diff --git a/src/wp-includes/post-template.php b/src/wp-includes/post-template.php
index ddb5180117..a5ab249948 100644
--- a/src/wp-includes/post-template.php
+++ b/src/wp-includes/post-template.php
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ function get_the_content( $more_link_text = null, $strip_teaser = false, $post =
 		return '';
 	}
 
-	if ( null === $post ) {
+	if ( null === $post && in_the_loop() ) {
 		$elements = compact( 'page', 'more', 'preview', 'pages', 'multipage' );
 	} else {
 		$elements = generate_postdata( $_post );
diff --git a/tests/phpunit/tests/post/getTheContent.php b/tests/phpunit/tests/post/getTheContent.php
index 7bb14a1f93..54b8fe318e 100644
--- a/tests/phpunit/tests/post/getTheContent.php
+++ b/tests/phpunit/tests/post/getTheContent.php
@@ -75,4 +75,13 @@ class Tests_Post_GetTheContent extends WP_UnitTestCase {
 
 		$this->assertSame( 'Bang', $found );
 	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @ticket 47824
+	 */
+	public function test_should_fall_back_to_post_global_outside_of_the_loop() {
+		$GLOBALS['post'] = self::factory()->post->create( array( 'post_content' => 'Foo' ) );
+
+		$this->assertSame( 'Foo', get_the_content() );
+	}
 }