_link = FALSE, $lan
     case UPDATE_NOT_FETCHED:
     case UPDATE_FETCH_PENDING:
       if ($msg_type == 'core') {
-        $text = t('There was a problem checking <a href="@update-report">available updates</a> for Drupal.', array('@update-report' => \Drupal::url('update.status')), array('langcode' => $langcode));
+        $text = t('There was a problem checking updates for Drupal.', array(), array('langcode' => $langcode));
       }
       else {
-        $text = t('There was a problem checking <a href="@update-report">available updates</a> for your modules or themes.', array('@update-report' => \Drupal::url('update.status')), array('langcode' => $langcode));
+        $text = t('There was a problem checking updates for your modules or themes.', array(), array('langcode' => $langcode));
       }
+      // If there was a problem checking updates, linking to the update manager
+      // doesn't make sense since there is nothing to update.
+      $skip_update_manager = TRUE;
       break;
   }
   if (!empty($langcode)) {
@@ -531,7 +535,7 @@ function _update_message_text($msg_type, $msg_reason, $report_link = FALSE, $lan
     $language = NULL;
   }
   if ($report_link) {
-    if (update_manager_access()) {
+    if (!$skip_update_manager && update_manager_access()) {
       $text .= ' ' . t('See the <a href="@available_updates">available updates</a> page for more information and to install your missing updates.', array('@available_updates' => \Drupal::url('update.report_update', [], ['language' => $language])), array('langcode' => $langcode));
     }
     else {