diff --git a/wp-includes/taxonomy.php b/wp-includes/taxonomy.php
index 4014a62655..531a6f537b 100644
--- a/wp-includes/taxonomy.php
+++ b/wp-includes/taxonomy.php
@@ -1480,6 +1480,10 @@ function unregister_term_meta( $taxonomy, $meta_key ) {
 function term_exists( $term, $taxonomy = '', $parent = null ) {
 	global $wpdb;
 
+	if ( null === $term ) {
+		return null;
+	}
+
 	$select     = "SELECT term_id FROM $wpdb->terms as t WHERE ";
 	$tax_select = "SELECT tt.term_id, tt.term_taxonomy_id FROM $wpdb->terms AS t INNER JOIN $wpdb->term_taxonomy as tt ON tt.term_id = t.term_id WHERE ";
 
diff --git a/wp-includes/version.php b/wp-includes/version.php
index b97456cec8..1633986cd2 100644
--- a/wp-includes/version.php
+++ b/wp-includes/version.php
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
  *
  * @global string $wp_version
  */
-$wp_version = '5.9-alpha-51795';
+$wp_version = '5.9-alpha-51796';
 
 /**
  * Holds the WordPress DB revision, increments when changes are made to the WordPress DB schema.