diff --git a/core/includes/bootstrap.inc b/core/includes/bootstrap.inc
index afdd363..a6ae774 100644
--- a/core/includes/bootstrap.inc
+++ b/core/includes/bootstrap.inc
@@ -1598,14 +1598,11 @@ function drupal_anonymous_user() {
  *   - DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_CODE: Loads code for subsystems and modules.
  *   - DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_FULL: Fully loads Drupal. Validates and fixes input
  *     data.
- * @param $new_phase
- *   A boolean, set to FALSE if calling drupal_bootstrap from inside a
- *   function called from drupal_bootstrap (recursion).
  *
  * @return
  *   The most recently completed phase.
  */
-function drupal_bootstrap($phase = NULL, $new_phase = TRUE) {
+function drupal_bootstrap($phase = NULL) {
   // Not drupal_static(), because does not depend on any run-time information.
   static $phases = array(
     DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_CONFIGURATION,
@@ -1621,10 +1618,10 @@ function drupal_bootstrap($phase = NULL, $new_phase = TRUE) {
   // bootstrap state.
   static $stored_phase = -1;
 
-  // When not recursing, store the phase name so it's not forgotten during
-  // recursion. Additionally, ensure that $final_phase is never rolled back to an
-  // earlier bootstrap state.
-  if ($new_phase && $phase > $final_phase) {
+  // Store the phase name so it's not forgotten during recursion. Additionally,
+  // ensure that $final_phase is never rolled back to an earlier bootstrap
+  // state.
+  if ($phase > $final_phase) {
     $final_phase = $phase;
   }
   if (isset($phase)) {
diff --git a/core/modules/simpletest/lib/Drupal/simpletest/WebTestBase.php b/core/modules/simpletest/lib/Drupal/simpletest/WebTestBase.php
index b284941..654b06a 100644
--- a/core/modules/simpletest/lib/Drupal/simpletest/WebTestBase.php
+++ b/core/modules/simpletest/lib/Drupal/simpletest/WebTestBase.php
@@ -739,6 +739,9 @@ protected function setUp() {
         'translation.path' => $this->translation_files_directory,
       ),
     );
+    if (!isset($GLOBALS['conf'])) {
+      $GLOBALS['conf'] = array();
+    }
     foreach ($variable_groups as $config_base => $variables) {
       foreach ($variables as $name => $value) {
         NestedArray::setValue($GLOBALS['conf'], array_merge(array($config_base), explode('.', $name)), $value);