diff --git a/core/modules/system/system.admin.inc b/core/modules/system/system.admin.inc
index 75f1c60994f8eddb9fbe7eee71dac1ec9819075f..1ce2b9ef0838ace97d70a99fc7fd3844134ccd99 100644
--- a/core/modules/system/system.admin.inc
+++ b/core/modules/system/system.admin.inc
@@ -116,9 +116,7 @@ function template_preprocess_admin_block_content(&$variables) {
 }
 
 /**
- * Prepares variables for administrative index page templates.
- *
- * Default template: admin-page.html.twig.
+ * Returns HTML for an administrative page.
  *
  * @param $variables
  *   An associative array containing:
@@ -129,24 +127,40 @@ function template_preprocess_admin_block_content(&$variables) {
  *
  * @ingroup themeable
  */
-function template_preprocess_admin_page(&$variables) {
-  $variables['system_compact_link'] = array(
-    '#theme' => 'system_compact_link',
-  );
-  $variables['containers'] = array();
+function theme_admin_page($variables) {
+  $blocks = $variables['blocks'];
+
   $stripe = 0;
-  foreach ($variables['blocks'] as $block) {
-    if (!empty($block['content']['#content'])) {
+  $container = array();
+
+  foreach ($blocks as $block) {
+    $admin_block = array(
+      '#theme' => 'admin_block',
+      '#block' => $block,
+    );
+    if ($block_output = drupal_render($admin_block)) {
       if (empty($block['position'])) {
-        // Perform automatic striping.
+        // perform automatic striping.
         $block['position'] = ++$stripe % 2 ? 'left' : 'right';
       }
-      $variables['containers'][$block['position']]['blocks'][] = array(
-        '#theme' => 'admin_block',
-        '#block' => $block,
-      );
+      if (!isset($container[$block['position']])) {
+        $container[$block['position']] = '';
+      }
+      $container[$block['position']] .= $block_output;
     }
   }
+
+  $system_compact_link = array('#theme' => 'system_compact_link');
+  $output = '<div class="admin clearfix">';
+  $output .= drupal_render($system_compact_link);
+
+  foreach ($container as $id => $data) {
+    $output .= '<div class="' . $id . ' clearfix">';
+    $output .= $data;
+    $output .= '</div>';
+  }
+  $output .= '</div>';
+  return $output;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/core/modules/system/system.module b/core/modules/system/system.module
index ca908a2792dd3714e7fe3e6e399522cd857fdc29..6caca8af9a4d5986d22fffd8cb8fe06cdfa8d04f 100644
--- a/core/modules/system/system.module
+++ b/core/modules/system/system.module
@@ -196,7 +196,6 @@ function system_theme() {
     'admin_page' => array(
       'variables' => array('blocks' => NULL),
       'file' => 'system.admin.inc',
-      'template' => 'admin-page',
     ),
     'admin_block' => array(
       'variables' => array('block' => NULL),
diff --git a/core/modules/system/templates/admin-page.html.twig b/core/modules/system/templates/admin-page.html.twig
deleted file mode 100644
index 73cae67c16351a0d78a883347e7d7553714dacf2..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/core/modules/system/templates/admin-page.html.twig
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,26 +0,0 @@
-{#
-/**
- * @file
- * Default theme implementation for an administrative page.
- *
- * Available variables:
- * - system_compact_link: Themed link to toggle compact view.
- * - containers: An list of administrative blocks keyed by position: left or
- *   right. Contains:
- *   - blocks: A list of blocks within a container.
- *
- * @see template_preprocess_admin_page()
- *
- * @ingroup themeable
- */
-#}
-<div class="admin clearfix">
-  {{ system_compact_link }}
-  {% for position, container in containers %}
-    <div class="{{ position }} clearfix">
-      {% for block in container.blocks %}
-        {{ block }}
-      {% endfor %}
-    </div>
-  {% endfor %}
-</div>