diff --git a/src/wp-includes/category-template.php b/src/wp-includes/category-template.php
index c7352d5c5e..fb789606f4 100644
--- a/src/wp-includes/category-template.php
+++ b/src/wp-includes/category-template.php
@@ -461,6 +461,7 @@ function wp_dropdown_categories( $args = '' ) {
  * Display or retrieve the HTML list of categories.
  *
  * @since 2.1.0
+ * @since 4.4.0 Introduced the `hide_title_if_no_cats` argument.
  *
  * @param string|array $args {
  *     Array of optional arguments.
@@ -491,6 +492,8 @@ function wp_dropdown_categories( $args = '' ) {
  *                                            See {@link get_terms()}. Default true.
  *     @type string       $title_li           Text to use for the list title `<li>` element. Pass an empty string
  *                                            to disable. Default 'Categories'.
+ *     @type bool         $hide_title_if_no_cats Whether to hide the `$title_li` element if there are no terms in
+ *                                               the list. Default false (title will always be shown).
  *     @type int          $depth              Category depth. Used for tab indentation. Default 0.
  *     @type string       $taxonomy           Taxonomy name. Default 'category'.
  * }
@@ -507,6 +510,7 @@ function wp_list_categories( $args = '' ) {
 		'feed_image' => '', 'exclude' => '',
 		'exclude_tree' => '', 'current_category' => 0,
 		'hierarchical' => true, 'title_li' => __( 'Categories' ),
+		'hide_title_if_no_cats' => false,
 		'echo' => 1, 'depth' => 0,
 		'taxonomy' => 'category'
 	);
@@ -534,7 +538,7 @@ function wp_list_categories( $args = '' ) {
 	$categories = get_categories( $r );
 
 	$output = '';
-	if ( $r['title_li'] && 'list' == $r['style'] ) {
+	if ( $r['title_li'] && 'list' == $r['style'] && ( ! empty( $categories ) || ! $r['hide_title_if_no_cats'] ) ) {
 		$output = '<li class="' . esc_attr( $r['class'] ) . '">' . $r['title_li'] . '<ul>';
 	}
 	if ( empty( $categories ) ) {
diff --git a/tests/phpunit/tests/category/wpListCategories.php b/tests/phpunit/tests/category/wpListCategories.php
index e2c041c90e..a9d141b178 100644
--- a/tests/phpunit/tests/category/wpListCategories.php
+++ b/tests/phpunit/tests/category/wpListCategories.php
@@ -197,4 +197,54 @@ class Tests_Category_WpListCategories extends WP_UnitTestCase {
 
 		return $cat;
 	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @ticket 33460
+	 */
+	public function test_title_li_should_be_shown_by_default_for_empty_lists() {
+		$found = wp_list_categories( array(
+			'echo' => false,
+		) );
+
+		$this->assertContains( '<li class="categories">Categories', $found );
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @ticket 33460
+	 */
+	public function test_hide_title_if_no_cats_should_be_respected_for_empty_lists_when_true() {
+		$found = wp_list_categories( array(
+			'echo' => false,
+			'hide_title_if_no_cats' => true,
+		) );
+
+		$this->assertNotContains( '<li class="categories">Categories', $found );
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @ticket 33460
+	 */
+	public function test_hide_title_if_no_cats_should_be_respected_for_empty_lists_when_false() {
+		$found = wp_list_categories( array(
+			'echo' => false,
+			'hide_title_if_no_cats' => false,
+		) );
+
+		$this->assertContains( '<li class="categories">Categories', $found );
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @ticket 33460
+	 */
+	public function test_hide_title_if_no_cats_should_be_ignored_when_category_list_is_not_empty() {
+		$cat = $this->factory->category->create();
+
+		$found = wp_list_categories( array(
+			'echo' => false,
+			'hide_empty' => false,
+			'hide_title_if_no_cats' => true,
+		) );
+
+		$this->assertContains( '<li class="categories">Categories', $found );
+	}
 }