diff --git a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Entity/EntityReferenceSelection/SelectionPluginManager.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Entity/EntityReferenceSelection/SelectionPluginManager.php
index 9918a58..199a8cf 100644
--- a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Entity/EntityReferenceSelection/SelectionPluginManager.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Entity/EntityReferenceSelection/SelectionPluginManager.php
@@ -49,7 +49,16 @@ public function getInstance(array $options) {
       'handler_settings' => array(),
     );
 
-    return $this->createInstance($options['handler'], $options);
+    // A specific selection plugin ID was already specified.
+    if (strpos($options['handler'], ':') !== FALSE) {
+      $plugin_id = $options['handler'];
+    }
+    // Only a selection group name was specified.
+    else {
+      $plugin_id = $this->getPluginId($options['target_type'], $options['handler']);
+    }
+
+    return $this->createInstance($plugin_id, $options);
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/core/modules/entity_reference/entity_reference.module b/core/modules/entity_reference/entity_reference.module
index 6e63c08..8560762 100644
--- a/core/modules/entity_reference/entity_reference.module
+++ b/core/modules/entity_reference/entity_reference.module
@@ -87,8 +87,6 @@ function entity_reference_field_storage_config_update(FieldStorageConfigInterfac
 
   foreach ($field_storage->getBundles() as $bundle) {
     $field = FieldConfig::loadByName($field_storage->getTargetEntityTypeId(), $bundle, $field_storage->getName());
-    list($current_handler) = explode(':', $field->settings['handler'], 2);
-    $field->settings['handler'] = \Drupal::service('plugin.manager.entity_reference_selection')->getPluginId($field_storage->getSetting('target_type'), $current_handler);
     $field->settings['handler_settings'] = array();
     $field->save();
   }
diff --git a/core/modules/migrate_drupal/src/Tests/d6/MigrateFieldInstanceTest.php b/core/modules/migrate_drupal/src/Tests/d6/MigrateFieldInstanceTest.php
index daac5b2..2165619 100644
--- a/core/modules/migrate_drupal/src/Tests/d6/MigrateFieldInstanceTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/migrate_drupal/src/Tests/d6/MigrateFieldInstanceTest.php
@@ -134,7 +134,9 @@ public function testFieldInstanceSettings() {
       'display_field' => FALSE,
       'display_default' => FALSE,
       'uri_scheme' => 'public',
-      'handler' => 'default',
+      // This value should be 'default:file' but the test does not migrate field
+      // storages so we end up with the default value for this setting.
+      'handler' => 'default:node',
       'handler_settings' => array(),
       'target_bundle' => NULL,
     );
diff --git a/core/modules/taxonomy/src/Plugin/Field/FieldType/TaxonomyTermReferenceItem.php b/core/modules/taxonomy/src/Plugin/Field/FieldType/TaxonomyTermReferenceItem.php
index 898c9de..c2ed1f0 100644
--- a/core/modules/taxonomy/src/Plugin/Field/FieldType/TaxonomyTermReferenceItem.php
+++ b/core/modules/taxonomy/src/Plugin/Field/FieldType/TaxonomyTermReferenceItem.php
@@ -50,6 +50,15 @@ public static function defaultStorageSettings() {
   /**
    * {@inheritdoc}
    */
+  public static function defaultFieldSettings() {
+    return array(
+      'handler' => 'default:taxonomy_term',
+    ) + parent::defaultFieldSettings();
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * {@inheritdoc}
+   */
   public function getPossibleValues(AccountInterface $account = NULL) {
     // Flatten options firstly, because Possible Options may contain group
     // arrays.