diff --git a/wp-includes/rest-api/endpoints/class-wp-rest-templates-controller.php b/wp-includes/rest-api/endpoints/class-wp-rest-templates-controller.php
index 9eb64707ae..1c2a7697c4 100644
--- a/wp-includes/rest-api/endpoints/class-wp-rest-templates-controller.php
+++ b/wp-includes/rest-api/endpoints/class-wp-rest-templates-controller.php
@@ -165,7 +165,8 @@ class WP_REST_Templates_Controller extends WP_REST_Controller {
 			array_shift( $hierarchy );
 		} while ( ! empty( $hierarchy ) && empty( $fallback_template->content ) );
 
-		$response = $this->prepare_item_for_response( $fallback_template, $request );
+		// To maintain original behavior, return an empty object rather than a 404 error when no template is found.
+		$response = $fallback_template ? $this->prepare_item_for_response( $fallback_template, $request ) : new stdClass();
 
 		return rest_ensure_response( $response );
 	}
diff --git a/wp-includes/version.php b/wp-includes/version.php
index 36103aa4d2..f001d823c4 100644
--- a/wp-includes/version.php
+++ b/wp-includes/version.php
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
  *
  * @global string $wp_version
  */
-$wp_version = '6.6-alpha-58077';
+$wp_version = '6.6-alpha-58079';
 
 /**
  * Holds the WordPress DB revision, increments when changes are made to the WordPress DB schema.