diff --git a/core/includes/menu.inc b/core/includes/menu.inc
index b5adbba..1f3d78c 100644
--- a/core/includes/menu.inc
+++ b/core/includes/menu.inc
@@ -2682,6 +2682,8 @@ function menu_get_router() {
  * Builds menu links for the items in the menu router.
  */
 function _menu_navigation_links_rebuild($menu) {
+  $menu_link_controller = entity_get_controller('menu_link');
+
   // Add normal and suggested items as links.
   $router_items = array();
   foreach ($menu as $path => $router_item) {
@@ -2699,10 +2701,17 @@ function _menu_navigation_links_rebuild($menu) {
     array_multisort($sort, SORT_NUMERIC, $router_items);
 
     foreach ($router_items as $key => $router_item) {
-      if ($existing_item = entity_load_multiple_by_properties('menu_link', array('link_path' => $router_item['path'], 'module' => 'system'))) {
+      $existing_item = db_select('menu_links')
+         ->fields('menu_links')
+         ->condition('link_path', $router_item['path'])
+         ->condition('module', 'system')
+         ->execute()->fetchAll();
+      if ($existing_item) {
         $existing_item = reset($existing_item);
+        $existing_item->options = unserialize($existing_item->options);
 
-        $router_item['mlid'] = $existing_item->id();
+        $router_item['mlid'] = $existing_item->mlid;
+        $router_item['uuid'] = $existing_item->uuid;
         // A change in hook_menu may move the link to a different menu
         if (empty($router_item['menu_name']) || ($router_item['menu_name'] == $existing_item->menu_name)) {
           $router_item['menu_name'] = $existing_item->menu_name;
@@ -2722,13 +2731,13 @@ function _menu_navigation_links_rebuild($menu) {
       }
 
       if ($existing_item && $existing_item->customized) {
-        $parent_candidates[$existing_item->id()] = $existing_item;
+        $parent_candidates[$existing_item->mlid] = $existing_item;
       }
       else {
         $menu_link = MenuLink::buildFromRouterItem($router_item);
         $menu_link->original = $existing_item;
         $menu_link->parentCandidates = $parent_candidates;
-        $menu_link->save();
+        $menu_link_controller->save($menu_link);
         $parent_candidates[$menu_link->id()] = $menu_link;
         unset($router_items[$key]);
       }
@@ -2747,7 +2756,7 @@ function _menu_navigation_links_rebuild($menu) {
 
       $menu_link->router_path = $router_path;
       $menu_link->updated = (int) $updated;
-      $menu_link->save();
+      $menu_link_controller->save($menu_link);
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/core/modules/menu_link/lib/Drupal/menu_link/MenuLinkStorageController.php b/core/modules/menu_link/lib/Drupal/menu_link/MenuLinkStorageController.php
index 55592b9..a9f7142 100644
--- a/core/modules/menu_link/lib/Drupal/menu_link/MenuLinkStorageController.php
+++ b/core/modules/menu_link/lib/Drupal/menu_link/MenuLinkStorageController.php
@@ -473,7 +473,7 @@ protected function setParents(EntityInterface $entity, EntityInterface $parent)
    * @return int
    *   The relative depth, or zero.
    */
-  public function findChildrenRelativeDepth(EntityInterface $entity) {
+  public function findChildrenRelativeDepth($entity) {
     // @todo Since all we need is a specific field from the base table, does it
     // make sense to convert to EFQ?
     $query = db_select('menu_links');
diff --git a/core/modules/system/system.install b/core/modules/system/system.install
index 1e8a2d4..e3c6a16 100644
--- a/core/modules/system/system.install
+++ b/core/modules/system/system.install
@@ -2043,19 +2043,21 @@ function system_update_8035() {
  * Creates the langcode and UUID columns for menu links and adds the
  * 'serialize' property to the options column.
  */
-function system_update_8035() {
+function system_update_8036() {
   // Enable the module without re-installing the schema.
   update_module_enable(array('menu_link'));
 
-  // Add the langcode column.
-  $column = array(
-   'description' => 'The {language}.langcode of this entity.',
-   'type' => 'varchar',
-   'length' => 12,
-   'not null' => TRUE,
-   'default' => '',
-  );
-  db_add_field('menu_links', 'langcode', $column);
+  // Add the langcode column if it doesn't exist.
+  if (!db_field_exists('menu_links', 'langcode')) {
+    $column = array(
+      'description' => 'The {language}.langcode of this entity.',
+      'type' => 'varchar',
+      'length' => 12,
+      'not null' => TRUE,
+      'default' => '',
+    );
+    db_add_field('menu_links', 'langcode', $column);
+  }
 
   // Add the UUID column.
   $column = array(