diff --git a/wp-includes/rest-api/endpoints/class-wp-rest-terms-controller.php b/wp-includes/rest-api/endpoints/class-wp-rest-terms-controller.php
index ff399cc60e..527a8bc199 100644
--- a/wp-includes/rest-api/endpoints/class-wp-rest-terms-controller.php
+++ b/wp-includes/rest-api/endpoints/class-wp-rest-terms-controller.php
@@ -685,11 +685,15 @@ class WP_REST_Terms_Controller extends WP_REST_Controller {
 		}
 
 		if ( isset( $request['parent'] ) && ! empty( $schema['properties']['parent'] ) ) {
-			$parent_term_id = 0;
-			$parent_term    = get_term( (int) $request['parent'], $this->taxonomy );
+			$parent_term_id   = 0;
+			$requested_parent = (int) $request['parent'];
 
-			if ( $parent_term ) {
-				$parent_term_id = $parent_term->term_id;
+			if ( $requested_parent ) {
+				$parent_term = get_term( $requested_parent, $this->taxonomy );
+
+				if ( $parent_term instanceof WP_Term ) {
+					$parent_term_id = $parent_term->term_id;
+				}
 			}
 
 			$prepared_term->parent = $parent_term_id;
diff --git a/wp-includes/version.php b/wp-includes/version.php
index 40b1a3b030..9f6e12dcd6 100644
--- a/wp-includes/version.php
+++ b/wp-includes/version.php
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
  *
  * @global string $wp_version
  */
-$wp_version = '5.2-alpha-44964';
+$wp_version = '5.2-alpha-44965';
 
 /**
  * Holds the WordPress DB revision, increments when changes are made to the WordPress DB schema.