diff --git a/core/block.js b/core/block.js
index 5cd0bfff7..3adc9a479 100644
--- a/core/block.js
+++ b/core/block.js
@@ -1078,7 +1078,7 @@ Blockly.Block.prototype.updateVarName = function(variable) {
     for (var j = 0, field; field = input.fieldRow[j]; j++) {
       if (field.referencesVariables() &&
           variable.getId() == field.getValue()) {
-        field.setText(variable.name);
+        field.updateVariableName();
       }
     }
   }
diff --git a/core/field.js b/core/field.js
index 9120df0d7..c5bd528fb 100644
--- a/core/field.js
+++ b/core/field.js
@@ -706,6 +706,7 @@ Blockly.Field.prototype.getText = function() {
 /**
  * Set the text in this field.  Trigger a rerender of the source block.
  * @param {*} newText New text.
+ * @deprecated 2019 setText should not be used directly. Use setValue instead.
  */
 Blockly.Field.prototype.setText = function(newText) {
   if (newText === null) {
diff --git a/core/field_image.js b/core/field_image.js
index bd5a56ae1..ee7cb6628 100644
--- a/core/field_image.js
+++ b/core/field_image.js
@@ -167,8 +167,19 @@ Blockly.FieldImage.prototype.getFlipRtl = function() {
  * Set the alt text of this image.
  * @param {?string} alt New alt text.
  * @override
+ * @deprecated 2019 setText has been deprecated for all fields. Instead use
+ *    setAlt to set the alt text of the field.
  */
 Blockly.FieldImage.prototype.setText = function(alt) {
+  this.setAlt(alt);
+};
+
+/**
+ * Set the alt text of this image.
+ * @param {?string} alt New alt text.
+ * @public
+ */
+Blockly.FieldImage.prototype.setAlt = function(alt) {
   if (alt === null) {
     // No change if null.
     return;
diff --git a/core/field_variable.js b/core/field_variable.js
index 42fba9ebe..5e5761b39 100644
--- a/core/field_variable.js
+++ b/core/field_variable.js
@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ Blockly.FieldVariable.prototype.doClassValidation_ = function(newId) {
 Blockly.FieldVariable.prototype.doValueUpdate_ = function(newId) {
   this.variable_ = Blockly.Variables.getVariable(this.workspace_, newId);
   this.value_ = newId;
-  this.text_ = (this.variable_.name);
+  this.text_ = this.variable_.name;
   this.isDirty_ = true;
 };
 
@@ -341,6 +341,16 @@ Blockly.FieldVariable.prototype.setTypes_ = function(opt_variableTypes,
   this.variableTypes = variableTypes;
 };
 
+/**
+ * A callback to update the name of a variable. Should only be called by
+ * the block.
+ * @package
+ */
+Blockly.FieldVariable.prototype.updateVariableName = function() {
+  this.text_ = this.variable_.name;
+  this.forceRerender();
+};
+
 /**
  * Return a sorted list of variable names for variable dropdown menus.
  * Include a special option at the end for creating a new variable name.