diff --git a/core/config/schema/core.data_types.schema.yml b/core/config/schema/core.data_types.schema.yml
index 41332e3..c8c69af 100644
--- a/core/config/schema/core.data_types.schema.yml
+++ b/core/config/schema/core.data_types.schema.yml
@@ -566,7 +566,7 @@ field.field_settings.entity_reference:
       type: string
       label: 'Reference method'
     handler_settings:
-      type: entity_reference.[%parent.handler].handler_settings
+      type: entity_reference.handler_settings.[plugin_id]
       label: 'Reference method settings'
 
 field.value.entity_reference:
diff --git a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Entity/Plugin/EntityReferenceSelection/SelectionBase.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Entity/Plugin/EntityReferenceSelection/SelectionBase.php
index 07ec8cd..a91e484 100644
--- a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Entity/Plugin/EntityReferenceSelection/SelectionBase.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Entity/Plugin/EntityReferenceSelection/SelectionBase.php
@@ -118,6 +118,12 @@ public function buildConfigurationForm(array $form, FormStateInterface $form_sta
       'auto_create' => FALSE,
     );
 
+    // Add the plugin ID to enable static configuration schema traversal.
+    $form['plugin_id'] = array(
+      '#type' => 'value',
+      '#value' => $this->getPluginId(),
+    );
+
     if ($entity_type->hasKey('bundle')) {
       $bundle_options = array();
       foreach ($bundles as $bundle_name => $bundle_info) {
diff --git a/core/modules/entity_reference/config/schema/entity_reference.schema.yml b/core/modules/entity_reference/config/schema/entity_reference.schema.yml
index ec291fa..9648db9 100644
--- a/core/modules/entity_reference/config/schema/entity_reference.schema.yml
+++ b/core/modules/entity_reference/config/schema/entity_reference.schema.yml
@@ -1,9 +1,12 @@
 # Schema for the configuration files of the Entity Reference module.
 
-entity_reference.default.handler_settings:
+entity_reference.handler_settings:
   type: mapping
   label: 'View handler settings'
   mapping:
+    plugin_id:
+      type: string
+      label: 'Entity reference selection plugin ID'
     target_bundles:
       type: sequence
       label: 'types'
@@ -20,19 +23,9 @@ entity_reference.default.handler_settings:
         direction:
           type: string
           label: 'Sort direction'
-    filter:
-      type: mapping
-      label: 'Filter settings'
-      mapping:
-        type:
-          type: string
-          label: 'Filter by'
-        role:
-          type: sequence
-          label: 'Restrict to the selected roles'
-          sequence:
-            - type: string
-              label: 'Role'
     auto_create:
       type: boolean
       label: 'Create referenced entities if they don''t already exist'
+
+entity_reference.handler_settings.*:
+  type: entity_reference.handler_settings
diff --git a/core/modules/entity_reference/src/Tests/Views/SelectionTest.php b/core/modules/entity_reference/src/Tests/Views/SelectionTest.php
index 5e98176..76a59b4 100644
--- a/core/modules/entity_reference/src/Tests/Views/SelectionTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/entity_reference/src/Tests/Views/SelectionTest.php
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ public function setUp() {
       'settings' => array(
         'handler' => 'views',
         'handler_settings' => array(
+          'plugin_id' => 'views',
           'view' => array(
             'view_name' => 'test_entity_reference',
             'display_name' => 'entity_reference_1',
diff --git a/core/modules/user/config/schema/user.schema.yml b/core/modules/user/config/schema/user.schema.yml
index 772deea..279521c 100644
--- a/core/modules/user/config/schema/user.schema.yml
+++ b/core/modules/user/config/schema/user.schema.yml
@@ -174,3 +174,20 @@ condition.plugin.user_role:
       type: sequence
       sequence:
         - type: string
+
+entity_reference.handler_settings.default:user:
+  type: entity_reference.handler_settings
+  mapping:
+    filter:
+      type: mapping
+      label: 'Filter settings'
+      mapping:
+        type:
+          type: string
+          label: 'Filter by'
+        role:
+          type: sequence
+          label: 'Restrict to the selected roles'
+          sequence:
+            - type: string
+              label: 'Role'
diff --git a/core/modules/user/src/Plugin/EntityReferenceSelection/UserSelection.php b/core/modules/user/src/Plugin/EntityReferenceSelection/UserSelection.php
index 8d2e701..33c5330 100644
--- a/core/modules/user/src/Plugin/EntityReferenceSelection/UserSelection.php
+++ b/core/modules/user/src/Plugin/EntityReferenceSelection/UserSelection.php
@@ -122,6 +122,12 @@ public function buildConfigurationForm(array $form, FormStateInterface $form_sta
       );
     }
 
+    // Add the plugin ID to enable static configuration schema traversal.
+    $form['plugin_id'] = array(
+      '#type' => 'value',
+      '#value' => $this->getPluginId(),
+    );
+
     $form += parent::buildConfigurationForm($form, $form_state);
 
     return $form;
diff --git a/core/modules/user/src/Tests/UserEntityReferenceTest.php b/core/modules/user/src/Tests/UserEntityReferenceTest.php
index c62b69b..0652253 100644
--- a/core/modules/user/src/Tests/UserEntityReferenceTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/user/src/Tests/UserEntityReferenceTest.php
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ function testUserSelectionByRole() {
       $this->role1->id() => $this->role1->id(),
       $this->role2->id() => 0,
     );
+    $field_definition->settings['handler_settings']['plugin_id'] = 'default:user';
     $field_definition->settings['handler_settings']['filter']['type'] = 'role';
     $field_definition->save();
 
diff --git a/core/modules/views/config/schema/views.entity_reference.schema.yml b/core/modules/views/config/schema/views.entity_reference.schema.yml
index 3067041..51704a1 100644
--- a/core/modules/views/config/schema/views.entity_reference.schema.yml
+++ b/core/modules/views/config/schema/views.entity_reference.schema.yml
@@ -1,9 +1,12 @@
 # Schema for the views entity reference selection plugins.
 
-entity_reference.views.handler_settings:
+entity_reference.handler_settings.views:
   type: mapping
   label: 'View handler settings'
   mapping:
+    plugin_id:
+      type: string
+      label: 'Entity reference selection plugin ID'
     view:
       type: mapping
       label: 'View used to select the entities'
diff --git a/core/modules/views/src/Plugin/EntityReferenceSelection/ViewsSelection.php b/core/modules/views/src/Plugin/EntityReferenceSelection/ViewsSelection.php
index 4c0d889..b05fea7 100644
--- a/core/modules/views/src/Plugin/EntityReferenceSelection/ViewsSelection.php
+++ b/core/modules/views/src/Plugin/EntityReferenceSelection/ViewsSelection.php
@@ -127,6 +127,11 @@ public function buildConfigurationForm(array $form, FormStateInterface $form_sta
         )) . '</p>',
       );
     }
+    // Add the plugin ID to enable static configuration schema traversal.
+    $form['plugin_id'] = array(
+      '#type' => 'value',
+      '#value' => $this->getPluginId(),
+    );
     return $form;
   }