diff --git a/core/authorize.php b/core/authorize.php
index ecb7e22..fd9e2f4 100644
--- a/core/authorize.php
+++ b/core/authorize.php
@@ -69,15 +69,9 @@ function authorize_access_allowed() {
 require_once __DIR__ . '/includes/module.inc';
 require_once __DIR__ . '/includes/ajax.inc';
 
-// We prepare only a minimal bootstrap. This includes the database and
-// variables, however, so we have access to the class autoloader.
-drupal_bootstrap(DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_VARIABLES);
-
-$request = Request::createFromGlobals();
-\Drupal::getContainer()->set('request', $request);
-
-// This must go after drupal_bootstrap(), which unsets globals!
-global $conf;
+// Prepare a minimal bootstrap.
+drupal_bootstrap(DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_PAGE_CACHE);
+$request = \Drupal::request();
 
 // We have to enable the user and system modules, even to check access and
 // display errors via the maintenance theme.
diff --git a/core/includes/bootstrap.inc b/core/includes/bootstrap.inc
index 1568f45..7f6e959 100644
--- a/core/includes/bootstrap.inc
+++ b/core/includes/bootstrap.inc
@@ -138,19 +138,14 @@
 const DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_PAGE_CACHE = 2;
 
 /**
- * Fourth bootstrap phase: initialize the variable system.
+ * Fourth bootstrap phase: load code for subsystems and modules.
  */
-const DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_VARIABLES = 3;
-
-/**
- * Fifth bootstrap phase: load code for subsystems and modules.
- */
-const DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_CODE = 4;
+const DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_CODE = 3;
 
 /**
  * Final bootstrap phase: initialize language, path, theme, and modules.
  */
-const DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_FULL = 5;
+const DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_FULL = 4;
 
 /**
  * Role ID for anonymous users; should match what's in the "role" table.
@@ -876,6 +871,11 @@ function variable_initialize($conf = array()) {
 function variable_get($name, $default = NULL) {
   global $conf;
 
+  // @todo D8: Temporary hack until full removal.
+  if (!isset($conf)) {
+    $conf = variable_initialize(isset($conf) ? $conf : array());
+  }
+
   return isset($conf[$name]) ? $conf[$name] : $default;
 }
 
@@ -1743,7 +1743,6 @@ function drupal_anonymous_user() {
  *   - DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_CONFIGURATION: Initializes configuration.
  *   - DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_KERNEL: Initalizes a kernel.
  *   - DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_PAGE_CACHE: Tries to serve a cached page.
- *   - DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_VARIABLES: Initializes the variable system.
  *   - DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_CODE: Loads code for subsystems and modules.
  *   - DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_FULL: Fully loads Drupal. Validates and fixes input
  *     data.
@@ -1760,7 +1759,6 @@ function drupal_bootstrap($phase = NULL, $new_phase = TRUE) {
     DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_CONFIGURATION,
     DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_KERNEL,
     DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_PAGE_CACHE,
-    DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_VARIABLES,
     DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_CODE,
     DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_FULL,
   );
@@ -1802,10 +1800,6 @@ function drupal_bootstrap($phase = NULL, $new_phase = TRUE) {
           _drupal_bootstrap_page_cache();
           break;
 
-        case DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_VARIABLES:
-          _drupal_bootstrap_variables();
-          break;
-
         case DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_CODE:
           require_once __DIR__ . '/common.inc';
           _drupal_bootstrap_code();
@@ -2010,7 +2004,6 @@ function _drupal_bootstrap_page_cache() {
     $cache_enabled = TRUE;
   }
   else {
-    drupal_bootstrap(DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_VARIABLES, FALSE);
     $config = \Drupal::config('system.performance');
     $cache_enabled = $config->get('cache.page.use_internal');
   }
@@ -2079,16 +2072,6 @@ function _drupal_initialize_db_test_prefix() {
 }
 
 /**
- * Loads system variables and all enabled bootstrap modules.
- */
-function _drupal_bootstrap_variables() {
-  global $conf;
-
-  // Load variables from the database, but do not overwrite variables set in settings.php.
-  $conf = variable_initialize(isset($conf) ? $conf : array());
-}
-
-/**
  * Returns the current bootstrap phase for this Drupal process.
  *
  * The current phase is the one most recently completed by drupal_bootstrap().
diff --git a/core/includes/language.inc b/core/includes/language.inc
index 618e3a7..60c6490 100644
--- a/core/includes/language.inc
+++ b/core/includes/language.inc
@@ -476,7 +476,6 @@ function language_negotiation_method_invoke($method_id, $method = NULL, $request
       $cache_enabled = TRUE;
     }
     else {
-      drupal_bootstrap(DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_VARIABLES, FALSE);
       $config = \Drupal::config('system.performance');
       $cache_enabled = $config->get('cache.page.use_internal');
     }
diff --git a/core/includes/update.inc b/core/includes/update.inc
index b17624f..fd84c20 100644
--- a/core/includes/update.inc
+++ b/core/includes/update.inc
@@ -119,6 +119,8 @@ function update_prepare_d8_bootstrap() {
   // Do not attempt to dump and write it.
   $kernel = new DrupalKernel('update', drupal_classloader(), FALSE);
   $kernel->boot();
+  $request = Request::createFromGlobals();
+  \Drupal::getContainer()->set('request', $request);
 
   // If any of the required settings needs to be written, then settings.php
   // needs to be writable.
@@ -315,9 +317,8 @@ function update_prepare_d8_bootstrap() {
         update_add_cache_columns($table);
       }
 
-      // Bootstrap variables so we can update theme while preparing the update
-      // process.
-      drupal_bootstrap(DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_VARIABLES);
+      // Bootstrap to cache system.
+      drupal_bootstrap(DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_PAGE_CACHE);
 
       // Update the 'language_default' system variable, if configured.
       // Required to run before drupal_install_config_directories(), since that
@@ -458,6 +459,7 @@ function update_prepare_d8_bootstrap() {
   new Settings($settings);
   $kernel = new DrupalKernel('update', drupal_classloader(), FALSE);
   $kernel->boot();
+  \Drupal::getContainer()->set('request', $request);
 
   // Clear the D7 caches, to ensure that for example the theme_registry does not
   // take part in the upgrade process.
diff --git a/core/modules/statistics/statistics.php b/core/modules/statistics/statistics.php
index ed132e8..59675f1 100644
--- a/core/modules/statistics/statistics.php
+++ b/core/modules/statistics/statistics.php
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 // Load the Drupal bootstrap.
 require_once dirname(dirname(__DIR__)) . '/vendor/autoload.php';
 require_once dirname(dirname(__DIR__)) . '/includes/bootstrap.inc';
-drupal_bootstrap(DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_VARIABLES);
+drupal_bootstrap(DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_PAGE_CACHE);
 
 if (\Drupal::config('statistics.settings')->get('count_content_views')) {
   $nid = filter_input(INPUT_POST, 'nid', FILTER_VALIDATE_INT);
diff --git a/core/update.php b/core/update.php
index 527a703..7097df2 100644
--- a/core/update.php
+++ b/core/update.php
@@ -347,11 +347,8 @@ function update_check_requirements($skip_warnings = FALSE) {
 update_prepare_d8_bootstrap();
 
 // Determine if the current user has access to run update.php.
-drupal_bootstrap(DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_VARIABLES);
-
-// A request object from the HTTPFoundation to tell us about the request.
-$request = Request::createFromGlobals();
-\Drupal::getContainer()->set('request', $request);
+drupal_bootstrap(DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_PAGE_CACHE);
+$request = \Drupal::request();
 
 require_once DRUPAL_ROOT . '/' . settings()->get('session_inc', 'core/includes/session.inc');
 drupal_session_initialize();