diff --git a/src/wp-includes/functions.php b/src/wp-includes/functions.php
index 55f43cbe31..5d32afa578 100644
--- a/src/wp-includes/functions.php
+++ b/src/wp-includes/functions.php
@@ -6381,8 +6381,10 @@ function wp_timezone_choice( $selected_zone, $locale = null ) {
 		$mo_loaded = true;
 	}
 
-	$zonen = array();
-	foreach ( timezone_identifiers_list() as $zone ) {
+	$tz_identifiers = timezone_identifiers_list();
+	$zonen          = array();
+
+	foreach ( $tz_identifiers as $zone ) {
 		$zone = explode( '/', $zone );
 		if ( ! in_array( $zone[0], $continents, true ) ) {
 			continue;
@@ -6417,6 +6419,13 @@ function wp_timezone_choice( $selected_zone, $locale = null ) {
 		$structure[] = '<option selected="selected" value="">' . __( 'Select a city' ) . '</option>';
 	}
 
+	// If this is a deprecated, but valid, timezone string, display it at the top of the list as-is.
+	if ( in_array( $selected_zone, $tz_identifiers, true ) === false
+		&& in_array( $selected_zone, timezone_identifiers_list( DateTimeZone::ALL_WITH_BC ), true )
+	) {
+		$structure[] = '<option selected="selected" value="' . esc_attr( $selected_zone ) . '">' . esc_html( $selected_zone ) . '</option>';
+	}
+
 	foreach ( $zonen as $key => $zone ) {
 		// Build value in an array to join later.
 		$value = array( $zone['continent'] );