diff --git a/wp-includes/class-wp-walker.php b/wp-includes/class-wp-walker.php
index ff5eac2f50..df67921c27 100644
--- a/wp-includes/class-wp-walker.php
+++ b/wp-includes/class-wp-walker.php
@@ -135,6 +135,9 @@ class Walker {
 			return;
 		}
 
+		$max_depth = (int) $max_depth;
+		$depth     = (int) $depth;
+
 		$id_field = $this->db_fields['id'];
 		$id       = $element->$id_field;
 
@@ -191,6 +194,8 @@ class Walker {
 	public function walk( $elements, $max_depth, ...$args ) {
 		$output = '';
 
+		$max_depth = (int) $max_depth;
+
 		// Invalid parameter or nothing to walk.
 		if ( $max_depth < -1 || empty( $elements ) ) {
 			return $output;
@@ -285,12 +290,14 @@ class Walker {
 	 * @return string XHTML of the specified page of elements.
 	 */
 	public function paged_walk( $elements, $max_depth, $page_num, $per_page, ...$args ) {
-		if ( empty( $elements ) || $max_depth < -1 ) {
-			return '';
-		}
-
 		$output = '';
 
+		$max_depth = (int) $max_depth;
+
+		if ( empty( $elements ) || $max_depth < -1 ) {
+			return $output;
+		}
+
 		$parent_field = $this->db_fields['parent'];
 
 		$count = -1;
diff --git a/wp-includes/version.php b/wp-includes/version.php
index e7d9bd91c8..a13ff40440 100644
--- a/wp-includes/version.php
+++ b/wp-includes/version.php
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
  *
  * @global string $wp_version
  */
-$wp_version = '6.6.2-alpha-58862';
+$wp_version = '6.6.2-alpha-58863';
 
 /**
  * Holds the WordPress DB revision, increments when changes are made to the WordPress DB schema.