diff --git a/wp-includes/author-template.php b/wp-includes/author-template.php
index 3f28492377..a4f2a1815a 100644
--- a/wp-includes/author-template.php
+++ b/wp-includes/author-template.php
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ function the_author( $deprecated = '', $deprecated_echo = true ) {
  *
  * @since 2.8.0
  *
- * @return string|void The author's display name.
+ * @return string|void The author's display name, empty string if unkown.
  */
 function get_the_modified_author() {
 	$last_id = get_post_meta( get_post()->ID, '_edit_last', true );
@@ -99,9 +99,9 @@ function get_the_modified_author() {
 		 *
 		 * @since 2.8.0
 		 *
-		 * @param string $display_name The author's display name.
+		 * @param string $display_name The author's display name, empty string if unkown.
 		 */
-		return apply_filters( 'the_modified_author', $last_user->display_name );
+		return apply_filters( 'the_modified_author', $last_user ? $last_user->display_name : '' );
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/wp-includes/version.php b/wp-includes/version.php
index c33353bbb1..fd693c57bc 100644
--- a/wp-includes/version.php
+++ b/wp-includes/version.php
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
  *
  * @global string $wp_version
  */
-$wp_version = '6.0-beta1-53186';
+$wp_version = '6.0-beta1-53187';
 
 /**
  * Holds the WordPress DB revision, increments when changes are made to the WordPress DB schema.