diff --git a/src/wp-includes/class-wp-theme.php b/src/wp-includes/class-wp-theme.php
index 2d6ee7eca1..04cca33add 100644
--- a/src/wp-includes/class-wp-theme.php
+++ b/src/wp-includes/class-wp-theme.php
@@ -1210,7 +1210,7 @@ final class WP_Theme implements ArrayAccess {
 			$files += (array) self::scandir( $this->get_template_directory(), $type, $depth );
 		}
 
-		return $files;
+		return array_filter( $files );
 	}
 
 	/**
diff --git a/tests/phpunit/tests/theme/wpTheme.php b/tests/phpunit/tests/theme/wpTheme.php
index 3fb1e6e4b7..1096ca29c6 100644
--- a/tests/phpunit/tests/theme/wpTheme.php
+++ b/tests/phpunit/tests/theme/wpTheme.php
@@ -261,6 +261,35 @@ class Tests_Theme_wpTheme extends WP_UnitTestCase {
 		$this->assertSame( $expected, $theme->is_block_theme() );
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Test get_files for an existing theme.
+	 *
+	 * @ticket 53599
+	 */
+	public function test_get_files_theme() {
+		$theme = new WP_Theme( 'theme1', $this->theme_root );
+		$files = $theme->get_files();
+
+		$this->assertIsArray( $files );
+		$this->assertCount( 3, $files );
+		$this->assertArrayHasKey( 'functions.php', $files );
+		$this->assertArrayHasKey( 'index.php', $files );
+		$this->assertArrayHasKey( 'style.css', $files );
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Test get_files for a non-existing theme.
+	 *
+	 * @ticket 53599
+	 */
+	public function test_get_files_nonexistent_theme() {
+		$theme = new WP_Theme( 'nonexistent', $this->theme_root );
+		$files = $theme->get_files();
+
+		$this->assertIsArray( $files );
+		$this->assertEmpty( $files );
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Data provider.
 	 *