diff --git a/src/wp-includes/functions.php b/src/wp-includes/functions.php
index 32fe225564..7acc75beaf 100644
--- a/src/wp-includes/functions.php
+++ b/src/wp-includes/functions.php
@@ -46,13 +46,14 @@ function mysql2date( $format, $date, $translate = true ) {
  *
  * The 'mysql' type will return the time in the format for MySQL DATETIME field.
  * The 'timestamp' type will return the current timestamp.
+ * Other strings will be interpreted as PHP date formats (e.g. 'Y-m-d').
  *
  * If $gmt is set to either '1' or 'true', then both types will use GMT time.
  * if $gmt is false, the output is adjusted with the GMT offset in the WordPress option.
  *
  * @since 1.0.0
  *
- * @param string $type Either 'mysql' or 'timestamp'.
+ * @param string $type 'mysql', 'timestamp', or PHP date format string (e.g. 'Y-m-d').
  * @param int|bool $gmt Optional. Whether to use GMT timezone. Default is false.
  * @return int|string String if $type is 'gmt', int if $type is 'timestamp'.
  */
@@ -64,6 +65,9 @@ function current_time( $type, $gmt = 0 ) {
 		case 'timestamp':
 			return ( $gmt ) ? time() : time() + ( get_option( 'gmt_offset' ) * HOUR_IN_SECONDS );
 			break;
+		default:
+			return ( $gmt ) ? date( $type ) : date( $type, time() + ( get_option( 'gmt_offset' ) * HOUR_IN_SECONDS ) );
+			break;
 	}
 }