diff --git a/core/modules/link/src/Plugin/Field/FieldFormatter/LinkFormatter.php b/core/modules/link/src/Plugin/Field/FieldFormatter/LinkFormatter.php
index a23972f..2d9cc98 100644
--- a/core/modules/link/src/Plugin/Field/FieldFormatter/LinkFormatter.php
+++ b/core/modules/link/src/Plugin/Field/FieldFormatter/LinkFormatter.php
@@ -207,18 +207,7 @@ protected function buildUrl(LinkItemInterface $item) {
     }
 
     if ($item->isExternal()) {
-      // @todo LinkItemInterface shouldn't treat items with no scheme as
-      //   external, including <front>.
-      if (parse_url($item->url, PHP_URL_SCHEME)) {
-        $url = Url::unrouted($item->url, $options);
-      }
-      elseif ($item->url == '<front>') {
-        $url = new Url('<front>');
-      }
-      else {
-        // No base path - assume internal.
-        $url = Url::createFromRequest(Request::create('/' . ltrim($item->url, '/')));
-      }
+      $url = Url::unrouted($item->url, $options);
     }
     else {
       $url = Url::routed($item->route_name, (array) $item->route_parameters, (array) $options);
diff --git a/core/modules/rdf/src/Tests/Field/LinkFieldRdfaTest.php b/core/modules/rdf/src/Tests/Field/LinkFieldRdfaTest.php
index 8c23c07..8478bae 100644
--- a/core/modules/rdf/src/Tests/Field/LinkFieldRdfaTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/rdf/src/Tests/Field/LinkFieldRdfaTest.php
@@ -75,7 +75,8 @@ public function testAllFormattersInternal() {
     // Set up test values.
     $this->testValue = 'admin';
     $this->entity = entity_create('entity_test', array());
-    $this->entity->{$this->fieldName}->url = $this->testValue;
+    $this->entity->{$this->fieldName}->route_name = 'system.admin';
+    $this->entity->{$this->fieldName}->url = 'admin';
 
     // Set up the expected result.
     // AssertFormatterRdfa looks for a full path.
@@ -94,7 +95,8 @@ public function testAllFormattersFront() {
     // Set up test values.
     $this->testValue = '<front>';
     $this->entity = entity_create('entity_test', array());
-    $this->entity->{$this->fieldName}->url = $this->testValue;
+    $this->entity->{$this->fieldName}->route_name = $this->testValue;
+    $this->entity->{$this->fieldName}->url = '<front>';
 
     // Set up the expected result.
     $expected_rdf = array(