diff --git a/src/wp-includes/widgets/class-wp-widget-recent-posts.php b/src/wp-includes/widgets/class-wp-widget-recent-posts.php
index 9483b97e27..6e21d07691 100644
--- a/src/wp-includes/widgets/class-wp-widget-recent-posts.php
+++ b/src/wp-includes/widgets/class-wp-widget-recent-posts.php
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ class WP_Widget_Recent_Posts extends WP_Widget {
 		<ul>
 		<?php while ( $r->have_posts() ) : $r->the_post(); ?>
 			<li>
-				<a href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>"><?php get_the_title() ? the_title() : the_ID(); ?></a>
+				<a href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>"><?php get_the_title() ? the_title() : _e( '(no title)' ); ?></a>
 			<?php if ( $show_date ) : ?>
 				<span class="post-date"><?php echo get_the_date(); ?></span>
 			<?php endif; ?>