diff --git a/src/wp-includes/plugin.php b/src/wp-includes/plugin.php
index 44c45a6d7f..e01b0e2fe4 100644
--- a/src/wp-includes/plugin.php
+++ b/src/wp-includes/plugin.php
@@ -674,7 +674,7 @@ function remove_all_actions($tag, $priority = false) {
  */
 function apply_filters_deprecated( $tag, $args, $version, $replacement = false, $message = null ) {
 	if ( ! has_filter( $tag ) ) {
-		return;
+		return $args[0];
 	}
 
 	_deprecated_hook( $tag, $version, $replacement, $message );
diff --git a/tests/phpunit/tests/filters.php b/tests/phpunit/tests/filters.php
index b0bfcfb547..88fa71340c 100644
--- a/tests/phpunit/tests/filters.php
+++ b/tests/phpunit/tests/filters.php
@@ -359,4 +359,13 @@ class Tests_Filters extends WP_UnitTestCase {
 
 		return $p1;
 	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @ticket 10441
+	 */
+	public function test_apply_filters_deprecated_without_filter() {
+		$val = 'Foobar';
+
+		$this->assertSame( $val, apply_filters_deprecated( 'tests_apply_filters_deprecated', array( $val ), '4.6' ) );
+	}
 }