diff --git a/core/modules/link/src/Plugin/Field/FieldType/LinkItem.php b/core/modules/link/src/Plugin/Field/FieldType/LinkItem.php
index e25e9c6..0b1709b 100644
--- a/core/modules/link/src/Plugin/Field/FieldType/LinkItem.php
+++ b/core/modules/link/src/Plugin/Field/FieldType/LinkItem.php
@@ -177,6 +177,15 @@ public function getUrl() {
    * {@inheritdoc}
    */
   public function setValue($values, $notify = TRUE) {
+    // The main property for LinkItem is uri so if value is not array then it
+    // should be a uri.
+    if (isset($values) && !is_array($values)) {
+      $values = ['uri' => $values];
+    }
+    $values += [
+      'title' => NULL,
+      'options' => [],
+    ];
     // Unserialize the values.
     // @todo The storage controller should take care of this, see
     //   SqlContentEntityStorage::loadFieldItems, see
@@ -184,9 +193,6 @@ public function setValue($values, $notify = TRUE) {
     if (isset($values['options']) && is_string($values['options'])) {
       $values['options'] = unserialize($values['options']);
     }
-    if (!is_string($values) && !isset($values['options'])) {
-      $values['options'] = [];
-    }
     parent::setValue($values, $notify);
   }
 
diff --git a/core/modules/link/src/Tests/LinkItemTest.php b/core/modules/link/src/Tests/LinkItemTest.php
index 6c4bc9a..352d909 100644
--- a/core/modules/link/src/Tests/LinkItemTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/link/src/Tests/LinkItemTest.php
@@ -110,6 +110,11 @@ public function testLinkItem() {
     $this->assertEqual($entity->field_test->uri, 'internal:/node/add');
     $this->assertNull($entity->field_test->title);
     $this->assertIdentical($entity->field_test->options, []);
+
+    $entity->field_test = 'internal:/node/add';
+    $this->assertEqual($entity->field_test->uri, 'internal:/node/add');
+    $this->assertNull($entity->field_test->title);
+    $this->assertIdentical($entity->field_test->options, []);
   }
 
 }