diff --git a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Config/Schema/Parser.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Config/Schema/Parser.php
deleted file mode 100644
index 9569244..0000000
--- a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Config/Schema/Parser.php
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,43 +0,0 @@
-<?php
-
-/**
- * @file
- * Contains \Drupal\Core\Config\Schema\Parser.
- */
-
-namespace Drupal\Core\Config\Schema;
-
-/**
- * Parser.
- */
-class Parser {
-
-  /**
-   * Parse configuration data against schema data.
-   */
-  static function parse($data, $definition, $name = NULL, $parent = NULL) {
-    // Set default type depending on data and context.
-    if (!isset($definition['type'])) {
-      if (is_array($data) || !$context) {
-        $definition += array('type' => 'any');
-      }
-      else {
-        $definition += array('type' => 'str');
-      }
-    }
-    // Create typed data object.
-    config_typed()->create($definition, $data, $name, $parent);
-  }
-
-  /**
-   * Validate configuration data against schema data.
-   */
-  static function validate($config_data, $schema_data) {
-    return self::parse($config_data, $schema_data)->validate();
-  }
-
-  static function getDefinition($type, $data) {
-    return config_definition($type);
-  }
-}
-
diff --git a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Config/TypedConfigManager.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Config/TypedConfigManager.php
index c06ec51..2028d20 100644
--- a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Config/TypedConfigManager.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Config/TypedConfigManager.php
@@ -56,12 +56,12 @@ public function get($name) {
    */
   public function create(array $definition, $value = NULL, $name = NULL, $parent = NULL) {
     if (!isset($definition['type'])) {
-      // Set default type 'str' if possible. If not it will be 'any'.
+      // Set default type 'string' if possible. If not it will be 'undefined'.
       if (is_string($value)) {
-        $definition['type'] = 'str';
+        $definition['type'] = 'string';
       }
       else {
-        $definition['type'] = 'any';
+        $definition['type'] = 'undefined';
       }
     }
     elseif (strpos($definition['type'], ']')) {
diff --git a/core/modules/config/lib/Drupal/config/Tests/ConfigSchemaTest.php b/core/modules/config/lib/Drupal/config/Tests/ConfigSchemaTest.php
index 93a7b55..b72a54c 100644
--- a/core/modules/config/lib/Drupal/config/Tests/ConfigSchemaTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/config/lib/Drupal/config/Tests/ConfigSchemaTest.php
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ class ConfigSchemaTest extends DrupalUnitTestBase {
    *
    * @var array
    */
-  public static $modules = array('system', 'locale', 'image');
+  public static $modules = array('system', 'locale', 'image', 'config_test');
 
   public static function getInfo() {
     return array(
@@ -34,12 +34,48 @@ public function setUp() {
     parent::setUp();
     config_install_default_config('module', 'system');
     config_install_default_config('module', 'image');
+    config_install_default_config('module', 'config_test');
   }
 
   /**
    * Tests the basic metadata retrieval layer.
    */
   function testSchemaMapping() {
+    // Nonexistent configuration key will have Unknown as metadata.
+    $definition = config_typed()->getDefinition('config_test.no_such_key');
+    $expected = array();
+    $expected['label'] = 'Unknown';
+    $expected['class'] = '\Drupal\Core\Config\Schema\Property';
+    $this->assertEqual($definition, $expected, 'Retrieved the right metadata for nonexistent configuration.');
+
+    // Configuration file without schema will return Unknown as well.
+    $definition = config_typed()->getDefinition('config_test.noschema');
+    $this->assertEqual($definition, $expected, 'Retrieved the right metadata for configuration with no schema.');
+
+    // Configuration file with only some schema.
+    $definition = config_typed()->getDefinition('config_test.someschema');
+    $expected = array();
+    $expected['label'] = 'Schema test data';
+    $expected['class'] = '\Drupal\Core\Config\Schema\Mapping';
+    $expected['mapping']['testitem'] = array('label' => 'Test item');
+    $expected['mapping']['testlist'] = array('label' => 'Test list');
+    $this->assertEqual($definition, $expected, 'Retrieved the right metadata for configuration with only some schema.');
+
+    // Check type detection on elements with undefined types.
+    $config = config_typed()->get('config_test.someschema');
+    $definition = $config['testitem']->getDefinition();
+    $expected = array();
+    $expected['label'] = 'Test item';
+    $expected['class'] = '\Drupal\Core\TypedData\Type\String';
+    $expected['type'] = 'string';
+    $this->assertEqual($definition, $expected, 'Automatic type detection on string item worked.');
+    $definition = $config['testlist']->getDefinition();
+    $expected = array();
+    $expected['label'] = 'Test list';
+    $expected['class'] = '\Drupal\Core\Config\Schema\Property';
+    $expected['type'] = 'undefined';
+    $this->assertEqual($definition, $expected, 'Automatic type fallback on non-string item worked.');
+
     // Simple case, straight metadata.
     $definition = config_typed()->getDefinition('system.maintenance');
     $expected = array();
diff --git a/core/modules/config/tests/config_test/config/config_test.noschema.yml b/core/modules/config/tests/config_test/config/config_test.noschema.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3c9efe8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/modules/config/tests/config_test/config/config_test.noschema.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+testitem: "Whatever structure there is in this file"
+testlist:
+ - "the main file has no schema, so individual items"
+ - "will not have any schema information."
diff --git a/core/modules/config/tests/config_test/config/config_test.schema.yml b/core/modules/config/tests/config_test/config/config_test.schema.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..82028db
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/modules/config/tests/config_test/config/config_test.schema.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+config_test.someschema:
+  type: mapping
+  label: "Schema test data"
+  mapping:
+    "testitem":
+      label: "Test item"
+    "testlist":
+      label: "Test list"
diff --git a/core/modules/config/tests/config_test/config/config_test.someschema.yml b/core/modules/config/tests/config_test/config/config_test.someschema.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3afe100
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/modules/config/tests/config_test/config/config_test.someschema.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+testitem: "Since this file at least has top level schema in config_test.schema.yml"
+testlist:
+ - "Direct string items are identified and other items are"
+ - "recognized as undefined types."
diff --git a/core/modules/contact/config/contact.schema.yml b/core/modules/contact/config/contact.schema.yml
index f0b70bd..d9b4381 100644
--- a/core/modules/contact/config/contact.schema.yml
+++ b/core/modules/contact/config/contact.schema.yml
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ contact.settings:
   mapping:
     "default_category":
       type: string
-      required: yes
     "flood":
       type: mapping
       mapping: