diff --git a/wp-includes/formatting.php b/wp-includes/formatting.php
index 576b3c657a..5a135f0f0e 100644
--- a/wp-includes/formatting.php
+++ b/wp-includes/formatting.php
@@ -4711,7 +4711,7 @@ function sanitize_option( $option, $value ) {
 	global $wpdb;
 
 	$original_value = $value;
-	$error          = '';
+	$error          = null;
 
 	switch ( $option ) {
 		case 'admin_email':
@@ -4919,7 +4919,9 @@ function sanitize_option( $option, $value ) {
 				$value = str_replace( 'http://', '', $value );
 			}
 
-			if ( 'permalink_structure' === $option && '' !== $value && ! preg_match( '/%[^\/%]+%/', $value ) ) {
+			if ( 'permalink_structure' === $option && null === $error
+				&& '' !== $value && ! preg_match( '/%[^\/%]+%/', $value )
+			) {
 				$error = sprintf(
 					/* translators: %s: Documentation URL. */
 					__( 'A structure tag is required when using custom permalinks. <a href="%s">Learn more</a>' ),
@@ -4948,7 +4950,12 @@ function sanitize_option( $option, $value ) {
 			break;
 	}
 
-	if ( ! empty( $error ) ) {
+	if ( null !== $error ) {
+		if ( '' === $error && is_wp_error( $value ) ) {
+			/* translators: 1: Option name, 2: Error code. */
+			$error = sprintf( __( 'Could not sanitize the %1$s option. Error code: %2$s' ), $option, $value->get_error_code() );
+		}
+
 		$value = get_option( $option );
 		if ( function_exists( 'add_settings_error' ) ) {
 			add_settings_error( $option, "invalid_{$option}", $error );
diff --git a/wp-includes/version.php b/wp-includes/version.php
index 5709a1bd2b..a8c65d86c5 100644
--- a/wp-includes/version.php
+++ b/wp-includes/version.php
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
  *
  * @global string $wp_version
  */
-$wp_version = '5.9-alpha-52293';
+$wp_version = '5.9-alpha-52294';
 
 /**
  * Holds the WordPress DB revision, increments when changes are made to the WordPress DB schema.
diff --git a/wp-includes/wp-db.php b/wp-includes/wp-db.php
index 0eaede8811..fa071c426d 100644
--- a/wp-includes/wp-db.php
+++ b/wp-includes/wp-db.php
@@ -2885,7 +2885,7 @@ class wpdb {
 		$table       = '`' . implode( '`.`', $table_parts ) . '`';
 		$results     = $this->get_results( "SHOW FULL COLUMNS FROM $table" );
 		if ( ! $results ) {
-			return new WP_Error( 'wpdb_get_table_charset_failure' );
+			return new WP_Error( 'wpdb_get_table_charset_failure', __( 'Could not retrieve table charset.' ) );
 		}
 
 		foreach ( $results as $column ) {
@@ -3327,7 +3327,7 @@ class wpdb {
 			$this->check_current_query = false;
 			$row                       = $this->get_row( 'SELECT ' . implode( ', ', $sql ), ARRAY_A );
 			if ( ! $row ) {
-				return new WP_Error( 'wpdb_strip_invalid_text_failure' );
+				return new WP_Error( 'wpdb_strip_invalid_text_failure', __( 'Could not strip invalid text.' ) );
 			}
 
 			foreach ( array_keys( $data ) as $column ) {