diff --git a/core/includes/form.inc b/core/includes/form.inc
index 984daf7c7a2e34ed9bb215bab7211a2f74ce0b89..c037ce1eda5874fa40191ff0eef2c4fae504e454 100644
--- a/core/includes/form.inc
+++ b/core/includes/form.inc
@@ -1068,31 +1068,20 @@ function template_preprocess_fieldset(&$variables) {
   _form_set_attributes($element, array('form-wrapper'));
   $variables['attributes'] = $element['#attributes'];
   $variables['attributes']['class'][] = 'form-item';
-
-  // If the element is required, a required marker is appended to the label.
-  $variables['required'] = '';
-  if (!empty($element['#required'])) {
-    $variables['required'] = array(
-      '#theme' => 'form_required_marker',
-      '#element' => $element,
-    );
-  }
-
   $variables['prefix'] = isset($element['#field_prefix']) ? $element['#field_prefix'] : NULL;
   $variables['suffix'] = isset($element['#field_suffix']) ? $element['#field_suffix'] : NULL;
   $variables['children'] = $element['#children'];
-
-  // Build legend properties.
-  $variables['legend'] = array();
   $legend_attributes = array();
   if (isset($element['#title_display']) && $element['#title_display'] == 'invisible') {
     $legend_attributes['class'][] = 'visually-hidden';
   }
   $variables['legend']['attributes'] = new Attribute($legend_attributes);
   $variables['legend']['title'] = (isset($element['#title']) && $element['#title'] !== '') ? Xss::filterAdmin($element['#title']) : '';
-
-  // Build description properties.
-  $variables['description'] = array();
+  $legend_span_attributes = array('class' => array('fieldset-legend'));
+  if (!empty($element['#required'])) {
+    $legend_span_attributes['class'][] = 'form-required';
+    $variables['legend_span']['attributes'] = new Attribute($legend_span_attributes);
+  }
   if (!empty($element['#description'])) {
     $description_id = $element['#attributes']['id'] . '--description';
     $description_attributes = array(
@@ -2932,7 +2921,7 @@ function template_preprocess_form_element(&$variables) {
     $variables['attributes']['class'][] = 'form-disabled';
   }
 
-  // If #title is not set, we don't display any label or required marker.
+  // If #title is not set, we don't display any label.
   if (!isset($element['#title'])) {
     $element['#title_display'] = 'none';
   }
@@ -2957,23 +2946,6 @@ function template_preprocess_form_element(&$variables) {
   $variables['children'] = $element['#children'];
 }
 
-/**
- * Returns HTML for a marker for required form elements.
- *
- * @param $variables
- *   An associative array containing:
- *   - element: An associative array containing the properties of the element.
- *
- * @ingroup themeable
- */
-function theme_form_required_marker($variables) {
-  $attributes = array(
-    'class' => 'form-required',
-    'aria-hidden' => 'true',
-  );
-  return '<span' . new Attribute($attributes) . '>*</span>';
-}
-
 /**
  * Returns HTML for a form element label and required marker.
  *
@@ -3004,26 +2976,16 @@ function theme_form_element_label($variables) {
     return '';
   }
 
-  // If the element is required, a required marker is appended to the label.
-  $required = '';
-  if (!empty($element['#required'])) {
-    $marker = array(
-      '#theme' => 'form_required_marker',
-      '#element' => $element,
-    );
-    $required = drupal_render($marker);
-  }
-
   $title = Xss::filterAdmin($element['#title']);
 
   $attributes = array();
   // Style the label as class option to display inline with the element.
   if ($element['#title_display'] == 'after') {
-    $attributes['class'] = 'option';
+    $attributes['class'][] = 'option';
   }
   // Show label only to screen readers to avoid disruption in visual flows.
   elseif ($element['#title_display'] == 'invisible') {
-    $attributes['class'] = 'visually-hidden';
+    $attributes['class'][] = 'visually-hidden';
   }
 
   // A #for property of a dedicated #type 'label' element as precedence.
@@ -3040,7 +3002,13 @@ function theme_form_element_label($variables) {
     $attributes['for'] = $element['#id'];
   }
 
-  return '<label' . new Attribute($attributes) . '>' . t('!title!required', array('!title' => $title, '!required' => $required)) . '</label>';
+  // For required elements a 'form-required' class is appended to the
+  // label attributes.
+  if (!empty($element['#required'])) {
+    $attributes['class'][] = 'form-required';
+  }
+
+  return '<label' . new Attribute($attributes) . '>' . $title . '</label>';
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/core/includes/theme.inc b/core/includes/theme.inc
index 423008727deb3bce92f0887eabb5c5aaac420c3d..bc44213c4002747fccff3f4de390dbcb8ee175fd 100644
--- a/core/includes/theme.inc
+++ b/core/includes/theme.inc
@@ -2662,9 +2662,6 @@ function drupal_common_theme() {
       'render element' => 'element',
       'template' => 'form-element',
     ),
-    'form_required_marker' => array(
-      'render element' => 'element',
-    ),
     'form_element_label' => array(
       'render element' => 'element',
     ),
diff --git a/core/misc/states.js b/core/misc/states.js
index 701d6fcba76c797f9bac232cef24b8ab51056dc4..530f03e6d8013aedd2a5de2130b6a66d07449305 100644
--- a/core/misc/states.js
+++ b/core/misc/states.js
@@ -522,12 +522,12 @@
       if (e.value) {
         var $label = $(e.target).attr({ 'required': 'required', 'aria-required': 'aria-required' }).closest('.form-item, .form-wrapper').find('label');
         // Avoids duplicate required markers on initialization.
-        if (!$label.find('.form-required').length) {
-          $label.append(Drupal.theme('requiredMarker'));
+        if (!$label.hasClass('form-required').length) {
+          $label.addClass('form-required');
         }
       }
       else {
-        $(e.target).removeAttr('required aria-required').closest('.form-item, .form-wrapper').find('label .form-required').remove();
+        $(e.target).removeAttr('required aria-required').closest('.form-item, .form-wrapper').find('label.form-required').removeClass('form-required');
       }
     }
   });
@@ -573,10 +573,4 @@
     return (a === b) ? (typeof a === 'undefined' ? a : true) : (typeof a === 'undefined' || typeof b === 'undefined');
   }
 
-  $.extend(Drupal.theme, {
-    requiredMarker: function () {
-      return '<abbr class="form-required" title="' + Drupal.t('This field is required.') + '">*</abbr>';
-    }
-  });
-
 })(jQuery);
diff --git a/core/modules/datetime/datetime.module b/core/modules/datetime/datetime.module
index c8dd4d1b03696bb98ae9b18ca69702ade4527f40..3d13b7b7655a0b836305e5d51e07a3e21c59b00a 100644
--- a/core/modules/datetime/datetime.module
+++ b/core/modules/datetime/datetime.module
@@ -226,13 +226,6 @@ function template_preprocess_datetime_form(&$variables) {
 function template_preprocess_datetime_wrapper(&$variables) {
   $element = $variables['element'];
 
-  // If the element is required, a required marker is appended to the label.
-  $form_required_marker = array(
-    '#theme' => 'form_required_marker',
-    '#element' => $element,
-  );
-  $variables['required'] = !empty($element['#required']) ? drupal_render($form_required_marker) : '';
-
   if (!empty($element['#title'])) {
     $variables['title'] = $element['#title'];
   }
@@ -241,6 +234,13 @@ function template_preprocess_datetime_wrapper(&$variables) {
     $variables['description'] = $element['#description'];
   }
 
+  $title_attributes = array('class' => array('label'));
+  // For required datetime fields a 'form-required' class is appended to the
+  // label attributes.
+  if (!empty($element['#required'])) {
+    $title_attributes['class'][] = 'form-required';
+  }
+  $variables['title_attributes'] = new Attribute($title_attributes);
   $variables['content'] = $element['#children'];
 }
 
diff --git a/core/modules/datetime/lib/Drupal/datetime/Tests/DateTimeFieldTest.php b/core/modules/datetime/lib/Drupal/datetime/Tests/DateTimeFieldTest.php
index 0302c72a61d477faab18f6272dc9c8b9f8d96276..d8c976a5b6ef4360bbb62db6a6da319438902185 100644
--- a/core/modules/datetime/lib/Drupal/datetime/Tests/DateTimeFieldTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/datetime/lib/Drupal/datetime/Tests/DateTimeFieldTest.php
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ function testDateField() {
     // Display creation form.
     $this->drupalGet('entity_test/add');
     $this->assertFieldByName("{$field_name}[0][value][date]", '', 'Date element found.');
-    $this->assertFieldByXPath('//*[@id="edit-' . $field_name . '-wrapper"]/h4/span', '*', 'Required markup found');
+    $this->assertFieldByXPath('//*[@id="edit-' . $field_name . '-wrapper"]/h4[contains(@class, "form-required")]', TRUE, 'Required markup found');
     $this->assertNoFieldByName("{$field_name}[0][value][time]", '', 'Time element not found.');
 
     // Submit a valid date and ensure it is accepted.
diff --git a/core/modules/datetime/templates/datetime-wrapper.html.twig b/core/modules/datetime/templates/datetime-wrapper.html.twig
index a4acf70cfee796d47de5d6068ea76e3937e861f1..5660cf57477d69200fbb239ff8ffde10c03e45fc 100644
--- a/core/modules/datetime/templates/datetime-wrapper.html.twig
+++ b/core/modules/datetime/templates/datetime-wrapper.html.twig
@@ -6,8 +6,7 @@
  * Available variables:
  * - content: The form element to be output, usually a datelist, or datetime.
  * - title: The title of the form element.
- * - attributes: HTML attributes for the form wrapper.
- * - required: (optional) A marker indicating that the form element is required.
+ * - title_attributes: HTML attributes for the title wrapper.
  * - description: Description text for the form element.
  *
  * @see template_preprocess_datetime_wrapper()
@@ -16,9 +15,7 @@
  */
 #}
 {% if title %}
-  <h4 class="label">
-    {% trans %}{{ title|passthrough }}{{ required|passthrough }}{% endtrans %}
-  </h4>
+  <h4{{ title_attributes }}>{{ title }}</h4>
 {% endif %}
 {{ content }}
 {% if description %}
diff --git a/core/modules/system/css/system.theme.css b/core/modules/system/css/system.theme.css
index b8678a35a8a74b54acc2f9f4feefb7e602b756d7..c8908b501f6436f9dcb04691c5dca0d951051582 100644
--- a/core/modules/system/css/system.theme.css
+++ b/core/modules/system/css/system.theme.css
@@ -79,11 +79,20 @@ h4.label {
 .form-type-checkbox .description {
   margin-left: 2.4em;
 }
-.marker,
-.form-required {
+.marker {
   color: #e00;
 }
-abbr.form-required, abbr.tabledrag-changed, abbr.ajax-changed {
+
+.form-required:after {
+  color: #e00;
+  /* Use a Unicode symbol to prevent screen-readers from announcing the text. */
+  content: " \204E ";
+  line-height: 1;
+  vertical-align: super;
+}
+
+abbr.tabledrag-changed,
+abbr.ajax-changed {
   border-bottom: none;
 }
 .form-item input.error,
diff --git a/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Tests/Form/ElementsLabelsTest.php b/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Tests/Form/ElementsLabelsTest.php
index 6c51a04a8da894b1c0bce17772c559e0a3f9fd7b..b002635558a7ca91bf061347b98210f81205b5fb 100644
--- a/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Tests/Form/ElementsLabelsTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Tests/Form/ElementsLabelsTest.php
@@ -59,10 +59,10 @@ function testFormLabels() {
 
     // Exercise various defaults for textboxes and modifications to ensure
     // appropriate override and correct behavior.
-    $elements = $this->xpath('//label[@for="edit-form-textfield-test-title-and-required"]/child::span[@class="form-required"]/parent::*/following-sibling::input[@id="edit-form-textfield-test-title-and-required"]');
+    $elements = $this->xpath('//label[@for="edit-form-textfield-test-title-and-required" and @class="form-required"]/following-sibling::input[@id="edit-form-textfield-test-title-and-required"]');
     $this->assertTrue(isset($elements[0]), 'Label precedes textfield, with required marker inside label.');
 
-    $elements = $this->xpath('//input[@id="edit-form-textfield-test-no-title-required"]/preceding-sibling::label[@for="edit-form-textfield-test-no-title-required"]/span[@class="form-required"]');
+    $elements = $this->xpath('//input[@id="edit-form-textfield-test-no-title-required"]/preceding-sibling::label[@for="edit-form-textfield-test-no-title-required" and @class="form-required"]');
     $this->assertTrue(isset($elements[0]), 'Label tag with required marker precedes required textfield with no title.');
 
     $elements = $this->xpath('//input[@id="edit-form-textfield-test-title-invisible"]/preceding-sibling::label[@for="edit-form-textfield-test-title-invisible" and @class="visually-hidden"]');
diff --git a/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Tests/Form/FormTest.php b/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Tests/Form/FormTest.php
index 634b00409b571021674d99654644420c81d4ae8f..b4eebff9c107fa3c96641a3c870537d28bcef01e 100644
--- a/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Tests/Form/FormTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Tests/Form/FormTest.php
@@ -97,8 +97,7 @@ function testRequiredFields() {
     $elements['file']['empty_values'] = $empty_strings;
 
     // Regular expression to find the expected marker on required elements.
-    $required_marker_preg = '@<(?:label|legend).*<span class="form-required" aria-hidden="true">\*</span>.*</(?:label|legend)>@';
-
+    $required_marker_preg = '@<.*?class=".*?form-required.*?">@';
     // Go through all the elements and all the empty values for them.
     foreach ($elements as $type => $data) {
       foreach ($data['empty_values'] as $key => $empty) {
diff --git a/core/modules/system/templates/fieldset.html.twig b/core/modules/system/templates/fieldset.html.twig
index 9e4fe68c534ead1272a1008c8d4db62eccaf4e8e..52d410fec4eb21d8d6bcb48bd340972a9facaf1e 100644
--- a/core/modules/system/templates/fieldset.html.twig
+++ b/core/modules/system/templates/fieldset.html.twig
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 <fieldset{{ attributes }}>
   {% if legend.title is not empty or required -%}
     {#  Always wrap fieldset legends in a SPAN for CSS positioning. #}
-    <legend{{ legend.attributes }}><span class="fieldset-legend">{{ legend.title }}{{ required }}</span></legend>
+    <legend{{ legend.attributes }}><span class="{{ legend_span.attributes.class }}">{{ legend.title }}{{ required }}</span></legend>
   {%- endif %}
   <div class="fieldset-wrapper">
     {% if prefix %}
diff --git a/core/themes/bartik/css/style.css b/core/themes/bartik/css/style.css
index 80ddc82e5f98db203bc0a47271322a8df0513b93..d8dff1aa9ba3a2dbb6f5db94026b7fb2440fb1d1 100644
--- a/core/themes/bartik/css/style.css
+++ b/core/themes/bartik/css/style.css
@@ -440,7 +440,7 @@ h1.site-name {
   background: #fff;
   background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);
 }
-.region-header .form-required {
+.region-header .form-required:after {
   color: #eee;
   color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);
 }