diff --git a/src/wp-includes/cron.php b/src/wp-includes/cron.php
index 83cbb8b9d0..1577dab9a6 100644
--- a/src/wp-includes/cron.php
+++ b/src/wp-includes/cron.php
@@ -119,9 +119,6 @@ function wp_schedule_single_event( $timestamp, $hook, $args = array(), $wp_error
 	 * are considered duplicates.
 	 */
 	$crons = _get_cron_array();
-	if ( ! is_array( $crons ) ) {
-		$crons = array();
-	}
 
 	$key       = md5( serialize( $event->args ) );
 	$duplicate = false;
@@ -306,9 +303,6 @@ function wp_schedule_event( $timestamp, $recurrence, $hook, $args = array(), $wp
 	$key = md5( serialize( $event->args ) );
 
 	$crons = _get_cron_array();
-	if ( ! is_array( $crons ) ) {
-		$crons = array();
-	}
 
 	$crons[ $event->timestamp ][ $event->hook ][ $key ] = array(
 		'schedule' => $event->schedule,
@@ -1133,9 +1127,6 @@ function wp_get_ready_cron_jobs() {
 	}
 
 	$crons = _get_cron_array();
-	if ( ! is_array( $crons ) ) {
-		return array();
-	}
 
 	$gmt_time = microtime( true );
 	$keys     = array_keys( $crons );
@@ -1162,14 +1153,15 @@ function wp_get_ready_cron_jobs() {
  * Retrieve cron info array option.
  *
  * @since 2.1.0
+ * @since 6.1.0 Return type modified to consistenty return an array.
  * @access private
  *
- * @return array[]|false Array of cron info arrays on success, false on failure.
+ * @return array[] Array of cron events.
  */
 function _get_cron_array() {
 	$cron = get_option( 'cron' );
 	if ( ! is_array( $cron ) ) {
-		return false;
+		return array();
 	}
 
 	if ( ! isset( $cron['version'] ) ) {
diff --git a/tests/phpunit/tests/admin/wpMediaListTable.php b/tests/phpunit/tests/admin/wpMediaListTable.php
index 6a2b2d64fa..a130a32506 100644
--- a/tests/phpunit/tests/admin/wpMediaListTable.php
+++ b/tests/phpunit/tests/admin/wpMediaListTable.php
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ class Tests_Admin_wpMediaListTable extends WP_UnitTestCase {
 	 *
 	 * @ticket 53949
 	 * @covers WP_Media_List_Table::prepare_items
+	 * @group cron
 	 */
 	public function test_prepare_items_without_cron_option_does_not_throw_warning() {
 		global $wp_query;
@@ -42,7 +43,8 @@ class Tests_Admin_wpMediaListTable extends WP_UnitTestCase {
 		delete_option( 'cron' );
 
 		// Verify that the cause of the error is in place.
-		$this->assertFalse( _get_cron_array(), '_get_cron_array() does not return false' );
+		$this->assertIsArray( _get_cron_array(), '_get_cron_array() does not return an array.' );
+		$this->assertEmpty( _get_cron_array(), '_get_cron_array() does not return an empty array.' );
 
 		// If this test does not error out due to the PHP warning, we're good.
 		$mock->prepare_items();
diff --git a/tests/phpunit/tests/cron.php b/tests/phpunit/tests/cron.php
index 44e88779da..ebb709fec9 100644
--- a/tests/phpunit/tests/cron.php
+++ b/tests/phpunit/tests/cron.php
@@ -130,7 +130,8 @@ class Tests_Cron extends WP_UnitTestCase {
 		delete_option( 'cron' );
 
 		// Verify that the cause of the error is in place.
-		$this->assertFalse( _get_cron_array(), '_get_cron_array() does not return false' );
+		$this->assertIsArray( _get_cron_array(), '_get_cron_array() does not return an array.' );
+		$this->assertEmpty( _get_cron_array(), '_get_cron_array() does not return an empty array.' );
 
 		$hook      = __FUNCTION__;
 		$timestamp = strtotime( '+10 minutes' );
@@ -151,7 +152,8 @@ class Tests_Cron extends WP_UnitTestCase {
 		delete_option( 'cron' );
 
 		// Verify that the cause of the error is in place.
-		$this->assertFalse( _get_cron_array(), '_get_cron_array() does not return false' );
+		$this->assertIsArray( _get_cron_array(), '_get_cron_array() does not return an array.' );
+		$this->assertEmpty( _get_cron_array(), '_get_cron_array() does not return an empty array.' );
 
 		$hook      = __FUNCTION__;
 		$timestamp = strtotime( '+10 minutes' );
diff --git a/tests/phpunit/tests/cron/getCronArray.php b/tests/phpunit/tests/cron/getCronArray.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..24ec1c4724
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/phpunit/tests/cron/getCronArray.php
@@ -0,0 +1,120 @@
+<?php
+
+/**
+ * Test the `_get_cron_array()` function.
+ *
+ * @group cron
+ * @covers ::_get_cron_array
+ */
+class Tests_Cron_getCronArray extends WP_UnitTestCase {
+
+	public function set_up() {
+		parent::set_up();
+		// Make sure the schedule is clear.
+		_set_cron_array( array() );
+	}
+
+	public function tear_down() {
+		// Make sure the schedule is clear.
+		_set_cron_array( array() );
+		parent::tear_down();
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Tests the output validation for the `_get_cron_array()` function when the option is unset.
+	 *
+	 * @ticket 53940
+	 */
+	public function test_get_cron_array_output_validation_with_no_option() {
+		delete_option( 'cron' );
+
+		$crons = _get_cron_array();
+		$this->assertIsArray( $crons, 'Cron jobs is not an array.' );
+		$this->assertCount( 0, $crons, 'Cron job does not contain the expected number of entries.' );
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Tests the output validation for the `_get_cron_array()` function.
+	 *
+	 * @ticket 53940
+	 *
+	 * @dataProvider data_get_cron_array_output_validation
+	 *
+	 * @param mixed $input    Cron "array".
+	 * @param int   $expected Expected array entry count of the cron option after update.
+	 */
+	public function test_get_cron_array_output_validation( $input, $expected ) {
+		update_option( 'cron', $input );
+
+		$crons = _get_cron_array();
+		$this->assertIsArray( $crons, 'Cron jobs is not an array.' );
+		$this->assertCount( $expected, $crons, 'Cron job does not contain the expected number of entries.' );
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Data provider.
+	 *
+	 * @return array
+	 */
+	public function data_get_cron_array_output_validation() {
+		return array(
+			'stdClass'    => array(
+				'input'    => new stdClass(),
+				'expected' => 0,
+			),
+			'null'        => array(
+				'input'    => null,
+				'expected' => 0,
+			),
+			'false'       => array(
+				'input'    => false,
+				'expected' => 0,
+			),
+			'true'        => array(
+				'input'    => true,
+				'expected' => 0,
+			),
+			'integer'     => array(
+				'input'    => 53940,
+				'expected' => 0,
+			),
+			'float'       => array(
+				'input'    => 539.40,
+				'expected' => 0,
+			),
+			'string'      => array(
+				'input'    => 'ticket 53940',
+				'expected' => 0,
+			),
+			'empty array' => array(
+				'input'    => array(),
+				'expected' => 0,
+			),
+			'cron array'  => array(
+				'input'    => array(
+					'version' => 2,
+					time()    => array(
+						'hookname' => array(
+							'event key' => array(
+								'schedule' => 'schedule',
+								'args'     => 'args',
+								'interval' => 'interval',
+							),
+						),
+					),
+				),
+				'expected' => 1,
+			),
+			'cron v1'     => array(
+				'input'    => array(
+					time() => array(
+						'hookname' => array(
+							'args' => 'args',
+						),
+					),
+				),
+				'expected' => 1,
+			),
+		);
+	}
+}