diff --git a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Test/FunctionalTestSetupTrait.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Test/FunctionalTestSetupTrait.php
index 2ca73fa7c6..1b061ce870 100644
--- a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Test/FunctionalTestSetupTrait.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Test/FunctionalTestSetupTrait.php
@@ -609,12 +609,7 @@ protected function prepareEnvironment() {
     // Reset statics.
     drupal_static_reset();
 
-    // Ensure there is no service container.
-    if (empty($this->originalContainer)) {
-      $this->originalContainer = $this->initKernel(\Drupal::request());
-    }
     $this->container = NULL;
-    \Drupal::unsetContainer();
 
     // Unset globals.
     unset($GLOBALS['config_directories']);
@@ -658,9 +653,13 @@ protected function prepareEnvironment() {
    *   An array of available database driver installer objects.
    */
   protected function getDatabaseTypes() {
-    \Drupal::setContainer($this->originalContainer);
+    if ($this->originalContainer) {
+      \Drupal::setContainer($this->originalContainer);
+    }
     $database_types = drupal_get_database_types();
-    \Drupal::unsetContainer();
+    if ($this->originalContainer) {
+      \Drupal::unsetContainer();
+    }
     return $database_types;
   }
 
diff --git a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Test/TestSetupTrait.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Test/TestSetupTrait.php
index f968576730..44409078db 100644
--- a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Test/TestSetupTrait.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Test/TestSetupTrait.php
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ protected function changeDatabasePrefix() {
     // If the test is run with argument dburl then use it.
     $db_url = getenv('SIMPLETEST_DB');
     if (!empty($db_url)) {
-      $database = Database::convertDbUrlToConnectionInfo($db_url, DRUPAL_ROOT);
+      $database = Database::convertDbUrlToConnectionInfo($db_url, isset($this->root) ? $this->root : DRUPAL_ROOT);
       Database::addConnectionInfo('default', 'default', $database);
     }
 
diff --git a/core/tests/Drupal/FunctionalTests/Update/UpdatePathTestBase.php b/core/tests/Drupal/FunctionalTests/Update/UpdatePathTestBase.php
index f8311bcae3..b05a5b8fba 100644
--- a/core/tests/Drupal/FunctionalTests/Update/UpdatePathTestBase.php
+++ b/core/tests/Drupal/FunctionalTests/Update/UpdatePathTestBase.php
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@
 use Behat\Mink\Selector\SelectorsHandler;
 use Behat\Mink\Session;
 use Drupal\Component\Utility\Crypt;
+use Drupal\Core\DrupalKernel;
+use Drupal\Core\Test\TestRunnerKernel;
 use Drupal\Tests\BrowserTestBase;
 use Drupal\Tests\HiddenFieldSelector;
 use Drupal\Tests\SchemaCheckTestTrait;
@@ -152,6 +154,20 @@ public function __construct($test_id = NULL) {
    * container that would normally be done via the installer.
    */
   protected function setUp() {
+    $request = Request::createFromGlobals();
+
+    // Boot up Drupal into a state where calling the database API is possible.
+    // This is used to initialize the database system, so we can load the dump
+    // files.
+    $autoloader = require_once __DIR__ . '/../../../../../autoload.php';
+    $kernel = TestRunnerKernel::createFromRequest($request, $autoloader);
+    $kernel->loadLegacyIncludes();
+
+    $this->changeDatabasePrefix();
+    $this->runDbTasks();
+    // Allow classes to set database dump files.
+    $this->setDatabaseDumpFiles();
+
     // We are going to set a missing zlib requirement property for usage
     // during the performUpgrade() and tearDown() methods. Also set that the
     // tests failed.
diff --git a/core/tests/Drupal/Tests/BrowserTestBase.php b/core/tests/Drupal/Tests/BrowserTestBase.php
index 9ab09b262e..c118942949 100644
--- a/core/tests/Drupal/Tests/BrowserTestBase.php
+++ b/core/tests/Drupal/Tests/BrowserTestBase.php
@@ -257,6 +257,12 @@
    */
   protected $metaRefreshCount = 0;
 
+  public function __construct($name = null, array $data = array(), $dataName = '') {
+    parent::__construct($name, $data, $dataName);
+
+    $this->root = dirname(dirname(substr(__DIR__, 0, -strlen(__NAMESPACE__))));
+  }
+
   /**
    * Initializes Mink sessions.
    */