diff --git a/src/wp-includes/post-thumbnail-template.php b/src/wp-includes/post-thumbnail-template.php
index f07302df3a..a024b1c00b 100644
--- a/src/wp-includes/post-thumbnail-template.php
+++ b/src/wp-includes/post-thumbnail-template.php
@@ -170,3 +170,30 @@ function get_the_post_thumbnail( $post = null, $size = 'post-thumbnail', $attr =
 	 */
 	return apply_filters( 'post_thumbnail_html', $html, $post->ID, $post_thumbnail_id, $size, $attr );
 }
+
+/**
+ * Return the post thumbnail URL.
+ *
+ * @since 4.4.0
+ *
+ * @param int|WP_Post  $post Optional. Post ID or WP_Post object.  Default is global `$post`.
+ * @param string|array $size Optional. Registered image size to retrieve the source for or a flat
+ *                           array of height and width dimensions. Default 'post-thumbnail'.
+ * @return string Post thumbnail URL or empty string.
+ */
+function get_the_post_thumbnail_url( $post = null, $size = 'post-thumbnail' ) {
+	$image = wp_get_attachment_image_url( get_post_thumbnail_id( $post ), $size );
+	return isset( $image ) ? $image : '';
+}
+
+/**
+ * Display the post thumbnail URL.
+ *
+ * @since 4.4.0
+ *
+ * @param string|array $size Optional. Registered image size to retrieve the source for or a flat
+ *                           array of height and width dimensions. Default 'post-thumbnail'.
+ */
+function the_post_thumbnail_url( $size = 'post-thumbnail' ) {
+	echo get_the_post_thumbnail_url( null, $size );
+}
diff --git a/tests/phpunit/tests/post/thumbnails.php b/tests/phpunit/tests/post/thumbnails.php
index ed212fad3d..f503383132 100644
--- a/tests/phpunit/tests/post/thumbnails.php
+++ b/tests/phpunit/tests/post/thumbnails.php
@@ -110,4 +110,50 @@ class Tests_Post_Thumbnail_Template extends WP_UnitTestCase {
 
 		$this->assertEquals( $expected, $actual );
 	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @ticket 33070
+	 */
+	function test_get_the_post_thumbnail_url() {
+		$this->assertEquals( '', get_the_post_thumbnail_url() );
+		$this->assertEquals( '', get_the_post_thumbnail_url( $this->post ) );
+
+		set_post_thumbnail( $this->post, $this->attachment_id );
+
+		var_dump( get_the_post_thumbnail_url( $this->post ) );
+
+		$this->assertEquals( '', get_the_post_thumbnail_url() );
+		$this->assertEquals( wp_get_attachment_url( $this->attachment_id ), get_the_post_thumbnail_url( $this->post ) );
+
+		$GLOBALS['post'] = $this->post;
+
+		$this->assertEquals( wp_get_attachment_url( $this->attachment_id ), get_the_post_thumbnail_url() );
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @ticket 33070
+	 */
+	function test_the_post_thumbnail_url() {
+		$GLOBALS['post'] = $this->post;
+
+		ob_start();
+		the_post_thumbnail_url();
+		$actual = ob_get_clean();
+
+		$this->assertEmpty( $actual );
+
+		ob_start();
+		the_post_thumbnail_url();
+		$actual = ob_get_clean();
+
+		$this->assertEmpty( $actual );
+
+		set_post_thumbnail( $this->post, $this->attachment_id );
+
+		ob_start();
+		the_post_thumbnail_url();
+		$actual = ob_get_clean();
+
+		$this->assertEquals( wp_get_attachment_url( $this->attachment_id ), $actual );
+	}
 }