diff --git a/core/includes/schema.inc b/core/includes/schema.inc
index ac0ffad..e7ec164 100644
--- a/core/includes/schema.inc
+++ b/core/includes/schema.inc
@@ -525,14 +525,17 @@ function drupal_write_record($table, &$record, $primary_keys = array()) {
  *   The converted value.
  */
 function drupal_schema_get_field_value(array $info, $value) {
-  if ($info['type'] == 'int' || $info['type'] == 'serial') {
-    $value = (int) $value;
-  }
-  elseif ($info['type'] == 'float') {
-    $value = (float) $value;
-  }
-  else {
-    $value = (string) $value;
+  // Preserve legal NULL values.
+  if (isset($value) || !empty($info['not null'])) {
+    if ($info['type'] == 'int' || $info['type'] == 'serial') {
+      $value = (int) $value;
+    }
+    elseif ($info['type'] == 'float') {
+      $value = (float) $value;
+    }
+    else {
+      $value = (string) $value;
+    }
   }
   return $value;
 }
diff --git a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Entity/DatabaseStorageControllerNG.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Entity/DatabaseStorageControllerNG.php
index 2753133..a61a773 100644
--- a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Entity/DatabaseStorageControllerNG.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Entity/DatabaseStorageControllerNG.php
@@ -336,6 +336,7 @@ public function save(EntityInterface $entity) {
         }
       }
       else {
+        $entity->enforceIsNew();
         $return = drupal_write_record($this->entityInfo['base_table'], $record);
         $entity->{$this->idKey}->value = $record->{$this->idKey};
         if ($this->revisionKey) {
@@ -461,9 +462,19 @@ protected function savePropertyData(EntityInterface $entity, $revision = FALSE)
   protected function mapToStorageRecord(EntityInterface $entity, $table_key = 'base_table') {
     $record = new \stdClass();
     $definitions = $entity->getPropertyDefinitions();
+    $schema = drupal_get_schema($this->entityInfo[$table_key]);
+    $is_new = $entity->isNew();
+
     foreach (drupal_schema_fields_sql($this->entityInfo[$table_key]) as $name) {
-      $record->$name = $entity->$name->value;
+      $info = $schema['fields'][$name];
+      $value = isset($definitions[$name]) && isset($entity->$name->value) ? $entity->$name->value : NULL;
+      // If we are creating a new entity, we must not populate the record with
+      // NULL values otherwise defaults would not be applied.
+      if (isset($value) || !$is_new) {
+        $record->$name = drupal_schema_get_field_value($info, $value);
+      }
     }
+
     return $record;
   }
 
@@ -493,20 +504,9 @@ protected function mapToRevisionStorageRecord(EntityInterface $entity) {
    *   The record to store.
    */
   protected function mapToDataStorageRecord(EntityInterface $entity, $table_key = 'data_table') {
-    $langcode = $entity->language()->id;
-    $default_langcode = $entity->getUntranslated()->language()->id;
-    $definitions = $entity->getPropertyDefinitions();
-    $schema = drupal_get_schema($this->entityInfo[$table_key]);
-
-    $record = new \stdClass();
-    foreach (drupal_schema_fields_sql($this->entityInfo[$table_key]) as $name) {
-      $info = $schema['fields'][$name];
-      $value = isset($definitions[$name]) && isset($entity->$name->value) ? $entity->$name->value : NULL;
-      $record->$name = drupal_schema_get_field_value($info, $value);
-    }
-    $record->langcode = $langcode;
-    $record->default_langcode = intval($default_langcode == $langcode);
-
+    $record = $this->mapToStorageRecord($entity, $table_key);
+    $record->langcode = $entity->language()->id;
+    $record->default_langcode = intval($record->langcode == $entity->getUntranslated()->language()->id);
     return $record;
   }
 
diff --git a/core/modules/rest/lib/Drupal/rest/Tests/RESTTestBase.php b/core/modules/rest/lib/Drupal/rest/Tests/RESTTestBase.php
index df5012b..db8feb2 100644
--- a/core/modules/rest/lib/Drupal/rest/Tests/RESTTestBase.php
+++ b/core/modules/rest/lib/Drupal/rest/Tests/RESTTestBase.php
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ protected function entityValues($entity_type) {
           'field_test_text' => array(0 => array('value' => $this->randomString())),
         );
       case 'node':
-        return array('title' => $this->randomString(), 'type' => 'resttest', 'status' => TRUE);
+        return array('title' => $this->randomString(), 'type' => 'resttest');
       case 'node_type':
         return array(
           'type' => 'article',