diff --git a/wp-includes/block-template.php b/wp-includes/block-template.php
index de266c04f2..7bea75dca4 100644
--- a/wp-includes/block-template.php
+++ b/wp-includes/block-template.php
@@ -48,6 +48,10 @@ function _add_template_loader_filters() {
 function locate_block_template( $template, $type, array $templates ) {
 	global $_wp_current_template_content;
 
+	if ( ! current_theme_supports( 'block-templates' ) ) {
+		return $template;
+	}
+
 	if ( $template ) {
 		/*
 		 * locate_template() has found a PHP template at the path specified by $template.
diff --git a/wp-includes/version.php b/wp-includes/version.php
index 0351f05a50..9ea4ae884f 100644
--- a/wp-includes/version.php
+++ b/wp-includes/version.php
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
  *
  * @global string $wp_version
  */
-$wp_version = '6.0-alpha-52696';
+$wp_version = '6.0-alpha-52697';
 
 /**
  * Holds the WordPress DB revision, increments when changes are made to the WordPress DB schema.