diff --git a/src/wp-includes/user.php b/src/wp-includes/user.php
index 9c8d789768..f43f5e9a94 100644
--- a/src/wp-includes/user.php
+++ b/src/wp-includes/user.php
@@ -1794,6 +1794,10 @@ function wp_insert_user( $userdata ) {
 	 */
 	$data = apply_filters( 'wp_pre_insert_user_data', $data, $update, $update ? (int) $ID : null );
 
+	if ( empty( $data ) || ! is_array( $data ) ) {
+		return new WP_Error( 'empty_data', __( 'Not enough data to create this user.' ) );
+	}
+
 	if ( $update ) {
 		if ( $user_email !== $old_user_data->user_email ) {
 			$data['user_activation_key'] = '';
diff --git a/tests/phpunit/tests/user.php b/tests/phpunit/tests/user.php
index 13824009b6..720fb137b7 100644
--- a/tests/phpunit/tests/user.php
+++ b/tests/phpunit/tests/user.php
@@ -961,6 +961,23 @@ class Tests_User extends WP_UnitTestCase {
 		);
 
 		$this->assertWPError( $u );
+		$this->assertSame( 'invalid_user_id', $u->get_error_code() );
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @ticket 47902
+	 */
+	public function test_wp_insert_user_with_empty_data() {
+		global $wpdb;
+
+		add_filter( 'wp_pre_insert_user_data', '__return_empty_array' );
+
+		$u = self::factory()->user->create();
+
+		remove_filter( 'wp_pre_insert_user_data', '__return_empty_array' );
+
+		$this->assertWPError( $u );
+		$this->assertSame( 'empty_data', $u->get_error_code() );
 	}
 
 	/**