diff --git a/wp-includes/comment-template.php b/wp-includes/comment-template.php
index 97c49e4ad8..1af1d8c6fd 100644
--- a/wp-includes/comment-template.php
+++ b/wp-includes/comment-template.php
@@ -2194,6 +2194,7 @@ function comment_form( $args = array(), $post_id = null ) {
 	$req      = get_option( 'require_name_email' );
 	$html_req = ( $req ? " required='required'" : '' );
 	$html5    = 'html5' === $args['format'];
+	$consent  = empty( $commenter['comment_author_email'] ) ? '' : ' checked="checked"';
 	$fields   =  array(
 		'author'  => '<p class="comment-form-author">' . '<label for="author">' . __( 'Name' ) . ( $req ? ' <span class="required">*</span>' : '' ) . '</label> ' .
 					 '<input id="author" name="author" type="text" value="' . esc_attr( $commenter['comment_author'] ) . '" size="30" maxlength="245"' . $html_req . ' /></p>',
@@ -2202,7 +2203,7 @@ function comment_form( $args = array(), $post_id = null ) {
 		'url'     => '<p class="comment-form-url"><label for="url">' . __( 'Website' ) . '</label> ' .
 					 '<input id="url" name="url" ' . ( $html5 ? 'type="url"' : 'type="text"' ) . ' value="' . esc_attr( $commenter['comment_author_url'] ) . '" size="30" maxlength="200" /></p>',
 		'cookies' => '<p class="comment-form-cookies-consent"><label for="wp-comment-cookies-consent">' .
-					 '<input id="wp-comment-cookies-consent" name="wp-comment-cookies-consent" type="checkbox" value="yes" />' .
+					 '<input id="wp-comment-cookies-consent" name="wp-comment-cookies-consent" type="checkbox" value="yes"' . $consent . ' />' .
 					 __( 'Save my name, email, and site URL in my browser for next time I post a comment.' ) . '</label></p>',
 	);
 
diff --git a/wp-includes/version.php b/wp-includes/version.php
index e409982d2d..1f7a8ba263 100644
--- a/wp-includes/version.php
+++ b/wp-includes/version.php
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
  *
  * @global string $wp_version
  */
-$wp_version = '4.9.6-alpha-43127';
+$wp_version = '4.9.6-alpha-43128';
 
 /**
  * Holds the WordPress DB revision, increments when changes are made to the WordPress DB schema.