diff --git a/src/wp-includes/taxonomy-functions.php b/src/wp-includes/taxonomy-functions.php
index 8a80184197..eee37bc8a3 100644
--- a/src/wp-includes/taxonomy-functions.php
+++ b/src/wp-includes/taxonomy-functions.php
@@ -803,8 +803,9 @@ function get_term_by($field, $value, $taxonomy, $output = OBJECT, $filter = 'raw
 		$field = 'tt.term_taxonomy_id';
 	} else {
 		$term = get_term( (int) $value, $taxonomy, $output, $filter );
-		if ( is_wp_error( $term ) )
+		if ( is_wp_error( $term ) || is_null( $term ) ) {
 			$term = false;
+		}
 		return $term;
 	}
 
diff --git a/tests/phpunit/tests/term.php b/tests/phpunit/tests/term.php
index 60409dda15..bd050c55b0 100644
--- a/tests/phpunit/tests/term.php
+++ b/tests/phpunit/tests/term.php
@@ -57,6 +57,14 @@ class Tests_Term extends WP_UnitTestCase {
 		$this->assertEquals( get_term( $term1['term_id'], 'category' ), $term2 );
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * @ticket 33281
+	 */
+	function test_get_term_by_with_nonexistent_id_should_return_false() {
+		$term = get_term_by( 'id', 123456, 'category' );
+		$this->assertFalse( $term );
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * @ticket 15919
 	 */