diff --git a/src/wp-includes/taxonomy.php b/src/wp-includes/taxonomy.php
index 0e29545bab..f73b9666cd 100644
--- a/src/wp-includes/taxonomy.php
+++ b/src/wp-includes/taxonomy.php
@@ -1656,9 +1656,10 @@ function get_terms( $taxonomies, $args = '' ) {
  * @param int|string $term The term to check
  * @param string $taxonomy The taxonomy name to use
  * @param int $parent Optional. ID of parent term under which to confine the exists search.
- * @return mixed Returns 0 if the term does not exist. Returns the term ID if no taxonomy is specified
- *               and the term ID exists. Returns an array of the term ID and the term taxonomy ID
- *               if the taxonomy is specified and the pairing exists.
+ * @return mixed Returns null if the term does not exist. Returns the term ID
+ *               if no taxonomy is specified and the term ID exists. Returns
+ *               an array of the term ID and the term taxonomy ID the taxonomy
+ *               is specified and the pairing exists.
  */
 function term_exists( $term, $taxonomy = '', $parent = null ) {
 	global $wpdb;
@@ -1677,9 +1678,7 @@ function term_exists( $term, $taxonomy = '', $parent = null ) {
 	}
 
 	$term = trim( wp_unslash( $term ) );
-
-	if ( '' === $slug = sanitize_title($term) )
-		return 0;
+	$slug = sanitize_title( $term );
 
 	$where = 't.slug = %s';
 	$else_where = 't.name = %s';
diff --git a/tests/phpunit/tests/term.php b/tests/phpunit/tests/term.php
index 9b0a92ad68..ef4051765e 100644
--- a/tests/phpunit/tests/term.php
+++ b/tests/phpunit/tests/term.php
@@ -112,7 +112,20 @@ class Tests_Term extends WP_UnitTestCase {
 	}
 
 	public function test_term_exists_term_trimmed_to_empty_string() {
-		$this->assertSame( 0, term_exists( '   ' ) );
+		$this->assertNull( term_exists( '   ' ) );
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @ticket 29589
+	 */
+	public function test_term_exists_existing_term_that_sanitizes_to_empty() {
+		wp_insert_term( '//', 'category' );
+		$this->assertNotEmpty( term_exists( '//' ) );
+		$this->assertNotEmpty( term_exists( '//', 'category' ) );
+
+		wp_insert_term( '>>', 'category' );
+		$this->assertNotEmpty( term_exists( '>>' ) );
+		$this->assertNotEmpty( term_exists( '>>', 'category' ) );
 	}
 
 	public function test_term_exists_taxonomy_nonempty_parent_nonempty_match_slug() {