diff -u b/core/modules/file/src/Plugin/Field/FieldType/FileItem.php b/core/modules/file/src/Plugin/Field/FieldType/FileItem.php
--- b/core/modules/file/src/Plugin/Field/FieldType/FileItem.php
+++ b/core/modules/file/src/Plugin/Field/FieldType/FileItem.php
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@
   public static function defaultFieldSettings() {
     return array(
       'file_extensions' => 'txt',
-      'file_directory' => 'assets/[date:custom:Y][date:custom:m][date:custom:d]',
+      'file_directory' => 'assets/[date:custom:Y]/[date:custom:m]/[date:custom:d]',
       'max_filesize' => '',
       'description_field' => 0,
     ) + parent::defaultFieldSettings();
diff -u b/core/modules/file/src/Tests/FileFieldPathTest.php b/core/modules/file/src/Tests/FileFieldPathTest.php
--- b/core/modules/file/src/Tests/FileFieldPathTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/file/src/Tests/FileFieldPathTest.php
@@ -38,8 +38,8 @@
     $date_formatter = $this->container->get('date.formatter');
     $expected_filename =
       'public://assets/' .
-      $date_formatter->format(REQUEST_TIME, 'custom', 'Y') .
-      $date_formatter->format(REQUEST_TIME, 'custom', 'm') .
+      $date_formatter->format(REQUEST_TIME, 'custom', 'Y') . '/' .
+      $date_formatter->format(REQUEST_TIME, 'custom', 'm') . '/' .
       $date_formatter->format(REQUEST_TIME, 'custom', 'd') . '/' .
       $test_file->getFilename();
     $this->assertPathMatch($expected_filename, $node_file->getFileUri(), format_string('The file %file was uploaded to the correct path.', array('%file' => $node_file->getFileUri())));