diff --git a/config/optional/linkit.linkit_profile.default.yml b/config/optional/linkit.linkit_profile.default.yml
index 23af68b..fe06c78 100644
--- a/config/optional/linkit.linkit_profile.default.yml
+++ b/config/optional/linkit.linkit_profile.default.yml
@@ -15,4 +15,5 @@ matchers:
       result_description: 'by [node:author] | [node:created:medium]'
       bundles: {  }
       group_by_bundle: false
-      include_unpublished: false
\ No newline at end of file
+      include_unpublished: false
+      substitution_type: canonical
diff --git a/linkit.install b/linkit.install
index a2edbaf..ca94081 100644
--- a/linkit.install
+++ b/linkit.install
@@ -5,9 +5,6 @@
  * Contains install and update functions for Linkit.
  */
 
-use Drupal\filter\Entity\FilterFormat;
-use Drupal\linkit\Entity\Profile;
-
 /**
  * Updates Linkit from 4 to 5.
  *
@@ -130,30 +127,39 @@ function linkit_update_8500() {
  * Prepare anchor attributes for substitution plugins.
  */
 function linkit_update_8501() {
-  // Update all filter formats that allow the data-entity-uuid attribute to also
-  // allow the data-entity-substitution attribute.
-  foreach (FilterFormat::loadMultiple() as $id => $filter) {
-    if ($filter_html = $filter->filters('filter_html')) {
-      $configuration = $filter_html->getConfiguration();
-
-      $allowed_html = $configuration['settings']['allowed_html'];
-      $allowed_html = str_replace('data-entity-uuid', 'data-entity-uuid data-entity-substitution', $allowed_html);
-      $configuration['settings']['allowed_html'] = $allowed_html;
-
-      $filter_html->setConfiguration($configuration);
-      $filter->save();
+  $config_factory = \Drupal::configFactory();
+
+  // Update filter formats that allow the data-entity-uuid attribute on link
+  // tags to also allow the data-entity-substitution attribute.
+  foreach ($config_factory->listAll('filter.format.') as $id) {
+    $config = $config_factory->getEditable($id);
+
+    $allowed_html = $config->get('filters.filter_html.settings.allowed_html');
+    if (!empty($allowed_html)) {
+      preg_match_all('/<([\w]+)[^>]*>/', $allowed_html, $out);
+      $current_mapping = array_combine($out[1], $out[0]);
+
+      if (isset($current_mapping['a'])) {
+        $allowed_html = str_replace($current_mapping['a'], str_replace('data-entity-uuid', 'data-entity-uuid data-entity-substitution', $current_mapping['a']), $allowed_html);
+        $config->set('filters.filter_html.settings.allowed_html', $allowed_html);
+        $config->save(TRUE);
+      }
     }
   }
-  // Update all "file" matchers to the "file" substitution plugin, to maintain
-  // existing behavior out of the box.
-  foreach (\Drupal\linkit\Entity\Profile::loadMultiple() as $profile) {
-    foreach ($profile->getMatchers() as $matcher) {
-      if ($matcher->getPluginId() === 'entity:file') {
-        $configuration = $matcher->getConfiguration();
-        $configuration['settings']['substitution_type'] = 'file';
-        $matcher->setConfiguration($configuration);
-        $profile->save();
+
+  // Update all matchers to a substitution plugin, to maintain existing
+  // behavior out of the box.
+  foreach ($config_factory->listAll('linkit.linkit_profile.') as $id) {
+    $profile = $config_factory->getEditable($id);
+    foreach ($profile->get('matchers') as $instance_uuid => $matcher) {
+      if ($matcher['id'] === 'entity:file') {
+        $profile->set('matchers.' . $instance_uuid . '.settings.substitution_type', 'file');
+      }
+      else {
+        $profile->set('matchers.' . $instance_uuid . '.settings.substitution_type', 'canonical');
       }
+
+      $profile->save(TRUE);
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/Plugin/Filter/LinkitFilter.php b/src/Plugin/Filter/LinkitFilter.php
index 3dd71b1..fdf19f0 100644
--- a/src/Plugin/Filter/LinkitFilter.php
+++ b/src/Plugin/Filter/LinkitFilter.php
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ class LinkitFilter extends FilterBase implements ContainerFactoryPluginInterface
           // maintaining the previous hard-coded direct file link assumptions,
           // for content created before the substitution feature.
           if (!$substitution_type = $element->getAttribute('data-entity-substitution')) {
-            $substitution_type = $entity_type === 'file' ? 'file' :  SubstitutionManagerInterface::DEFAULT_SUBSTITUTION;
+            $substitution_type = $entity_type === 'file' ? 'file' : SubstitutionManagerInterface::DEFAULT_SUBSTITUTION;
           }
 
           $entity = $this->entityRepository->loadEntityByUuid($entity_type, $uuid);
@@ -106,6 +106,7 @@ class LinkitFilter extends FilterBase implements ContainerFactoryPluginInterface
 
             $entity = $this->entityRepository->getTranslationFromContext($entity, $langcode);
 
+            /** @var \Drupal\Core\GeneratedUrl $url */
             $url = $this->substitutionManager
               ->createInstance($substitution_type)
               ->getUrl($entity);
diff --git a/src/Plugin/Linkit/Substitution/Canonical.php b/src/Plugin/Linkit/Substitution/Canonical.php
index 5e9fca0..10b1db8 100644
--- a/src/Plugin/Linkit/Substitution/Canonical.php
+++ b/src/Plugin/Linkit/Substitution/Canonical.php
@@ -23,11 +23,4 @@ class Canonical extends PluginBase implements SubstitutionInterface {
     return $entity->toUrl('canonical')->toString(TRUE);
   }
 
-  /**
-   * {@inheritdoc}
-   */
-  public static function isApplicable(EntityInterface $entity) {
-    return TRUE;
-  }
-
 }
diff --git a/src/Plugin/Linkit/Substitution/File.php b/src/Plugin/Linkit/Substitution/File.php
index deb7ed5..b74bc50 100644
--- a/src/Plugin/Linkit/Substitution/File.php
+++ b/src/Plugin/Linkit/Substitution/File.php
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ class File extends PluginBase implements SubstitutionInterface {
    */
   public function getUrl(EntityInterface $entity) {
     $url = new GeneratedUrl();
+    /** @var \Drupal\file\FileInterface $entity */
     $url->setGeneratedUrl(file_create_url($entity->getFileUri()));
     $url->addCacheableDependency($entity);
     return $url;
diff --git a/src/SubstitutionInterface.php b/src/SubstitutionInterface.php
index 7454264..1760c0b 100644
--- a/src/SubstitutionInterface.php
+++ b/src/SubstitutionInterface.php
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ use Drupal\Core\Entity\EntityInterface;
 interface SubstitutionInterface extends PluginInspectionInterface {
 
   /**
-   * Get the URL asscoaited with a given entity.
+   * Get the URL associated with a given entity.
    *
    * @param \Drupal\Core\Entity\EntityInterface $entity
    *   The entity to get a URL for.
diff --git a/src/SubstitutionManager.php b/src/SubstitutionManager.php
index 445725b..cd5fec5 100644
--- a/src/SubstitutionManager.php
+++ b/src/SubstitutionManager.php
@@ -2,9 +2,7 @@
 
 namespace Drupal\linkit;
 
-use Drupal\Component\Utility\SortArray;
 use Drupal\Core\Cache\CacheBackendInterface;
-use Drupal\Core\Entity\EntityInterface;
 use Drupal\Core\Extension\ModuleHandlerInterface;
 use Drupal\Core\Plugin\DefaultPluginManager;
 
diff --git a/src/SubstitutionManagerInterface.php b/src/SubstitutionManagerInterface.php
index 61cc68f..b03a33c 100644
--- a/src/SubstitutionManagerInterface.php
+++ b/src/SubstitutionManagerInterface.php
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
 namespace Drupal\linkit;
 
 use Drupal\Component\Plugin\PluginManagerInterface;
-use Drupal\Core\Entity\EntityInterface;
 
 /**
  * An interface for the substitution manager.
@@ -18,10 +17,10 @@ interface SubstitutionManagerInterface extends PluginManagerInterface {
   /**
    * Filter a list of plugin definitions by entity ID.
    *
-   * @param string $entity_id
-   *   The entity ID to get applicable plugins for.
    * @param array $definitions
    *   An array of plugin definitions.
+   * @param string $entity_id
+   *   The entity ID to get applicable plugins for.
    *
    * @return array
    *   The definitions appropriate for the given entity ID.
@@ -33,6 +32,7 @@ interface SubstitutionManagerInterface extends PluginManagerInterface {
    *
    * @param string $entity_id
    *   The entity ID.
+   *
    * @return array
    *   An options list.
    */
diff --git a/src/Tests/Update/LinkitUpdate8501.php b/src/Tests/Update/LinkitUpdate8501.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cadbec6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Tests/Update/LinkitUpdate8501.php
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace Drupal\linkit\Tests\Update;
+
+use Drupal\filter\Entity\FilterFormat;
+use Drupal\system\Tests\Update\UpdatePathTestBase;
+
+/**
+ * Tests Linkit upgrade path for update 8501.
+ *
+ * @group Update
+ */
+class LinkitUpdate8501 extends UpdatePathTestBase {
+
+  /**
+   * The config factory service.
+   *
+   * @var \Drupal\Core\Config\ConfigFactoryInterface
+   */
+  protected $configFactory;
+
+  /**
+   * {@inheritdoc}
+   */
+  protected function setUp() {
+    parent::setUp();
+    $this->configFactory = $this->container->get('config.factory');
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Set database dump files to be used.
+   */
+  protected function setDatabaseDumpFiles() {
+    $this->databaseDumpFiles = [
+      __DIR__ . '/../../../tests/fixtures/update/linkit-4-to-5/drupal-8.linkit-enabled.standard.php.gz',
+      __DIR__ . '/../../../tests/fixtures/update/8501/linkit-update-8501.php',
+    ];
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Tests linkit_update_8501().
+   *
+   * @see linkit_update_8501()
+   */
+  public function testLinkitUpdate8501() {
+    $this->runUpdates();
+
+    $test_profile = $this->configFactory->get('linkit.linkit_profile.test_profile');
+    $this->assertEqual('canonical', $test_profile->get('matchers.fc48c807-2a9c-44eb-b86b-7e134c1aa252.settings.substitution_type'), 'Content matcher has a substitution type of canonical.');
+    $this->assertEqual('file', $test_profile->get('matchers.b8d6d672-6377-493f-b492-3cc69511cf17.settings.substitution_type'), 'File matcher has a substitution type of file.');
+
+    $htmlRestrictions = FilterFormat::load('format_1')->getHtmlRestrictions();
+    $this->assertTrue(array_key_exists("data-entity-type", $htmlRestrictions['allowed']['a']));
+    $this->assertTrue(array_key_exists("data-entity-uuid", $htmlRestrictions['allowed']['a']));
+    $this->assertTrue(array_key_exists("data-entity-substitution", $htmlRestrictions['allowed']['a']));
+  }
+
+}
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/update/8501/editor.editor.format_1.yml b/tests/fixtures/update/8501/editor.editor.format_1.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..46a0f3f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/update/8501/editor.editor.format_1.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+uuid: 5600b759-8f91-49fa-88f0-a69f4c8ed440
+langcode: en
+status: true
+dependencies:
+  config:
+    - filter.format.format_1
+  module:
+    - ckeditor
+format: format_1
+editor: ckeditor
+settings:
+  toolbar:
+    rows:
+      -
+        -
+          name: Links
+          items:
+            - Linkit
+  plugins:
+    stylescombo:
+      styles: ''
+    language:
+      language_list: un
+    linkit:
+      linkit_profile: test_profile
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/update/8501/filter.format.format_1.yml b/tests/fixtures/update/8501/filter.format.format_1.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2874da3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/update/8501/filter.format.format_1.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+uuid: ff6b71a0-5051-4857-a0a8-28a670b7317d
+langcode: en
+status: true
+dependencies: {  }
+name: 'Format 1'
+format: format_1
+weight: 0
+filters:
+  filter_html:
+    id: filter_html
+    provider: filter
+    status: true
+    weight: -10
+    settings:
+      allowed_html: '<a href hreflang data-entity-type data-entity-uuid> <em> <strong> <cite> <blockquote cite> <code> <ul type> <ol start type=''1 A I''> <li> <dl> <dt> <dd> <h2 id=''jump-*''> <h3 id> <h4 id> <h5 id> <h6 id>'
+      filter_html_help: true
+      filter_html_nofollow: false
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/update/8501/linkit-update-8501.php b/tests/fixtures/update/8501/linkit-update-8501.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d7bdc2b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/update/8501/linkit-update-8501.php
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+<?php
+
+/**
+ * @file
+ * Database fixture for testing the upgrade path for Linkit 4 to 5.
+ *
+ * Contains database additions to drupal-8.bare.standard.php.gz for testing the
+ * upgrade path for Linkit 4 to 5.
+ */
+
+use Drupal\Component\Serialization\Yaml;
+use Drupal\Core\Database\Database;
+
+$connection = Database::getConnection();
+
+// Configuration for linkit profiles.
+$config = Yaml::decode(file_get_contents(__DIR__ . '/linkit.linkit_profile.test_profile.yml'));
+$connection->insert('config')
+  ->fields([
+    'collection',
+    'name',
+    'data',
+  ])
+  ->values([
+    'collection' => '',
+    'name' => 'linkit.linkit_profile.' . $config['id'],
+    'data' => serialize($config),
+  ])
+  ->execute();
+
+
+// Configuration for text formats.
+$configs = [];
+$configs[] = Yaml::decode(file_get_contents(__DIR__ . '/filter.format.format_1.yml'));
+foreach ($configs as $config) {
+  $connection->insert('config')
+    ->fields([
+      'collection',
+      'name',
+      'data',
+    ])
+    ->values([
+      'collection' => '',
+      'name' => 'filter.format.' . $config['format'],
+      'data' => serialize($config),
+    ])
+    ->execute();
+}
+
+// Configuration for editors.
+$configs = [];
+$configs[] = Yaml::decode(file_get_contents(__DIR__ . '/editor.editor.format_1.yml'));
+foreach ($configs as $config) {
+  $connection->insert('config')
+    ->fields([
+      'collection',
+      'name',
+      'data',
+    ])
+    ->values([
+      'collection' => '',
+      'name' => 'editor.editor.' . $config['format'],
+      'data' => serialize($config),
+    ])
+    ->execute();
+}
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/update/8501/linkit.linkit_profile.test_profile.yml b/tests/fixtures/update/8501/linkit.linkit_profile.test_profile.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bee4523
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/update/8501/linkit.linkit_profile.test_profile.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+uuid: e91c2255-2146-46fb-af58-1b391113c352
+langcode: en
+status: true
+dependencies:
+  module:
+    - file
+    - node
+id: test_profile
+label: 'Test profile'
+description: 'This is a test profile'
+attributes:
+  target:
+    id: target
+    weight: 0
+    settings:
+      widget_type: simple_checkbox
+  title:
+    id: title
+    weight: 0
+    settings:
+      automatic_title: false
+  accesskey:
+    id: accesskey
+    weight: 0
+    settings: {  }
+matchers:
+  fc48c807-2a9c-44eb-b86b-7e134c1aa252:
+    uuid: fc48c807-2a9c-44eb-b86b-7e134c1aa252
+    id: 'entity:node'
+    weight: 0
+    settings:
+      result_description: 'by [node:author] | [node:created:medium]'
+      bundles: {  }
+      group_by_bundle: false
+      include_unpublished: false
+  b8d6d672-6377-493f-b492-3cc69511cf17:
+    uuid: b8d6d672-6377-493f-b492-3cc69511cf17
+    id: 'entity:file'
+    weight: 0
+    settings:
+      result_description: '[file:path] [file:url]'
+      bundles: null
+      group_by_bundle: null
+      images:
+        show_dimensions: false
+        show_thumbnail: false
+        thumbnail_image_style: null