diff --git a/src/wp-includes/query.php b/src/wp-includes/query.php
index 7a210b09f1..d4ac780212 100644
--- a/src/wp-includes/query.php
+++ b/src/wp-includes/query.php
@@ -939,6 +939,11 @@ function is_main_query() {
  */
 function have_posts() {
 	global $wp_query;
+
+	if ( ! isset( $wp_query ) ) {
+		return false;
+	}
+
 	return $wp_query->have_posts();
 }
 
@@ -957,6 +962,11 @@ function have_posts() {
  */
 function in_the_loop() {
 	global $wp_query;
+
+	if ( ! isset( $wp_query ) ) {
+		return false;
+	}
+
 	return $wp_query->in_the_loop;
 }
 
@@ -969,6 +979,11 @@ function in_the_loop() {
  */
 function rewind_posts() {
 	global $wp_query;
+
+	if ( ! isset( $wp_query ) ) {
+		return;
+	}
+
 	$wp_query->rewind_posts();
 }
 
@@ -981,6 +996,11 @@ function rewind_posts() {
  */
 function the_post() {
 	global $wp_query;
+
+	if ( ! isset( $wp_query ) ) {
+		return;
+	}
+
 	$wp_query->the_post();
 }
 
@@ -999,6 +1019,11 @@ function the_post() {
  */
 function have_comments() {
 	global $wp_query;
+
+	if ( ! isset( $wp_query ) ) {
+		return false;
+	}
+
 	return $wp_query->have_comments();
 }
 
@@ -1008,12 +1033,15 @@ function have_comments() {
  * @since 2.2.0
  *
  * @global WP_Query $wp_query WordPress Query object.
- *
- * @return null
  */
 function the_comment() {
 	global $wp_query;
-	return $wp_query->the_comment();
+
+	if ( ! isset( $wp_query ) ) {
+		return;
+	}
+
+	$wp_query->the_comment();
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/tests/phpunit/tests/query/conditionals.php b/tests/phpunit/tests/query/conditionals.php
index cc191fa1f2..95621882b0 100644
--- a/tests/phpunit/tests/query/conditionals.php
+++ b/tests/phpunit/tests/query/conditionals.php
@@ -1660,4 +1660,37 @@ class Tests_Query_Conditionals extends WP_UnitTestCase {
 		return $functions;
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * @ticket 55722
+	 *
+	 * @dataProvider data_loop_functions_do_not_trigger_a_fatal_error_if_wp_query_is_not_set
+	 *
+	 * @param string     $function_name The name of the function to test.
+	 * @param false|null $expected      Expected return value.
+	 */
+	public function test_loop_functions_do_not_trigger_a_fatal_error_if_wp_query_is_not_set( $function_name, $expected ) {
+		unset( $GLOBALS['wp_query'] );
+
+		$this->assertSame( $expected, call_user_func( $function_name ) );
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Data provider.
+	 *
+	 * @return array[] Test parameters {
+	 *     @type string     $function_name The name of the function to test.
+	 *     @type false|null $expected      Expected return value.
+	 * }
+	 */
+	public function data_loop_functions_do_not_trigger_a_fatal_error_if_wp_query_is_not_set() {
+		return array(
+			array( 'have_posts', false ),
+			array( 'in_the_loop', false ),
+			array( 'rewind_posts', null ),
+			array( 'the_post', null ),
+			array( 'have_comments', false ),
+			array( 'the_comment', null ),
+		);
+	}
+
 }