diff --git a/wp-includes/class-wp.php b/wp-includes/class-wp.php
index 6791c98cbc..238e2e6660 100644
--- a/wp-includes/class-wp.php
+++ b/wp-includes/class-wp.php
@@ -331,12 +331,12 @@ class WP {
 			if ( $t->query_var && isset( $this->query_vars[$t->query_var] ) )
 				$this->query_vars[$t->query_var] = str_replace( ' ', '+', $this->query_vars[$t->query_var] );
 
-		// Don't allow non-public taxonomies to be queried from the front-end.
+		// Don't allow non-publicly queryable taxonomies to be queried from the front-end.
 		if ( ! is_admin() ) {
-			foreach ( get_taxonomies( array( 'public' => false ), 'objects' ) as $taxonomy => $t ) {
+			foreach ( get_taxonomies( array( 'publicly_queryable' => false ), 'objects' ) as $taxonomy => $t ) {
 				/*
 				 * Disallow when set to the 'taxonomy' query var.
-				 * Non-public taxonomies cannot register custom query vars. See register_taxonomy().
+				 * Non-publicly queryable taxonomies cannot register custom query vars. See register_taxonomy().
 				 */
 				if ( isset( $this->query_vars['taxonomy'] ) && $taxonomy === $this->query_vars['taxonomy'] ) {
 					unset( $this->query_vars['taxonomy'], $this->query_vars['term'] );
diff --git a/wp-includes/taxonomy.php b/wp-includes/taxonomy.php
index 4d672564ef..0164b0f803 100644
--- a/wp-includes/taxonomy.php
+++ b/wp-includes/taxonomy.php
@@ -288,7 +288,12 @@ function is_taxonomy_hierarchical($taxonomy) {
  *                                                taxonomies. See accepted values in get_taxonomy_labels().
  *                                                Default empty array.
  *     @type string        $description           A short descriptive summary of what the taxonomy is for. Default empty.
- *     @type bool          $public                Whether the taxonomy is publicly queryable. Default true.
+ *     @type bool          $public                Whether a taxonomy is intended for use publicly either via
+ *                                                the admin interface or by front-end users. The default settings
+ *                                                of `$publicly_queryable`, `$show_ui`, and `$show_in_nav_menus`
+ *                                                are inherited from `$public`.
+ *     @type bool          $publicly_queryable    Whether the taxonomy is publicly queryable.
+ *                                                If not set, the default is inherited from `$public`
  *     @type bool          $hierarchical          Whether the taxonomy is hierarchical. Default false.
  *     @type bool          $show_ui               Whether to generate and allow a UI for managing terms in this taxonomy in
  *                                                the admin. If not set, the default is inherited from `$public`
@@ -362,6 +367,7 @@ function register_taxonomy( $taxonomy, $object_type, $args = array() ) {
 		'labels'                => array(),
 		'description'           => '',
 		'public'                => true,
+		'publicly_queryable'    => null,
 		'hierarchical'          => false,
 		'show_ui'               => null,
 		'show_in_menu'          => null,
@@ -383,8 +389,13 @@ function register_taxonomy( $taxonomy, $object_type, $args = array() ) {
 		return new WP_Error( 'taxonomy_length_invalid', __( 'Taxonomy names must be between 1 and 32 characters in length.' ) );
 	}
 
-	// Non-public taxonomies should not register query vars, except in the admin.
-	if ( false !== $args['query_var'] && ( is_admin() || false !== $args['public'] ) && ! empty( $wp ) ) {
+	// If not set, default to the setting for public.
+	if ( null === $args['publicly_queryable'] ) {
+		$args['publicly_queryable'] = $args['public'];
+	}
+
+	// Non-publicly queryable taxonomies should not register query vars, except in the admin.
+	if ( false !== $args['query_var'] && ( is_admin() || false !== $args['publicly_queryable'] ) && ! empty( $wp ) ) {
 		if ( true === $args['query_var'] )
 			$args['query_var'] = $taxonomy;
 		else
diff --git a/wp-includes/version.php b/wp-includes/version.php
index b5a96e3e08..40e1fca2f8 100644
--- a/wp-includes/version.php
+++ b/wp-includes/version.php
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
  *
  * @global string $wp_version
  */
-$wp_version = '4.5-alpha-36524';
+$wp_version = '4.5-alpha-36525';
 
 /**
  * Holds the WordPress DB revision, increments when changes are made to the WordPress DB schema.