diff --git a/core/modules/field/field.install b/core/modules/field/field.install
index ecd2b3150bd05eabbb112c670a3f00881509cfd9..80639a0042a7f9f202a4ab24b4d628f0b21eeaa7 100644
--- a/core/modules/field/field.install
+++ b/core/modules/field/field.install
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@
  */
 
 use Drupal\Core\Field\Plugin\Field\FieldType\EntityReferenceItem;
+use Drupal\field\Entity\FieldConfig;
+use Drupal\field\Entity\FieldStorageConfig;
 
 /**
  * Removes the stale 'target_bundle' storage setting on entity_reference fields.
@@ -104,3 +106,30 @@ function field_update_8003() {
     }
   }
 }
+
+/**
+ * Update the definition of deleted fields.
+ */
+function field_update_8500() {
+  $state = \Drupal::state();
+
+  // Convert the old deleted field definitions from an array to a FieldConfig
+  // object.
+  $deleted_field_definitions = $state->get('field.field.deleted', []);
+  foreach ($deleted_field_definitions as $key => $deleted_field_definition) {
+    if (is_array($deleted_field_definition)) {
+      $deleted_field_definitions[$key] = new FieldConfig($deleted_field_definition);
+    }
+  }
+  $state->set('field.field.deleted', $deleted_field_definitions);
+
+  // Convert the old deleted field storage definitions from an array to a
+  // FieldStorageConfig object.
+  $deleted_field_storage_definitions = $state->get('field.storage.deleted', []);
+  foreach ($deleted_field_storage_definitions as $key => $deleted_field_storage_definition) {
+    if (is_array($deleted_field_storage_definition)) {
+      $deleted_field_storage_definitions[$key] = new FieldStorageConfig($deleted_field_storage_definition);
+    }
+  }
+  $state->set('field.storage.deleted', $deleted_field_storage_definitions);
+}
diff --git a/core/modules/field/tests/fixtures/update/drupal-8.update_deleted_field_definitions-2931436.php b/core/modules/field/tests/fixtures/update/drupal-8.update_deleted_field_definitions-2931436.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..9a210e0bfec9f44d9a2608d873bdadc86c9e5204
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/modules/field/tests/fixtures/update/drupal-8.update_deleted_field_definitions-2931436.php
@@ -0,0 +1,203 @@
+<?php
+// @codingStandardsIgnoreFile
+
+/**
+ * @file
+ * Contains SQL necessary to add a deleted field to the node entity type.
+ */
+
+use Drupal\Core\Database\Database;
+
+$connection = Database::getConnection();
+
+// Add the field schema data and the deleted field definitions.
+$connection->insert('key_value')
+  ->fields([
+    'collection',
+    'name',
+    'value',
+  ])
+  ->values([
+    'collection' => 'entity.storage_schema.sql',
+    'name' => 'node.field_schema_data.field_test',
+    'value' => 'a:2:{s:16:"node__field_test";a:4:{s:11:"description";s:39:"Data storage for node field field_test.";s:6:"fields";a:7:{s:6:"bundle";a:5:{s:4:"type";s:13:"varchar_ascii";s:6:"length";i:128;s:8:"not null";b:1;s:7:"default";s:0:"";s:11:"description";s:88:"The field instance bundle to which this row belongs, used when deleting a field instance";}s:7:"deleted";a:5:{s:4:"type";s:3:"int";s:4:"size";s:4:"tiny";s:8:"not null";b:1;s:7:"default";i:0;s:11:"description";s:60:"A boolean indicating whether this data item has been deleted";}s:9:"entity_id";a:4:{s:4:"type";s:3:"int";s:8:"unsigned";b:1;s:8:"not null";b:1;s:11:"description";s:38:"The entity id this data is attached to";}s:11:"revision_id";a:4:{s:4:"type";s:3:"int";s:8:"unsigned";b:1;s:8:"not null";b:1;s:11:"description";s:47:"The entity revision id this data is attached to";}s:8:"langcode";a:5:{s:4:"type";s:13:"varchar_ascii";s:6:"length";i:32;s:8:"not null";b:1;s:7:"default";s:0:"";s:11:"description";s:37:"The language code for this data item.";}s:5:"delta";a:4:{s:4:"type";s:3:"int";s:8:"unsigned";b:1;s:8:"not null";b:1;s:11:"description";s:67:"The sequence number for this data item, used for multi-value fields";}s:16:"field_test_value";a:3:{s:4:"type";s:7:"varchar";s:6:"length";i:254;s:8:"not null";b:1;}}s:11:"primary key";a:4:{i:0;s:9:"entity_id";i:1;s:7:"deleted";i:2;s:5:"delta";i:3;s:8:"langcode";}s:7:"indexes";a:2:{s:6:"bundle";a:1:{i:0;s:6:"bundle";}s:11:"revision_id";a:1:{i:0;s:11:"revision_id";}}}s:25:"node_revision__field_test";a:4:{s:11:"description";s:51:"Revision archive storage for node field field_test.";s:6:"fields";a:7:{s:6:"bundle";a:5:{s:4:"type";s:13:"varchar_ascii";s:6:"length";i:128;s:8:"not null";b:1;s:7:"default";s:0:"";s:11:"description";s:88:"The field instance bundle to which this row belongs, used when deleting a field instance";}s:7:"deleted";a:5:{s:4:"type";s:3:"int";s:4:"size";s:4:"tiny";s:8:"not null";b:1;s:7:"default";i:0;s:11:"description";s:60:"A boolean indicating whether this data item has been deleted";}s:9:"entity_id";a:4:{s:4:"type";s:3:"int";s:8:"unsigned";b:1;s:8:"not null";b:1;s:11:"description";s:38:"The entity id this data is attached to";}s:11:"revision_id";a:4:{s:4:"type";s:3:"int";s:8:"unsigned";b:1;s:8:"not null";b:1;s:11:"description";s:47:"The entity revision id this data is attached to";}s:8:"langcode";a:5:{s:4:"type";s:13:"varchar_ascii";s:6:"length";i:32;s:8:"not null";b:1;s:7:"default";s:0:"";s:11:"description";s:37:"The language code for this data item.";}s:5:"delta";a:4:{s:4:"type";s:3:"int";s:8:"unsigned";b:1;s:8:"not null";b:1;s:11:"description";s:67:"The sequence number for this data item, used for multi-value fields";}s:16:"field_test_value";a:3:{s:4:"type";s:7:"varchar";s:6:"length";i:254;s:8:"not null";b:1;}}s:11:"primary key";a:5:{i:0;s:9:"entity_id";i:1;s:11:"revision_id";i:2;s:7:"deleted";i:3;s:5:"delta";i:4;s:8:"langcode";}s:7:"indexes";a:2:{s:6:"bundle";a:1:{i:0;s:6:"bundle";}s:11:"revision_id";a:1:{i:0;s:11:"revision_id";}}}}',
+  ])
+  ->values([
+    'collection' => 'state',
+    'name' => 'field.field.deleted',
+    'value' => 'a:1:{s:36:"5d0d9870-560b-46c4-b838-0dcded0502dd";a:18:{s:4:"uuid";s:36:"5d0d9870-560b-46c4-b838-0dcded0502dd";s:8:"langcode";s:2:"en";s:6:"status";b:1;s:12:"dependencies";a:1:{s:6:"config";a:2:{i:0;s:29:"field.storage.node.field_test";i:1;s:17:"node.type.article";}}s:2:"id";s:23:"node.article.field_test";s:10:"field_name";s:10:"field_test";s:11:"entity_type";s:4:"node";s:6:"bundle";s:7:"article";s:5:"label";s:4:"Test";s:11:"description";s:0:"";s:8:"required";b:0;s:12:"translatable";b:0;s:13:"default_value";a:0:{}s:22:"default_value_callback";s:0:"";s:8:"settings";a:0:{}s:10:"field_type";s:5:"email";s:7:"deleted";b:1;s:18:"field_storage_uuid";s:36:"ce93d7c2-1da7-4a2c-9e6d-b4925e3b129f";}}',
+  ])
+  ->values([
+    'collection' => 'state',
+    'name' => 'field.storage.deleted',
+    'value' => 'a:1:{s:36:"ce93d7c2-1da7-4a2c-9e6d-b4925e3b129f";a:18:{s:4:"uuid";s:36:"ce93d7c2-1da7-4a2c-9e6d-b4925e3b129f";s:8:"langcode";s:2:"en";s:6:"status";b:1;s:12:"dependencies";a:1:{s:6:"module";a:1:{i:0;s:4:"node";}}s:2:"id";s:15:"node.field_test";s:10:"field_name";s:10:"field_test";s:11:"entity_type";s:4:"node";s:4:"type";s:5:"email";s:8:"settings";a:0:{}s:6:"module";s:4:"core";s:6:"locked";b:0;s:11:"cardinality";i:1;s:12:"translatable";b:1;s:7:"indexes";a:0:{}s:22:"persist_with_no_fields";b:0;s:14:"custom_storage";b:0;s:7:"deleted";b:1;s:7:"bundles";a:0:{}}}',
+  ])
+  ->execute();
+
+// Create and populate the deleted field tables.
+// @see \Drupal\Core\Entity\Sql\DefaultTableMapping::getDedicatedDataTableName()
+$deleted_field_data_table_name = "field_deleted_data_" . substr(hash('sha256', 'ce93d7c2-1da7-4a2c-9e6d-b4925e3b129f'), 0, 10);
+$connection->schema()->createTable($deleted_field_data_table_name, array(
+  'fields' => array(
+    'bundle' => array(
+      'type' => 'varchar_ascii',
+      'not null' => TRUE,
+      'length' => '128',
+      'default' => '',
+    ),
+    'deleted' => array(
+      'type' => 'int',
+      'not null' => TRUE,
+      'size' => 'tiny',
+      'default' => '0',
+    ),
+    'entity_id' => array(
+      'type' => 'int',
+      'not null' => TRUE,
+      'size' => 'normal',
+      'unsigned' => TRUE,
+    ),
+    'revision_id' => array(
+      'type' => 'int',
+      'not null' => TRUE,
+      'size' => 'normal',
+      'unsigned' => TRUE,
+    ),
+    'langcode' => array(
+      'type' => 'varchar_ascii',
+      'not null' => TRUE,
+      'length' => '32',
+      'default' => '',
+    ),
+    'delta' => array(
+      'type' => 'int',
+      'not null' => TRUE,
+      'size' => 'normal',
+      'unsigned' => TRUE,
+    ),
+    'field_test_value' => array(
+      'type' => 'varchar',
+      'not null' => TRUE,
+      'length' => '254',
+    ),
+  ),
+  'primary key' => array(
+    'entity_id',
+    'deleted',
+    'delta',
+    'langcode',
+  ),
+  'indexes' => array(
+    'bundle' => array(
+      'bundle',
+    ),
+    'revision_id' => array(
+      'revision_id',
+    ),
+  ),
+));
+
+$connection->insert($deleted_field_data_table_name)
+->fields(array(
+  'bundle',
+  'deleted',
+  'entity_id',
+  'revision_id',
+  'langcode',
+  'delta',
+  'field_test_value',
+))
+->values(array(
+  'bundle' => 'article',
+  'deleted' => '1',
+  'entity_id' => '1',
+  'revision_id' => '1',
+  'langcode' => 'en',
+  'delta' => '0',
+  'field_test_value' => 'test@test.com',
+))
+->execute();
+
+// @see \Drupal\Core\Entity\Sql\DefaultTableMapping::getDedicatedDataTableName()
+$deleted_field_revision_table_name = "field_deleted_revision_" . substr(hash('sha256', 'ce93d7c2-1da7-4a2c-9e6d-b4925e3b129f'), 0, 10);
+$connection->schema()->createTable($deleted_field_revision_table_name, array(
+  'fields' => array(
+    'bundle' => array(
+      'type' => 'varchar_ascii',
+      'not null' => TRUE,
+      'length' => '128',
+      'default' => '',
+    ),
+    'deleted' => array(
+      'type' => 'int',
+      'not null' => TRUE,
+      'size' => 'tiny',
+      'default' => '0',
+    ),
+    'entity_id' => array(
+      'type' => 'int',
+      'not null' => TRUE,
+      'size' => 'normal',
+      'unsigned' => TRUE,
+    ),
+    'revision_id' => array(
+      'type' => 'int',
+      'not null' => TRUE,
+      'size' => 'normal',
+      'unsigned' => TRUE,
+    ),
+    'langcode' => array(
+      'type' => 'varchar_ascii',
+      'not null' => TRUE,
+      'length' => '32',
+      'default' => '',
+    ),
+    'delta' => array(
+      'type' => 'int',
+      'not null' => TRUE,
+      'size' => 'normal',
+      'unsigned' => TRUE,
+    ),
+    'field_test_value' => array(
+      'type' => 'varchar',
+      'not null' => TRUE,
+      'length' => '254',
+    ),
+  ),
+  'primary key' => array(
+    'entity_id',
+    'revision_id',
+    'deleted',
+    'delta',
+    'langcode',
+  ),
+  'indexes' => array(
+    'bundle' => array(
+      'bundle',
+    ),
+    'revision_id' => array(
+      'revision_id',
+    ),
+  ),
+));
+
+$connection->insert($deleted_field_revision_table_name)
+->fields(array(
+  'bundle',
+  'deleted',
+  'entity_id',
+  'revision_id',
+  'langcode',
+  'delta',
+  'field_test_value',
+))
+->values(array(
+  'bundle' => 'article',
+  'deleted' => '1',
+  'entity_id' => '1',
+  'revision_id' => '1',
+  'langcode' => 'en',
+  'delta' => '0',
+  'field_test_value' => 'test@test.com',
+))
+->execute();
diff --git a/core/modules/field/tests/src/Functional/Update/FieldUpdateTest.php b/core/modules/field/tests/src/Functional/Update/FieldUpdateTest.php
index b9175b127794a2d229732567c0299438a7f7befe..2791ef06460099ef76bb80e5b5825dc4611cb0e2 100644
--- a/core/modules/field/tests/src/Functional/Update/FieldUpdateTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/field/tests/src/Functional/Update/FieldUpdateTest.php
@@ -3,9 +3,12 @@
 namespace Drupal\Tests\field\Functional\Update;
 
 use Drupal\Core\Config\Config;
+use Drupal\Core\Field\FieldDefinitionInterface;
+use Drupal\Core\Field\FieldStorageDefinitionInterface;
 use Drupal\field\Entity\FieldConfig;
 use Drupal\FunctionalTests\Update\UpdatePathTestBase;
 use Drupal\node\Entity\Node;
+use Drupal\Tests\Traits\Core\CronRunTrait;
 
 /**
  * Tests that field settings are properly updated during database updates.
@@ -14,6 +17,8 @@
  */
 class FieldUpdateTest extends UpdatePathTestBase {
 
+  use CronRunTrait;
+
   /**
    * The config factory service.
    *
@@ -21,12 +26,45 @@ class FieldUpdateTest extends UpdatePathTestBase {
    */
   protected $configFactory;
 
+  /**
+   * The database connection.
+   *
+   * @var \Drupal\Core\Database\Connection
+   */
+  protected $database;
+
+  /**
+   * The key-value collection for tracking installed storage schema.
+   *
+   * @var \Drupal\Core\KeyValueStore\KeyValueStoreInterface
+   */
+  protected $installedStorageSchema;
+
+  /**
+   * The state service.
+   *
+   * @var \Drupal\Core\State\StateInterface
+   */
+  protected $state;
+
+  /**
+   * The deleted fields repository.
+   *
+   * @var \Drupal\Core\Field\DeletedFieldsRepositoryInterface
+   */
+  protected $deletedFieldsRepository;
+
   /**
    * {@inheritdoc}
    */
   protected function setUp() {
     parent::setUp();
+
     $this->configFactory = $this->container->get('config.factory');
+    $this->database = $this->container->get('database');
+    $this->installedStorageSchema = $this->container->get('keyvalue')->get('entity.storage_schema.sql');
+    $this->state = $this->container->get('state');
+    $this->deletedFieldsRepository = $this->container->get('entity_field.deleted_fields_repository');
   }
 
   /**
@@ -37,6 +75,7 @@ protected function setDatabaseDumpFiles() {
       __DIR__ . '/../../../../../system/tests/fixtures/update/drupal-8.bare.standard.php.gz',
       __DIR__ . '/../../../fixtures/update/drupal-8.views_entity_reference_plugins-2429191.php',
       __DIR__ . '/../../../fixtures/update/drupal-8.remove_handler_submit_setting-2715589.php',
+      __DIR__ . '/../../../fixtures/update/drupal-8.update_deleted_field_definitions-2931436.php',
     ];
   }
 
@@ -127,6 +166,76 @@ public function testFieldUpdate8003() {
     $this->assertEqual($handler_settings['auto_create_bundle'], 'tags');
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Tests field_update_8500().
+   *
+   * @see field_update_8500()
+   */
+  public function testFieldUpdate8500() {
+    $field_name = 'field_test';
+    $field_uuid = '5d0d9870-560b-46c4-b838-0dcded0502dd';
+    $field_storage_uuid = 'ce93d7c2-1da7-4a2c-9e6d-b4925e3b129f';
+
+    // Check that we have pre-existing entries for 'field.field.deleted' and
+    // 'field.storage.deleted'.
+    $deleted_fields = $this->state->get('field.field.deleted');
+    $this->assertCount(1, $deleted_fields);
+    $this->assertArrayHasKey($field_uuid, $deleted_fields);
+
+    $deleted_field_storages = $this->state->get('field.storage.deleted');
+    $this->assertCount(1, $deleted_field_storages);
+    $this->assertArrayHasKey($field_storage_uuid, $deleted_field_storages);
+
+    // Ensure that cron does not run automatically after running the updates.
+    $this->state->set('system.cron_last', REQUEST_TIME + 100);
+
+    // Run updates.
+    $this->runUpdates();
+
+    // Now that we can use the API, check that the "delete fields" state entries
+    // have been converted to proper field definition objects.
+    $deleted_fields = $this->deletedFieldsRepository->getFieldDefinitions();
+
+    $this->assertCount(1, $deleted_fields);
+    $this->assertArrayHasKey($field_uuid, $deleted_fields);
+    $this->assertTrue($deleted_fields[$field_uuid] instanceof FieldDefinitionInterface);
+    $this->assertEquals($field_name, $deleted_fields[$field_uuid]->getName());
+
+    $deleted_field_storages = $this->deletedFieldsRepository->getFieldStorageDefinitions();
+    $this->assertCount(1, $deleted_field_storages);
+    $this->assertArrayHasKey($field_storage_uuid, $deleted_field_storages);
+    $this->assertTrue($deleted_field_storages[$field_storage_uuid] instanceof FieldStorageDefinitionInterface);
+    $this->assertEquals($field_name, $deleted_field_storages[$field_storage_uuid]->getName());
+
+    // Check that the installed storage schema still exists.
+    $this->assertNotNull($this->installedStorageSchema->get("node.field_schema_data.$field_name"));
+
+    // Check that the deleted field tables exist.
+    /** @var \Drupal\Core\Entity\Sql\DefaultTableMapping $table_mapping */
+    $table_mapping = \Drupal::entityTypeManager()->getStorage('node')->getTableMapping();
+
+    $deleted_field_data_table_name = $table_mapping->getDedicatedDataTableName($deleted_field_storages[$field_storage_uuid], TRUE);
+    $this->assertTrue($this->database->schema()->tableExists($deleted_field_data_table_name));
+    $deleted_field_revision_table_name = $table_mapping->getDedicatedRevisionTableName($deleted_field_storages[$field_storage_uuid], TRUE);
+    $this->assertTrue($this->database->schema()->tableExists($deleted_field_revision_table_name));
+
+    // Run cron and repeat the checks above.
+    $this->cronRun();
+
+    $deleted_fields = $this->deletedFieldsRepository->getFieldDefinitions();
+    $this->assertCount(0, $deleted_fields);
+
+    $deleted_field_storages = $this->deletedFieldsRepository->getFieldStorageDefinitions();
+    $this->assertCount(0, $deleted_field_storages);
+
+    // Check that the installed storage schema has been deleted.
+    $this->assertNull($this->installedStorageSchema->get("node.field_schema_data.$field_name"));
+
+    // Check that the deleted field tables have been deleted.
+    $this->assertFalse($this->database->schema()->tableExists($deleted_field_data_table_name));
+    $this->assertFalse($this->database->schema()->tableExists($deleted_field_revision_table_name));
+  }
+
   /**
    * Asserts that a config depends on 'entity_reference' or not
    *