diff --git a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/Plugin/Field/FieldType/EntityReferenceItem.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/Plugin/Field/FieldType/EntityReferenceItem.php
index 22f36c7a8fa..baf83b6011e 100644
--- a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/Plugin/Field/FieldType/EntityReferenceItem.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/Plugin/Field/FieldType/EntityReferenceItem.php
@@ -283,12 +283,11 @@ class EntityReferenceItem extends FieldItemBase implements OptionsProviderInterf
     $options = [
       'target_type' => $field_definition->getFieldStorageDefinition()->getSetting('target_type'),
       'handler' => $field_definition->getSetting('handler'),
-      'handler_settings' => $field_definition->getSetting('handler_settings') ?: [],
       'entity' => NULL,
-    ];
+    ] + $field_definition->getSetting('handler_settings') ?: [];
 
     $entity_type = \Drupal::entityTypeManager()->getDefinition($options['target_type']);
-    $options['handler_settings']['sort'] = [
+    $options['sort'] = [
       'field' => $entity_type->getKey('id'),
       'direction' => 'DESC',
     ];
@@ -305,7 +304,7 @@ class EntityReferenceItem extends FieldItemBase implements OptionsProviderInterf
     // Attempt to create a sample entity, avoiding recursion.
     $entity_storage = \Drupal::entityTypeManager()->getStorage($options['target_type']);
     if ($entity_storage instanceof ContentEntityStorageInterface) {
-      $bundle = static::getRandomBundle($entity_type, $options['handler_settings']);
+      $bundle = static::getRandomBundle($entity_type, $options);
 
       // Track the generated entity by reference type, target type, and bundle.
       $key = $field_definition->getTargetEntityTypeId() . ':' . $options['target_type'] . ':' . $bundle;
diff --git a/core/tests/Drupal/Tests/Listeners/DeprecationListenerTrait.php b/core/tests/Drupal/Tests/Listeners/DeprecationListenerTrait.php
index 65b0b35d060..4265028db64 100644
--- a/core/tests/Drupal/Tests/Listeners/DeprecationListenerTrait.php
+++ b/core/tests/Drupal/Tests/Listeners/DeprecationListenerTrait.php
@@ -123,7 +123,6 @@ trait DeprecationListenerTrait {
       'MigrateCckFieldPluginManager is deprecated in Drupal 8.3.x and will be removed before Drupal 9.0.x. Use \Drupal\migrate_drupal\Annotation\MigrateFieldPluginManager instead.',
       'MigrateCckFieldPluginManagerInterface is deprecated in Drupal 8.3.x and will be removed before Drupal 9.0.x. Use \Drupal\migrate_drupal\Annotation\MigrateFieldPluginManagerInterface instead.',
       'The "plugin.manager.migrate.cckfield" service is deprecated. You should use the \'plugin.manager.migrate.field\' service instead. See https://www.drupal.org/node/2751897',
-      'Providing settings under \'handler_settings\' is deprecated and will be removed before 9.0.0. Move the settings in the root of the configuration array. See https://www.drupal.org/node/2870971.',
       'The Drupal\editor\Plugin\EditorBase::settingsFormValidate method is deprecated since version 8.3.x and will be removed in 9.0.0.',
       'The Drupal\migrate\Plugin\migrate\process\Migration is deprecated in Drupal 8.4.0 and will be removed before Drupal 9.0.0. Instead, use Drupal\migrate\Plugin\migrate\process\MigrationLookup',
       'Drupal\system\Plugin\views\field\BulkForm is deprecated in Drupal 8.5.x, will be removed before Drupal 9.0.0. Use \Drupal\views\Plugin\views\field\BulkForm instead. See https://www.drupal.org/node/2916716.',