diff --git a/core/includes/pager.inc b/core/includes/pager.inc
index 843a3a092714..4c588419f66e 100644
--- a/core/includes/pager.inc
+++ b/core/includes/pager.inc
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
  * Functions to aid in presenting database results as a set of pages.
  */
 
+use Drupal\Core\Template\Attribute;
 use Drupal\Core\Url;
 use Drupal\Component\Utility\UrlHelper;
 use Drupal\Component\Utility\Html;
@@ -219,6 +220,7 @@ function template_preprocess_pager(&$variables) {
   // Create the "first" and "previous" links if we are not on the first page.
   if ($pager_page_array[$element] > 0) {
     $items['first'] = [];
+    $items['first']['attributes'] = new Attribute();
     $options = [
       'query' => pager_query_add_page($parameters, $element, 0),
     ];
@@ -228,6 +230,7 @@ function template_preprocess_pager(&$variables) {
     }
 
     $items['previous'] = [];
+    $items['previous']['attributes'] = new Attribute();
     $options = [
       'query' => pager_query_add_page($parameters, $element, $pager_page_array[$element] - 1),
     ];
@@ -248,6 +251,7 @@ function template_preprocess_pager(&$variables) {
         'query' => pager_query_add_page($parameters, $element, $i - 1),
       ];
       $items['pages'][$i]['href'] = Url::fromRoute($route_name, $route_parameters, $options)->toString();
+      $items['pages'][$i]['attributes'] = new Attribute();
       if ($i == $pager_current) {
         $variables['current'] = $i;
       }
@@ -261,6 +265,7 @@ function template_preprocess_pager(&$variables) {
   // Create the "next" and "last" links if we are not on the last page.
   if ($pager_page_array[$element] < ($pager_max - 1)) {
     $items['next'] = [];
+    $items['next']['attributes'] = new Attribute();
     $options = [
       'query' => pager_query_add_page($parameters, $element, $pager_page_array[$element] + 1),
     ];
@@ -270,6 +275,7 @@ function template_preprocess_pager(&$variables) {
     }
 
     $items['last'] = [];
+    $items['last']['attributes'] = new Attribute();
     $options = [
       'query' => pager_query_add_page($parameters, $element, $pager_max - 1),
     ];
diff --git a/core/modules/system/tests/modules/pager_test/pager_test.module b/core/modules/system/tests/modules/pager_test/pager_test.module
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..d30d3d45bcac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/modules/system/tests/modules/pager_test/pager_test.module
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+<?php
+
+/**
+ * @file
+ * Hook implementations for this module.
+ */
+
+/**
+ * Implements hook_preprocess_HOOK().
+ */
+function pager_test_preprocess_pager(&$variables) {
+  foreach ($variables['items']['pages'] as $index => &$pager_item) {
+    $pager_item['attributes']['pager-test'] = 'yes';
+  }
+  unset($pager_item);
+
+  foreach (['first', 'previous', 'next', 'last'] as $special_pager_item) {
+    if (isset($variables['items'][$special_pager_item])) {
+      $variables['items'][$special_pager_item]['attributes']['pager-test'] = $special_pager_item;
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/core/modules/system/tests/src/Functional/Pager/PagerTest.php b/core/modules/system/tests/src/Functional/Pager/PagerTest.php
index e0d5c5434462..44828259e193 100644
--- a/core/modules/system/tests/src/Functional/Pager/PagerTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/system/tests/src/Functional/Pager/PagerTest.php
@@ -250,6 +250,7 @@ class PagerTest extends BrowserTestBase {
         $this->assertClass($element, 'pager__item', "Element for page $page has .pager__item class.");
         $link = $element->find('css', 'a');
         $this->assertTrue($link, "Link to page $page found.");
+        $this->assertEqual($link->getAttribute('pager-test'), 'yes', "Pager link for page $page has an attribute set in pager_test_preprocess_pager()");
         $destination = $link->getAttribute('href');
         $this->assertEqual($destination, '?page=' . ($page - 1));
       }
@@ -264,6 +265,7 @@ class PagerTest extends BrowserTestBase {
       $link = $first->find('css', 'a');
       $this->assertTrue($link, 'Link to first page found.');
       $this->assertNoClass($link, 'is-active', 'Link to first page is not active.');
+      $this->assertEqual($link->getAttribute('pager-test'), 'first', 'Pager link for first page has an attribute set in pager_test_preprocess_pager()');
       $destination = $link->getAttribute('href');
       $this->assertEqual($destination, '?page=0');
     }
@@ -272,6 +274,7 @@ class PagerTest extends BrowserTestBase {
       $link = $previous->find('css', 'a');
       $this->assertTrue($link, 'Link to previous page found.');
       $this->assertNoClass($link, 'is-active', 'Link to previous page is not active.');
+      $this->assertEqual($link->getAttribute('pager-test'), 'previous', 'Pager link for previous page has an attribute set in pager_test_preprocess_pager()');
       $destination = $link->getAttribute('href');
       // URL query string param is 0-indexed, $current_page is 1-indexed.
       $this->assertEqual($destination, '?page=' . ($current_page - 2));
@@ -281,6 +284,7 @@ class PagerTest extends BrowserTestBase {
       $link = $next->find('css', 'a');
       $this->assertTrue($link, 'Link to next page found.');
       $this->assertNoClass($link, 'is-active', 'Link to next page is not active.');
+      $this->assertEqual($link->getAttribute('pager-test'), 'next', 'Pager link for next page has an attribute set in pager_test_preprocess_pager()');
       $destination = $link->getAttribute('href');
       // URL query string param is 0-indexed, $current_page is 1-indexed.
       $this->assertEqual($destination, '?page=' . $current_page);
@@ -290,6 +294,7 @@ class PagerTest extends BrowserTestBase {
       $this->assertClass($last, 'pager__item--last', 'Element for last page has .pager__item--last class.');
       $this->assertTrue($link, 'Link to last page found.');
       $this->assertNoClass($link, 'is-active', 'Link to last page is not active.');
+      $this->assertEqual($link->getAttribute('pager-test'), 'last', 'Pager link for last page has an attribute set in pager_test_preprocess_pager()');
       $destination = $link->getAttribute('href');
       // URL query string param is 0-indexed.
       $this->assertEqual($destination, '?page=' . ($total_pages - 1));