diff --git a/core/includes/path.inc b/core/includes/path.inc
index dc878c0..765d9ef 100644
--- a/core/includes/path.inc
+++ b/core/includes/path.inc
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ function drupal_lookup_path($action, $path = '', $langcode = NULL) {
 
   // Retrieve the path alias whitelist.
   if (!isset($cache['whitelist'])) {
-    $cache['whitelist'] = state()->get('system.path_alias_whitelist', NULL);
+    $cache['whitelist'] = state()->get('system.path_alias_whitelist');
     if (!isset($cache['whitelist'])) {
       $cache['whitelist'] = drupal_path_alias_whitelist_rebuild();
     }
@@ -391,7 +391,7 @@ function drupal_path_alias_whitelist_rebuild($source = NULL) {
   // When paths are inserted, only rebuild the whitelist if the system path
   // has a top level component which is not already in the whitelist.
   if (!empty($source)) {
-    $whitelist = state()->get('system.path_alias_whitelist', NULL);
+    $whitelist = state()->get('system.path_alias_whitelist');
     if (isset($whitelist[strtok($source, '/')])) {
       return $whitelist;
     }
diff --git a/core/modules/system/system.install b/core/modules/system/system.install
index a8819c1..c7a1cea 100644
--- a/core/modules/system/system.install
+++ b/core/modules/system/system.install
@@ -2164,14 +2164,13 @@ function system_update_8028() {
 }
 
 /**
- * Convert path_alias_whitelist variable to state API.
+ * Remove path_alias_whitelist variable.
  *
- * @ingroup state_upgrade
+ * @ingroup config_upgrade
  */
 function system_update_8029() {
-  if ($value = update_variable_get('path_alias_whitelist', FALSE)) {
-    state()->set('system.path_alias_whitelist', $value);
-  }
+  // No upgrade path needed since path_alias_whitelist will be rebuilt the first
+  // time drupal_lookup_path() is called.
   update_variable_del('path_alias_whitelist');
 }