diff --git a/core/modules/entity/entity.class.inc b/core/modules/entity/entity.class.inc
index f1c7048..1f97acd 100644
--- a/core/modules/entity/entity.class.inc
+++ b/core/modules/entity/entity.class.inc
@@ -193,8 +193,8 @@ class Entity implements EntityInterface {
    * Implements EntityInterface::isNew().
    */
   public function isNew() {
-    // We support creating entities with pre-defined IDs to ease migrations.
-    // For that the "is_new" property may be pre-set to TRUE.
+    // We support creating entities with pre-defined IDs to ease migrations by
+    // pre-setting the "is_new" property to TRUE.
     // Otherwise, set the "is_new" property based on whether there is an ID,
     // so especially preSave() and postSave() can rely on the value during
     // saving of the entity.
diff --git a/core/modules/taxonomy/taxonomy.admin.inc b/core/modules/taxonomy/taxonomy.admin.inc
index 132ee99..b268b40 100644
--- a/core/modules/taxonomy/taxonomy.admin.inc
+++ b/core/modules/taxonomy/taxonomy.admin.inc
@@ -101,29 +101,22 @@ function theme_taxonomy_overview_vocabularies($variables) {
 /**
  * Form builder for the vocabulary editing form.
  *
+ * @param TaxonomyVocabulary|null $vocabulary
+ *   (optional) The TaxonomyVocabulary entity to edit. If NULL or omitted, the
+ *   form creates a new vocabulary.
+ *
  * @ingroup forms
  * @see taxonomy_form_vocabulary_submit()
  * @see taxonomy_form_vocabulary_validate()
  */
-function taxonomy_form_vocabulary($form, &$form_state, $vocabulary = array()) {
+function taxonomy_form_vocabulary($form, &$form_state, $vocabulary = NULL) {
   // During initial form build, add the entity to the form state for use
   // during form building and processing. During a rebuild, use what is in the
   // form state.
   if (!isset($form_state['vocabulary'])) {
-    if (!is_object($vocabulary) || !($vocabulary instanceof TaxonomyVocabulary)) {
-      $vocabulary = entity_create('taxonomy_vocabulary', (array) $vocabulary);
-    }
-    $defaults = array(
-      'name' => '',
-      'machine_name' => '',
-      'description' => '',
-      'hierarchy' => TAXONOMY_HIERARCHY_DISABLED,
-      'weight' => 0,
-    );
-    foreach ($defaults as $key => $value) {
-      if (!isset($vocabulary->$key)) {
-        $vocabulary->$key = $value;
-      }
+    // Create a new TaxonomyVocabulary entity for the add form.
+    if (!isset($vocabulary)) {
+      $vocabulary = entity_create('taxonomy_vocabulary', array());
     }
     $form_state['vocabulary'] = $vocabulary;
   }
@@ -634,33 +627,30 @@ function theme_taxonomy_overview_terms($variables) {
 /**
  * Form function for the term edit form.
  *
+ * @param TaxonomyTerm|null $term
+ *   (optional) The TaxonomyTerm entity to edit. If NULL or omitted, the
+ *   form creates a new term.
+ * @param TaxonomyVocabulary|null $vocabulary
+ *   (optional) A TaxonomyVocabulary entity to create the term in.
+ *
  * @ingroup forms
+ * @see taxonomy_form_term_validate()
  * @see taxonomy_form_term_submit()
  */
-function taxonomy_form_term($form, &$form_state, $term = array(), $vocabulary = NULL) {
+function taxonomy_form_term($form, &$form_state, $term = NULL, $vocabulary = NULL) {
   // During initial form build, add the term entity to the form state for use
   // during form building and processing. During a rebuild, use what is in the
   // form state.
   if (!isset($form_state['term'])) {
-    if (!is_object($term) || !($term instanceof TaxonomyTerm)) {
-      $term = entity_create('taxonomy_term', (array) $term);
+    // Create a new TaxonomyTerm entity for the add form.
+    if (!isset($term)) {
+      $term = entity_create('taxonomy_term', array(
+        'vocabulary_machine_name' => isset($vocabulary) ? $vocabulary->machine_name : NULL,
+      ));
     }
     if (!isset($vocabulary) && isset($term->vid)) {
       $vocabulary = taxonomy_vocabulary_load($term->vid);
     }
-    $defaults = array(
-      'name' => '',
-      'description' => '',
-      'format' => NULL,
-      'vocabulary_machine_name' => isset($vocabulary) ? $vocabulary->machine_name : NULL,
-      'tid' => NULL,
-      'weight' => 0,
-    );
-    foreach ($defaults as $key => $value) {
-      if (!isset($term->$key)) {
-        $term->$key = $value;
-      }
-    }
     $form_state['term'] = $term;
   }
   else {
diff --git a/core/modules/taxonomy/taxonomy.entity.inc b/core/modules/taxonomy/taxonomy.entity.inc
index a2164f9..ac656ff 100644
--- a/core/modules/taxonomy/taxonomy.entity.inc
+++ b/core/modules/taxonomy/taxonomy.entity.inc
@@ -47,8 +47,10 @@ class TaxonomyTerm extends Entity {
 
   /**
    * The weight of this term in relation to other terms of the same vocabulary.
+   *
+   * @var integer
    */
-  public $weight;
+  public $weight = 0;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -232,12 +234,14 @@ class TaxonomyVocabulary extends Entity {
    *
    * @var integer
    */
-  public $hierarchy;
+  public $hierarchy = TAXONOMY_HIERARCHY_DISABLED;
 
   /**
    * The weight of this vocabulary in relation to other vocabularies.
+   *
+   * @var integer
    */
-  public $weight;
+  public $weight = 0;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/core/modules/taxonomy/taxonomy.module b/core/modules/taxonomy/taxonomy.module
index 020759b..9a6c0a1 100644
--- a/core/modules/taxonomy/taxonomy.module
+++ b/core/modules/taxonomy/taxonomy.module
@@ -365,7 +365,7 @@ function taxonomy_menu() {
   $items['admin/structure/taxonomy/%taxonomy_vocabulary_machine_name/add'] = array(
     'title' => 'Add term',
     'page callback' => 'drupal_get_form',
-    'page arguments' => array('taxonomy_form_term', array(), 3),
+    'page arguments' => array('taxonomy_form_term', NULL, 3),
     'access arguments' => array('administer taxonomy'),
     'type' => MENU_LOCAL_ACTION,
     'file' => 'taxonomy.admin.inc',
diff --git a/core/modules/taxonomy/taxonomy.test b/core/modules/taxonomy/taxonomy.test
index fd903ee..a7abf44 100644
--- a/core/modules/taxonomy/taxonomy.test
+++ b/core/modules/taxonomy/taxonomy.test
@@ -1180,7 +1180,7 @@ class TaxonomyHooksTestCase extends TaxonomyWebTestCase {
       'antonym' => 'Short',
     );
     $this->drupalPost('taxonomy/term/' . $term->tid . '/edit', $edit, t('Save'));
-    entity_get_controller('taxonomy_term')->resetCache(array($term->tid));
+    taxonomy_terms_static_reset();
     $term = taxonomy_term_load($term->tid);
     $this->assertEqual($edit['antonym'], $term->antonym, t('Antonym was successfully edited'));