diff --git a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Routing/UrlGeneratorInterface.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Routing/UrlGeneratorInterface.php
index 9903fe3..686f0d3 100644
--- a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Routing/UrlGeneratorInterface.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Routing/UrlGeneratorInterface.php
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@
   public function generateFromPath($path = NULL, $options = array());
 
   /**
-   * Gets the internal path of a route.
+   * Gets the internal path (system path) of a route.
    *
    * @param string $name
    *  The route name.
diff --git a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Url.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Url.php
index 2abadb2..c463022 100644
--- a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Url.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Url.php
@@ -188,6 +188,9 @@ public function isExternal() {
    * Returns the route name.
    *
    * @return string
+   *
+   * @throws \UnexpectedValueException.
+   *   If this is an external URL with no corresponding route.
    */
   public function getRouteName() {
     if ($this->isExternal()) {
@@ -201,6 +204,9 @@ public function getRouteName() {
    * Returns the route parameters.
    *
    * @return array
+   *
+   * @throws \UnexpectedValueException.
+   *   If this is an external URL with no corresponding route.
    */
   public function getRouteParameters() {
     if ($this->isExternal()) {
@@ -364,38 +370,47 @@ public function toArray() {
   }
 
   /**
-   * Returns the route information for a render array.
+   * Returns a link type render array.
+   *
+   * @param string $link_title
+   *   The title to be used in the render array.
    *
    * @return array
-   *   An associative array suitable for a render array.
+   *   A link render array.
    */
-  public function toRenderArray() {
+  public function toLinkRenderArray($link_title = '') {
+    $build = array(
+      '#type' => 'link',
+      '#title' => $link_title,
+      '#options' => $this->getOptions(),
+    );
     if ($this->isExternal()) {
-      return array(
-        '#href' => $this->getPath(),
-        '#options' => $this->getOptions(),
-      );
+      $build['#href'] = $this->getPath();
     }
     else {
-      return array(
-        '#route_name' => $this->getRouteName(),
-        '#route_parameters' => $this->getRouteParameters(),
-        '#options' => $this->getOptions(),
-      );
+      $build['#route_name'] = $this->getRouteName();
+      $build['#route_parameters'] = $this->getRouteParameters();
     }
+    return $build;
   }
 
   /**
-   * Returns the internal path for this route.
+   * Returns the internal path (system path) for this route.
    *
    * This path will not include any prefixes, fragments, or query strings.
    *
    * @return string
    *   The internal path for this route.
+   *
+   * @throws \UnexpectedValueException.
+   *   If this is an external URL with no corresponding system path.
+   *
+   * @deprecated in Drupal 8.x-dev, will be removed before Drupal 8.0.
+   *   System paths should not be used - use route names and parameters.
    */
   public function getInternalPath() {
     if ($this->isExternal()) {
-      throw new \Exception('External URLs do not have internal representations.');
+      throw new \UnexpectedValueException('External URLs do not have internal representations.');
     }
     return $this->urlGenerator()->getPathFromRoute($this->getRouteName(), $this->getRouteParameters());
   }
diff --git a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Utility/LinkGenerator.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Utility/LinkGenerator.php
index 1ebc5bf..551fc56 100644
--- a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Utility/LinkGenerator.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Utility/LinkGenerator.php
@@ -107,8 +107,8 @@ public function generateFromUrl($text, Url $url) {
       // Add a "data-drupal-link-system-path" attribute to let the
       // drupal.active-link library know the path in a standardized manner.
       if (!isset($variables['options']['attributes']['data-drupal-link-system-path'])) {
-        $path = $url->getInternalPath();
-        $variables['options']['attributes']['data-drupal-link-system-path'] = $this->aliasManager->getSystemPath($path);
+        // @todo System path is deprecated - use the route name and parameters.
+        $variables['options']['attributes']['data-drupal-link-system-path'] = $url->getInternalPath();
       }
     }
 
diff --git a/core/modules/link/lib/Drupal/link/Plugin/Field/FieldFormatter/LinkFormatter.php b/core/modules/link/lib/Drupal/link/Plugin/Field/FieldFormatter/LinkFormatter.php
index 01052db..63fbdb3 100644
--- a/core/modules/link/lib/Drupal/link/Plugin/Field/FieldFormatter/LinkFormatter.php
+++ b/core/modules/link/lib/Drupal/link/Plugin/Field/FieldFormatter/LinkFormatter.php
@@ -143,10 +143,7 @@ public function viewElements(FieldItemListInterface $items) {
         );
       }
       else {
-        $element[$delta] = array(
-          '#type' => 'link',
-          '#title' => $link_title,
-        ) + $url->toRenderArray();
+        $element[$delta] = $url->toLinkRenderArray($link_title);
       }
     }
 
diff --git a/core/modules/link/lib/Drupal/link/Plugin/Field/FieldType/LinkItem.php b/core/modules/link/lib/Drupal/link/Plugin/Field/FieldType/LinkItem.php
index 907a057..03df369 100644
--- a/core/modules/link/lib/Drupal/link/Plugin/Field/FieldType/LinkItem.php
+++ b/core/modules/link/lib/Drupal/link/Plugin/Field/FieldType/LinkItem.php
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
  *   label = @Translation("Link"),
  *   description = @Translation("Stores a URL string for external links or route name and parameters for internal links, an optional varchar link text and an optional blob of options to assemble a link."),
  *   instance_settings = {
- *     "url_type" = \Drupal\link\LinkItemInterface::LINK_GENERIC,
+ *     "link_type" = \Drupal\link\LinkItemInterface::LINK_GENERIC,
  *     "title" = "1"
  *   },
  *   default_widget = "link_default",
@@ -101,14 +101,14 @@ public static function schema(FieldDefinitionInterface $field_definition) {
   public function instanceSettingsForm(array $form, array &$form_state) {
     $element = array();
 
-    $element['url_type'] = array(
+    $element['link_type'] = array(
       '#type' => 'radios',
       '#title' => t('Allowed url type'),
-      '#default_value' => $this->getSetting('url_type'),
+      '#default_value' => $this->getSetting('link_type'),
       '#options' => array(
-        static::LINK_INTERNAL => t('Internal URLs only'),
-        static::LINK_EXTERNAL => t('External URLs only'),
-        static::LINK_GENERIC => t('Both internal and external URLs'),
+        static::LINK_INTERNAL => t('Internal links only'),
+        static::LINK_EXTERNAL => t('External links only'),
+        static::LINK_GENERIC => t('Both internal and external links'),
       ),
     );
 
diff --git a/core/modules/link/lib/Drupal/link/Plugin/Field/FieldWidget/LinkWidget.php b/core/modules/link/lib/Drupal/link/Plugin/Field/FieldWidget/LinkWidget.php
index 8225d8f..a19dbfb 100644
--- a/core/modules/link/lib/Drupal/link/Plugin/Field/FieldWidget/LinkWidget.php
+++ b/core/modules/link/lib/Drupal/link/Plugin/Field/FieldWidget/LinkWidget.php
@@ -37,7 +37,6 @@ class LinkWidget extends WidgetBase {
    * {@inheritdoc}
    */
   public function formElement(FieldItemListInterface $items, $delta, array $element, array &$form, array &$form_state) {
-    $url_type = $this->getFieldSetting('url_type');
 
     $default_url_value = NULL;
     if (isset($items[$delta]->url)) {
@@ -54,21 +53,21 @@ public function formElement(FieldItemListInterface $items, $delta, array $elemen
       '#required' => $element['#required'],
     );
 
-    // If the field is configured to allow internal paths, it cannot use the
+    // If the field is configured to support internal links, it cannot use the
     // 'url' form element and we have to do the validation ourselves.
-    if ($url_type & LinkItemInterface::LINK_INTERNAL) {
+    if ($this->supportsInternalLinks()) {
       $element['url']['#type'] = 'textfield';
       $element['#element_validate'][] = array($this, 'validateUrl');
     }
 
-    // If the field is configured to allow only internal paths, add a useful
+    // If the field is configured to allow only internal links, add a useful
     // element prefix.
-    if ($url_type == LinkItemInterface::LINK_INTERNAL) {
+    if (!$this->supportsExternalLinks()) {
       $element['url']['#field_prefix'] = \Drupal::url('<front>', array(), array('absolute' => TRUE));
     }
-    // If the field is configured to allow both internal and external paths,
+    // If the field is configured to allow both internal and external links,
     // show a useful description.
-    elseif ($url_type == LinkItemInterface::LINK_GENERIC) {
+    elseif ($this->supportsExternalLinks() && $this->supportsInternalLinks()) {
       $element['url']['#description'] = $this->t('This can be an internal Drupal path such as %add-node or an external URL such as %drupal. Enter %front to link to the front page.', array('%front' => '<front>', '%add-node' => 'node/add', '%drupal' => 'http://drupal.org'));
     }
 
@@ -109,6 +108,22 @@ public function formElement(FieldItemListInterface $items, $delta, array $elemen
   }
 
   /**
+   * Is the LinkItem field definition configured to support links to routes?
+   */
+  protected function supportsInternalLinks() {
+    $link_type = $this->getFieldSetting('link_type');
+    return (bool) ($link_type & LinkItemInterface::LINK_INTERNAL);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Is the LinkItem field definition configured to support external URLs?
+   */
+  protected function supportsExternalLinks() {
+    $link_type = $this->getFieldSetting('link_type');
+    return (bool) ($link_type & LinkItemInterface::LINK_EXTERNAL);
+  }
+
+  /**
    * {@inheritdoc}
    */
   public function settingsForm(array $form, array &$form_state) {
@@ -174,7 +189,6 @@ public function validateTitle(&$element, &$form_state, $form) {
    * Form element validation handler; Validates the url property.
    */
   public function validateUrl(&$element, &$form_state, $form) {
-    $url_type = $this->getFieldSetting('url_type');
     $url_is_valid = TRUE;
 
     // Validate the 'url' element.
@@ -185,7 +199,7 @@ public function validateUrl(&$element, &$form_state, $form) {
         if ($url->isExternal() && !UrlHelper::isValid($element['url']['#value'], TRUE)) {
           $url_is_valid = FALSE;
         }
-        elseif ($url->isExternal() && $url_type == LinkItemInterface::LINK_INTERNAL) {
+        elseif ($url->isExternal() && !$this->supportsExternalLinks()) {
           $url_is_valid = FALSE;
         }
       }
diff --git a/core/modules/link/lib/Drupal/link/Tests/LinkFieldTest.php b/core/modules/link/lib/Drupal/link/Tests/LinkFieldTest.php
index d2b0cc7..e186145 100644
--- a/core/modules/link/lib/Drupal/link/Tests/LinkFieldTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/link/lib/Drupal/link/Tests/LinkFieldTest.php
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ function testURLValidation() {
       'bundle' => 'entity_test',
       'settings' => array(
         'title' => DRUPAL_DISABLED,
-        'url_type' => LinkItemInterface::LINK_GENERIC,
+        'link_type' => LinkItemInterface::LINK_GENERIC,
       ),
     ));
     $this->instance->save();
@@ -124,18 +124,18 @@ function testURLValidation() {
       'non/existing/path',
     );
 
-    // Test external and internal URLs for 'url_type' = LinkItemInterface::LINK_GENERIC.
+    // Test external and internal URLs for 'link_type' = LinkItemInterface::LINK_GENERIC.
     $this->assertValidEntries($field_name, $valid_external_entries + $valid_internal_entries);
     $this->assertInvalidEntries($field_name, $invalid_external_entries + $invalid_internal_entries);
 
-    // Test external URLs for 'url_type' = LinkItemInterface::LINK_EXTERNAL.
-    $this->instance->settings['url_type'] = LinkItemInterface::LINK_EXTERNAL;
+    // Test external URLs for 'link_type' = LinkItemInterface::LINK_EXTERNAL.
+    $this->instance->settings['link_type'] = LinkItemInterface::LINK_EXTERNAL;
     $this->instance->save();
     $this->assertValidEntries($field_name, $valid_external_entries);
     $this->assertInvalidEntries($field_name, $valid_internal_entries + $invalid_external_entries);
 
-    // Test external URLs for 'url_type' = LinkItemInterface::LINK_INTERNAL.
-    $this->instance->settings['url_type'] = LinkItemInterface::LINK_INTERNAL;
+    // Test external URLs for 'link_type' = LinkItemInterface::LINK_INTERNAL.
+    $this->instance->settings['link_type'] = LinkItemInterface::LINK_INTERNAL;
     $this->instance->save();
     $this->assertValidEntries($field_name, $valid_internal_entries);
     $this->assertInvalidEntries($field_name, $valid_external_entries + $invalid_internal_entries);