diff --git a/src/wp-includes/ms-settings.php b/src/wp-includes/ms-settings.php
index a490c22248..aad6269f3f 100644
--- a/src/wp-includes/ms-settings.php
+++ b/src/wp-includes/ms-settings.php
@@ -135,10 +135,11 @@ if ( !isset( $current_site ) || !isset( $current_blog ) ) {
 		ms_not_installed( $domain, $path );
 	}
 
-	// @todo Investigate when exactly this can occur.
+	// During activation of a new subdomain, the requested site does not yet exist.
 	if ( empty( $current_blog ) && wp_installing() ) {
 		$current_blog = new stdClass;
 		$current_blog->blog_id = $blog_id = 1;
+		$current_blog->public = 1;
 	}
 
 	// No site has been found, bail.