diff --git a/core/includes/update.inc b/core/includes/update.inc
index 7b8a6e2..b63bf8c 100644
--- a/core/includes/update.inc
+++ b/core/includes/update.inc
@@ -323,7 +323,7 @@ function update_prepare_d8_bootstrap() {
       // Required to run before drupal_install_config_directories(), since that
       // triggers a call into system_stream_wrappers(), which calls t(), which
       // calls into language_default().
-      $language_default = variable_get('language_default');
+      $language_default = update_variable_get('language_default');
       if (!empty($language_default) && (isset($language_default->id) || isset($language_default->language))) {
         if (!isset($language_default->id)) {
           $language_default->id = $language_default->language;
@@ -332,7 +332,7 @@ function update_prepare_d8_bootstrap() {
         // In D8, the 'language_default' is not anymore an object, but an array,
         // so make sure that the new value that is saved into this variable is an
         // array.
-        variable_set('language_default', (array) $language_default);
+        update_variable_set('language_default', (array) $language_default);
       }
 
       $module_config = \Drupal::config('system.module');
@@ -570,7 +570,7 @@ function update_prepare_d8_language() {
     }
 
     // Update the 'language_default' system variable with the langcode change.
-    $language_default = variable_get('language_default');
+    $language_default = update_variable_get('language_default');
     if (!empty($language_default)) {
       if (isset($language_default->language)) {
         $language_default->id = $language_default->language;
@@ -582,7 +582,7 @@ function update_prepare_d8_language() {
       // array.
       $language_default = (array) $language_default;
       $language_default['langcode'] = 'en';
-      variable_set('language_default', $language_default);
+      update_variable_set('language_default', $language_default);
     }
 
     // Convert languages to config entities.
diff --git a/core/modules/node/node.install b/core/modules/node/node.install
index b240ecc..8c104dd 100644
--- a/core/modules/node/node.install
+++ b/core/modules/node/node.install
@@ -458,7 +458,6 @@ function node_uninstall() {
 
   // Delete remaining general module variables.
   \Drupal::state()->delete('node.node_access_needs_rebuild');
-  variable_del('node_recent_block_count');
 
   // Delete any stored state.
   \Drupal::state()->delete('node.cron_last');
diff --git a/core/modules/rdf/lib/Drupal/rdf/Tests/StandardProfileTest.php b/core/modules/rdf/lib/Drupal/rdf/Tests/StandardProfileTest.php
index 9feaa50..6f5065ec 100644
--- a/core/modules/rdf/lib/Drupal/rdf/Tests/StandardProfileTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/rdf/lib/Drupal/rdf/Tests/StandardProfileTest.php
@@ -282,10 +282,6 @@ protected function doArticleRdfaTests() {
    * displayed in teaser view, so it is tested in the front page tests.
    */
   protected function doPageRdfaTests() {
-    // The standard profile hides the created date on pages. Revert display to
-    // true for testing.
-    variable_set('node_submitted_page', TRUE);
-
     // Feed the HTML into the parser.
     $uri_info = $this->page->uri();
     $path = $uri_info['path'];
diff --git a/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Tests/File/RemoteFileUnmanagedMoveTest.php b/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Tests/File/RemoteFileUnmanagedMoveTest.php
index c900fcf..243c22d 100644
--- a/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Tests/File/RemoteFileUnmanagedMoveTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Tests/File/RemoteFileUnmanagedMoveTest.php
@@ -27,6 +27,6 @@ public static function getInfo() {
 
   function setUp() {
     parent::setUp();
-    variable_set('file_default_scheme', 'dummy-remote');
+    \Drupal::config('system.file')->set('default_scheme', 'dummy-remote')->save();
   }
 }