diff --git a/wp-includes/comment-template.php b/wp-includes/comment-template.php
index e3cfdef312..943113605c 100644
--- a/wp-includes/comment-template.php
+++ b/wp-includes/comment-template.php
@@ -1434,6 +1434,24 @@ function comments_template( $file = '/comments.php', $separate_comments = false
 				$top_level_args['include_unapproved'] = $comment_args['include_unapproved'];
 			}
 
+			/**
+			 * Filters the arguments used in the top level comments query.
+			 *
+			 * @since 5.6.0
+			 *
+			 * @see WP_Comment_Query::__construct()
+			 *
+			 * @param array $top_level_args {
+			 *     The top level query arguments for the comments template.
+			 *
+			 *     @type bool         $count   Whether to return a comment count.
+			 *     @type string|array $orderby The field(s) to order by.
+			 *     @type int          $post_id The post ID.
+			 *     @type string|array $status  The comment status to limit results by.
+			 * }
+			 */
+			$top_level_args = apply_filters( 'comments_template_top_level_query_args', $top_level_args );
+
 			$top_level_count = $top_level_query->query( $top_level_args );
 
 			$comment_args['offset'] = ( ceil( $top_level_count / $per_page ) - 1 ) * $per_page;
@@ -1463,7 +1481,8 @@ function comments_template( $file = '/comments.php', $separate_comments = false
 	 *     @type int          $number                    Number of comments to fetch.
 	 * }
 	 */
-	$comment_args  = apply_filters( 'comments_template_query_args', $comment_args );
+	$comment_args = apply_filters( 'comments_template_query_args', $comment_args );
+
 	$comment_query = new WP_Comment_Query( $comment_args );
 	$_comments     = $comment_query->comments;
 
diff --git a/wp-includes/version.php b/wp-includes/version.php
index 984cdc9922..0d26f052ad 100644
--- a/wp-includes/version.php
+++ b/wp-includes/version.php
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
  *
  * @global string $wp_version
  */
-$wp_version = '5.6-alpha-49255';
+$wp_version = '5.6-alpha-49256';
 
 /**
  * Holds the WordPress DB revision, increments when changes are made to the WordPress DB schema.