diff --git a/wp-includes/class-wp-list-util.php b/wp-includes/class-wp-list-util.php
index dfd44172b4..4df1dac357 100644
--- a/wp-includes/class-wp-list-util.php
+++ b/wp-includes/class-wp-list-util.php
@@ -102,7 +102,8 @@ class WP_List_Util {
 		$operator = strtoupper( $operator );
 
 		if ( ! in_array( $operator, array( 'AND', 'OR', 'NOT' ), true ) ) {
-			return array();
+			$this->output = array();
+			return $this->output;
 		}
 
 		$count    = count( $args );
diff --git a/wp-includes/functions.php b/wp-includes/functions.php
index 667049aa3f..58d762df80 100644
--- a/wp-includes/functions.php
+++ b/wp-includes/functions.php
@@ -5047,6 +5047,7 @@ function wp_filter_object_list( $list, $args = array(), $operator = 'and', $fiel
  *
  * @since 3.1.0
  * @since 4.7.0 Uses `WP_List_Util` class.
+ * @since 5.9.0 Converted into a wrapper for `wp_filter_object_list()`.
  *
  * @param array  $list     An array of objects to filter.
  * @param array  $args     Optional. An array of key => value arguments to match
@@ -5058,13 +5059,7 @@ function wp_filter_object_list( $list, $args = array(), $operator = 'and', $fiel
  * @return array Array of found values.
  */
 function wp_list_filter( $list, $args = array(), $operator = 'AND' ) {
-	if ( ! is_array( $list ) ) {
-		return array();
-	}
-
-	$util = new WP_List_Util( $list );
-
-	return $util->filter( $args, $operator );
+	return wp_filter_object_list( $list, $args, $operator );
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/wp-includes/version.php b/wp-includes/version.php
index 42082403bd..c8d40016cd 100644
--- a/wp-includes/version.php
+++ b/wp-includes/version.php
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
  *
  * @global string $wp_version
  */
-$wp_version = '5.9-alpha-52065';
+$wp_version = '5.9-alpha-52066';
 
 /**
  * Holds the WordPress DB revision, increments when changes are made to the WordPress DB schema.