diff --git a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/EntityReferenceFieldItemList.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/EntityReferenceFieldItemList.php
index 1403d8eb63..9d985b2142 100644
--- a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/EntityReferenceFieldItemList.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/EntityReferenceFieldItemList.php
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ public function defaultValuesFormSubmit(array $element, array &$form, FormStateI
   /**
    * Removes the items with a specific target ID.
    *
-   * @param int $target_id
+   * @param int|string $target_id
    *   The target id of the item to be removed.
    *
    * @return $this
diff --git a/core/modules/hal/src/Normalizer/EntityReferenceItemNormalizer.php b/core/modules/hal/src/Normalizer/EntityReferenceItemNormalizer.php
index 78afbe9949..263612dcee 100644
--- a/core/modules/hal/src/Normalizer/EntityReferenceItemNormalizer.php
+++ b/core/modules/hal/src/Normalizer/EntityReferenceItemNormalizer.php
@@ -106,21 +106,21 @@ public function normalize($field_item, $format = NULL, array $context = []) {
   /**
    * Checks whether the referenced entity is of a fieldable entity type.
    *
-   * @param \Drupal\Core\Field\Plugin\Field\FieldType\EntityReferenceItem $ref
+   * @param \Drupal\Core\Field\Plugin\Field\FieldType\EntityReferenceItem $item
    *   The reference field item whose target entity needs to be checked.
    *
    * @return bool
    *   TRUE when the referenced entity is of a fieldable entity type.
    */
-  protected function targetEntityIsFieldable(EntityReferenceItem $ref) {
-    $target_entity = $ref->get('entity')->getValue();
+  protected function targetEntityIsFieldable(EntityReferenceItem $item) {
+    $target_entity = $item->get('entity')->getValue();
 
     if ($target_entity !== NULL) {
       return $target_entity instanceof FieldableEntityInterface;
     }
 
-    $referencing_entity = $ref->getEntity();
-    $target_entity_type_id = $ref->getFieldDefinition()->getSetting('target_type');
+    $referencing_entity = $item->getEntity();
+    $target_entity_type_id = $item->getFieldDefinition()->getSetting('target_type');
 
     // If the entity type is the same as the parent, we can check that. This is
     // just a shortcut to avoid getting the entity type defintition and checking
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ protected function targetEntityIsFieldable(EntityReferenceItem $ref) {
     $target_entity_type = $this->entityTypeManager->getDefinition($target_entity_type_id);
     $target_entity_type_class = $target_entity_type->getClass();
 
-    return in_array(FieldableEntityInterface::class, class_implements($target_entity_type_class), TRUE);
+    return is_a($target_entity_type_class, FieldableEntityInterface::class, TRUE);
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/core/modules/taxonomy/taxonomy.install b/core/modules/taxonomy/taxonomy.install
index e1a2c45dcf..493850543f 100644
--- a/core/modules/taxonomy/taxonomy.install
+++ b/core/modules/taxonomy/taxonomy.install
@@ -14,8 +14,6 @@ function taxonomy_update_8501() {
   $definition = $manager->getFieldStorageDefinition('parent', 'taxonomy_term');
   $definition->setCustomStorage(FALSE);
   $manager->updateFieldStorageDefinition($definition);
-  // Update the entity type because a new interface was added to Term entity.
-  $manager->updateEntityType($manager->getEntityType('taxonomy_term'));
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/core/modules/taxonomy/tests/src/Functional/TaxonomyQueryAlterTest.php b/core/modules/taxonomy/tests/src/Functional/TaxonomyQueryAlterTest.php
index 58ab9e825e..81bd6796b5 100644
--- a/core/modules/taxonomy/tests/src/Functional/TaxonomyQueryAlterTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/taxonomy/tests/src/Functional/TaxonomyQueryAlterTest.php
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ public function testTaxonomyQueryAlter() {
     }
 
     // Set up hierarchy. Term 2 is a child of 1.
-    $terms[2]->parent->setValue($terms[1]->id());
+    $terms[2]->parent = $terms[1]->id();
     $terms[2]->save();
 
     $term_storage = \Drupal::entityManager()->getStorage('taxonomy_term');