reverted:
--- b/core/cron.php
+++ a/core/cron.php
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
   watchdog('cron', 'Cron could not run because an invalid key was used.', array(), WATCHDOG_NOTICE);
   drupal_access_denied();
 }
+elseif (config('system.maintenance')->get('maintenance_mode')) {
-elseif (config('system.maintenance')->get('mode')) {
   watchdog('cron', 'Cron could not run because the site is in maintenance mode.', array(), WATCHDOG_NOTICE);
   drupal_access_denied();
 }
reverted:
--- b/core/includes/common.inc
+++ a/core/includes/common.inc
@@ -2550,7 +2550,8 @@
         drupal_maintenance_theme();
         drupal_add_http_header('Status', '503 Service unavailable');
         drupal_set_title(t('Site under maintenance'));
+        print theme('maintenance_page', array('content' => filter_xss_admin(variable_get('maintenance_mode_message',
+          t('@site is currently under maintenance. We should be back shortly. Thank you for your patience.', array('@site' => $site_config->get('name')))))));
-        print theme('maintenance_page', array('content' => filter_xss_admin(t(config('system.maintenance')->get('message'), array('@site' => $site_config->get('name'))))));
         break;
     }
   }
diff -u b/core/includes/menu.inc b/core/includes/menu.inc
--- b/core/includes/menu.inc
+++ b/core/includes/menu.inc
@@ -3781,7 +3781,7 @@
  */
 function _menu_site_is_offline($check_only = FALSE) {
   // Check if site is in maintenance mode.
-  if (variable_get('maintenance_mode', 0)) {
+  if (config('system.maintenance')->get('mode')) {
     if (user_access('access site in maintenance mode')) {
       // Ensure that the maintenance mode message is displayed only once
       // (allowing for page redirects) and specifically suppress its display on
@@ -3789,7 +3789,7 @@
  */
 function _menu_site_is_offline($check_only = FALSE) {
   // Check if site is in maintenance mode.
-  if (config('system.maintenance')->get('mode')) {
+  if (config('system.maintenance')->get('maintenance_mode')) {
     if (user_access('access site in maintenance mode')) {
       // Ensure that the maintenance mode message is displayed only once
       // (allowing for page redirects) and specifically suppress its display on