diff --git a/src/wp-includes/class-wp-widget.php b/src/wp-includes/class-wp-widget.php
index e91f5cd9f9..086e9e9ffb 100644
--- a/src/wp-includes/class-wp-widget.php
+++ b/src/wp-includes/class-wp-widget.php
@@ -612,12 +612,16 @@ class WP_Widget {
 		$settings = get_option( $this->option_name );
 
 		if ( false === $settings ) {
+			$settings = array();
 			if ( isset( $this->alt_option_name ) ) {
-				$settings = get_option( $this->alt_option_name );
-			} else {
-				// Save an option so it can be autoloaded next time.
-				$this->save_settings( array() );
+				// Get settings from alternative (legacy) option.
+				$settings = get_option( $this->alt_option_name, array() );
+
+				// Delete the alternative (legacy) option as the new option will be created using `$this->option_name`.
+				delete_option( $this->alt_option_name );
 			}
+			// Save an option so it can be autoloaded next time.
+			$this->save_settings( $settings );
 		}
 
 		if ( ! is_array( $settings ) && ! ( $settings instanceof ArrayObject || $settings instanceof ArrayIterator ) ) {
diff --git a/tests/phpunit/tests/widgets.php b/tests/phpunit/tests/widgets.php
index 7cfce4719b..527798f7a4 100644
--- a/tests/phpunit/tests/widgets.php
+++ b/tests/phpunit/tests/widgets.php
@@ -686,6 +686,61 @@ class Tests_Widgets extends WP_UnitTestCase {
 		$this->assertArrayNotHasKey( 0, $never_used );
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * @ticket 54677
+	 *
+	 * @covers WP_Widget::get_settings
+	 */
+	public function test_wp_widget_initializes_widget_with_alt_option() {
+		/*
+		 * Emulate a new the recent posts widget.
+		 *
+		 * The widget contains an alternative (legacy) option so both the
+		 * current and the alternative option need to be deleted.
+		 */
+		delete_option( 'widget_recent-posts' );
+		delete_option( 'widget_recent_entries' );
+
+		$this->assertFalse( get_option( 'widget_recent-posts' ), 'The option widget_recent-posts was not deleted.' );
+		$this->assertFalse( get_option( 'widget_recent_entries' ), 'The option widget_recent_entries was not deleted.' );
+
+		wp_widgets_init();
+		$this->assertSameSetsWithIndex( array( '_multiwidget' => 1 ), get_option( 'widget_recent-posts' ), 'Option failed to be initialized.' );
+		$this->assertFalse( get_option( 'widget_recent_entries' ), 'Alternative option is set.' );
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @ticket 54677
+	 *
+	 * @covers WP_Widget::get_settings
+	 */
+	public function test_wp_widget_migrates_widget_with_alt_option() {
+		$option = array(
+			2              => array(
+				'title'     => 'Recent Posts',
+				'number'    => 5,
+				'show_date' => false,
+			),
+			'_multiwidget' => 1,
+		);
+
+		/*
+		 * Emulate the recent posts widget with an alternative option.
+		 *
+		 * The widget contains an alternative (legacy) option so the
+		 * current option is deleted while the alternative option is created.
+		 */
+		delete_option( 'widget_recent-posts' );
+		update_option( 'widget_recent_entries', $option );
+
+		$this->assertFalse( get_option( 'widget_recent-posts' ), 'The option widget_recent-posts was not deleted.' );
+		$this->assertSameSetsWithIndex( $option, get_option( 'widget_recent_entries' ), 'The option widget_recent_entries was not set to the default.' );
+
+		wp_widgets_init();
+		$this->assertSameSetsWithIndex( $option, get_option( 'widget_recent-posts' ), 'Option failed to be converted to new name.' );
+		$this->assertFalse( get_option( 'widget_recent_entries' ), 'Alternative option was not deleted.' );
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * @see WP_Widget::save_settings()
 	 */