diff --git a/core/includes/update.inc b/core/includes/update.inc
index e19ea56..77d4c4a 100644
--- a/core/includes/update.inc
+++ b/core/includes/update.inc
@@ -227,9 +227,36 @@ function update_prepare_d8_language() {
 }
 
 /**
- * Prepare a minimal working D8 role name system. This is required for session bootstrapping during an upgrade from D7.
+ * Prepare a minimal working D8 role name system.
+ *
+ * This is required for session bootstrapping during an upgrade from D7.
  */
 function update_prepare_d8_role_names() {
+  if (!db_field_exists('role', 'label')) {
+    // Add the 'label' column to the role table.
+    $label_column = array(
+      'type' => 'varchar',
+      'length' => 255,
+      'default' => '',
+      'description' => 'Role label.',
+      'translatable' => TRUE,
+    );
+    db_add_field('role', 'label', $label_column);
+
+    // Copy the old role name to the label.
+    db_query("UPDATE {role} SET label = name");
+    // Copy the role id to the name column, the rid is our new machine name. The
+    // only exception are the anonymous and authenticated user roles.
+    db_query('UPDATE {role} SET name = rid WHERE rid NOT IN (1, 2)');
+    db_update('role')
+      ->fields(array('name' => DRUPAL_ANONYMOUS_ROLE))
+      ->condition('rid', 1)
+      ->execute();
+    db_update('role')
+      ->fields(array('name' => DRUPAL_AUTHENTICATED_ROLE))
+      ->condition('rid', 2)
+      ->execute();
+  }
   if (!db_field_exists('role_permission', 'role_name')) {
     // Add the 'role_name' column to the role_permission table.
     $column = array(
@@ -238,6 +265,16 @@ function update_prepare_d8_role_names() {
       'description' => 'Foreign Key: {role}.name.',
     );
     db_add_field('role_permission', 'role_name', $column);
+
+    db_query('UPDATE {role_permission} SET role_name = rid WHERE rid NOT IN (1, 2)');
+    db_update('role_permission')
+      ->fields(array('role_name' => DRUPAL_ANONYMOUS_ROLE))
+      ->condition('rid', 1)
+      ->execute();
+    db_update('role_permission')
+      ->fields(array('role_name' => DRUPAL_AUTHENTICATED_ROLE))
+      ->condition('rid', 2)
+      ->execute();
   }
   if (!db_field_exists('users_roles', 'role_name')) {
     // Add the 'role_name' column to the users_roles table.
@@ -248,79 +285,16 @@ function update_prepare_d8_role_names() {
       'description' => 'Primary Key: {role}.name for role.',
     );
     db_add_field('users_roles', 'role_name', $column);
-  }
 
-  if (!db_field_exists('role', 'label')) {
-    // Add the 'label' column to the role table.
-    $label_column = array(
-      'type' => 'varchar',
-      'length' => 255,
-      'default' => '',
-      'description' => 'Role label.',
-      'translatable' => TRUE,
-    );
-    db_add_field('role', 'label', $label_column);
-
-    // Copy the old role name to the label.
-    db_query('UPDATE {role} SET label = name');
-
-    // Load the mapping of rids to role_names.
-    $rid_mapping = db_select('role', 'r')
-      ->fields('r', array('rid', 'name'))
-      ->execute()
-      ->fetchAllKeyed(0, 1);
-
-    // Convert the old name to a valid machine name by replacing white spaces and
-    // upper case letters.
-    foreach ($rid_mapping as $rid => $role_name) {
-      $new_name = drupal_strtolower($role_name);
-      $new_name = preg_replace('/[^a-z0-9]/u', '_', $new_name);
-      // Check if the new name already exists.
-      do {
-        $exists = db_select('role', 'r')
-          ->fields('r', array('name'))
-          ->condition('name', $role_name, '!=')
-          ->condition('name', $new_name)
-          ->execute()
-          ->fetchCol();
-        if (!empty($exists)) {
-          if (drupal_strlen($new_name) < 64) {
-            // Try again with an additional '_' until this name is unique.
-            $new_name = $new_name . '_';
-          }
-          else {
-            // In the rare case that this is a long name and still not unique we
-            // just replace a random character at a random position.
-            $chars = 'abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz0123456789_';
-            $new_name = substr_replace(
-              $new_name,
-              $chars[rand(0, strlen($chars) - 1)],
-              rand(0, strlen($new_name) - 1),
-              1
-            );
-
-          }
-        }
-      } while (!empty($exists));
-
-      // Replace the old name with the new name.
-      db_update('role')
-        ->fields(array('name' => $new_name))
-        ->condition('name', $role_name)
-        ->execute();
-
-      // Fill in role_name data in the role_permission table.
-      db_update('role_permission')
-        ->fields(array('role_name' => $new_name))
-        ->condition('rid', $rid)
-        ->execute();
-
-      // Fill in role_name data in the users_roles table.
-      db_update('users_roles')
-        ->fields(array('role_name' => $new_name))
-        ->condition('rid', $rid)
-        ->execute();
-    }
+    db_query('UPDATE {users_roles} SET role_name = rid WHERE rid NOT IN (1, 2)');
+    db_update('users_roles')
+      ->fields(array('role_name' => DRUPAL_ANONYMOUS_ROLE))
+      ->condition('rid', 1)
+      ->execute();
+    db_update('users_roles')
+      ->fields(array('role_name' => DRUPAL_AUTHENTICATED_ROLE))
+      ->condition('rid', 2)
+      ->execute();
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/core/modules/block/block.install b/core/modules/block/block.install
index ab9bcef..b1e7fcb 100644
--- a/core/modules/block/block.install
+++ b/core/modules/block/block.install
@@ -280,18 +280,15 @@ function block_update_8002() {
   );
   db_add_field('block_role', 'role_name', $column);
 
-  // Load the mapping of rids to role_names.
-  $rid_mapping = db_select('role', 'r')
-    ->fields('r', array('rid', 'name'))
-    ->execute()
-    ->fetchAllKeyed(0, 1);
-  foreach ($rid_mapping as $rid => $role_name) {
-    // Fill in role_name data in the block_role table.
-    db_update('block_role')
-      ->fields(array('role_name' => $role_name))
-      ->condition('rid', $rid)
-      ->execute();
-  }
+  db_query('UPDATE {block_role} SET role_name = rid WHERE rid NOT IN (1, 2)');
+  db_update('block_role')
+    ->fields(array('role_name' => DRUPAL_ANONYMOUS_ROLE))
+    ->condition('rid', 1)
+    ->execute();
+  db_update('block_role')
+    ->fields(array('role_name' => DRUPAL_AUTHENTICATED_ROLE))
+    ->condition('rid', 2)
+    ->execute();
 
   // The role name field must not be NULL.
   $column['not null'] = TRUE;
diff --git a/core/modules/system/tests/upgrade/upgrade.roles.test b/core/modules/system/tests/upgrade/upgrade.roles.test
index d42d77e..c1fcef5 100644
--- a/core/modules/system/tests/upgrade/upgrade.roles.test
+++ b/core/modules/system/tests/upgrade/upgrade.roles.test
@@ -34,18 +34,23 @@ class RoleUpgradePathTestCase extends UpgradePathTestCase {
   public function testRoleUpgrade() {
     $this->assertTrue($this->performUpgrade(), 'The upgrade was completed successfully.');
 
-    // Check that "gärtner" has been converted to "g_rtner" and that the role
+    // Check that "gärtner" has been converted to "4" and that the role
     // edit page for it exists.
-    $this->drupalGet('admin/people/permissions/roles/edit/g_rtner');
-    $this->assertResponse(200, 'Role edit page for "g_rtner" was found.');
+    $this->drupalGet('admin/people/permissions/roles/edit/4');
+    $this->assertResponse(200, 'Role edit page for "gärtner" was found.');
 
     // Check that the permission for "gärtner" still exists.
-    $this->drupalGet('admin/people/permissions/g_rtner');
-    $this->assertFieldChecked('edit-g-rtner-edit-own-comments', 'Edit own comments permission for "g_rtner" is set correctly.');
+    $this->drupalGet('admin/people/permissions/4');
+    $this->assertFieldChecked('edit-4-edit-own-comments', 'Edit own comments permission for "gärtner" is set correctly.');
 
     // Check that the role visibility setting for the who's online block still
     // exists.
     $this->drupalGet('admin/structure/block/manage/user/online/configure');
-    $this->assertFieldChecked('edit-roles-very-long-role-name-that-has-exactly-sixty-four-characters-in-it', "Who's online block visibility setting is correctly set for the long role name.");
+    $this->assertFieldChecked('edit-roles-5', "Who's online block visibility setting is correctly set for the long role name.");
+    // Check that the role name to label conversion was successful and that the
+    // labels are displayed.
+    $this->assertText('gärtner', 'Role label is displayed on block visibility settings.');
+    $this->assertText('very long role name that has exactly sixty-four characters in it', 'Role label is displayed on block visibility settings.');
+    $this->assertText('very_long role name that has exactly sixty-four characters in it', 'Role label is displayed on block visibility settings.');
   }
 }
diff --git a/core/modules/user/user.install b/core/modules/user/user.install
index 53c7321..b8e040c 100644
--- a/core/modules/user/user.install
+++ b/core/modules/user/user.install
@@ -400,9 +400,8 @@ function user_update_8002() {
   db_drop_primary_key('users_roles');
   db_add_primary_key('users_roles', array('uid', 'role_name'));
 
-  // We cannot just drop the rid column in the role table because other modules
-  // might need the information for their upgrades (example: block module). So
-  // we just remove the auto increment and the primary key setting.
+  // Remove the auto increment and the primary key setting so that it is
+  // possible to change the primary key of the role table.
   $column = array(
     'type' => 'int',
     'unsigned' => TRUE,
@@ -413,6 +412,7 @@ function user_update_8002() {
   db_drop_primary_key('role');
   db_add_primary_key('role', array('name'));
 
+  db_drop_field('role', 'rid');
   db_drop_field('users_roles', 'rid');
   db_drop_field('role_permission', 'rid');
 }