diff --git a/src/wp-includes/taxonomy.php b/src/wp-includes/taxonomy.php
index d5f5f33ade..3a9b7c985b 100644
--- a/src/wp-includes/taxonomy.php
+++ b/src/wp-includes/taxonomy.php
@@ -2054,6 +2054,8 @@ function term_exists( $term, $taxonomy = '', $parent = null ) {
 	$else_where = 't.name = %s';
 	$where_fields = array($slug);
 	$else_where_fields = array($term);
+	$orderby = 'ORDER BY t.term_id ASC';
+	$limit = 'LIMIT 1';
 	if ( !empty($taxonomy) ) {
 		if ( is_numeric( $parent ) ) {
 			$parent = (int) $parent;
@@ -2066,16 +2068,16 @@ function term_exists( $term, $taxonomy = '', $parent = null ) {
 		$where_fields[] = $taxonomy;
 		$else_where_fields[] = $taxonomy;
 
-		if ( $result = $wpdb->get_row( $wpdb->prepare("SELECT tt.term_id, tt.term_taxonomy_id FROM $wpdb->terms AS t INNER JOIN $wpdb->term_taxonomy as tt ON tt.term_id = t.term_id WHERE $where AND tt.taxonomy = %s", $where_fields), ARRAY_A) )
+		if ( $result = $wpdb->get_row( $wpdb->prepare("SELECT tt.term_id, tt.term_taxonomy_id FROM $wpdb->terms AS t INNER JOIN $wpdb->term_taxonomy as tt ON tt.term_id = t.term_id WHERE $where AND tt.taxonomy = %s $orderby $limit", $where_fields), ARRAY_A) )
 			return $result;
 
-		return $wpdb->get_row( $wpdb->prepare("SELECT tt.term_id, tt.term_taxonomy_id FROM $wpdb->terms AS t INNER JOIN $wpdb->term_taxonomy as tt ON tt.term_id = t.term_id WHERE $else_where AND tt.taxonomy = %s", $else_where_fields), ARRAY_A);
+		return $wpdb->get_row( $wpdb->prepare("SELECT tt.term_id, tt.term_taxonomy_id FROM $wpdb->terms AS t INNER JOIN $wpdb->term_taxonomy as tt ON tt.term_id = t.term_id WHERE $else_where AND tt.taxonomy = %s $orderby $limit", $else_where_fields), ARRAY_A);
 	}
 
-	if ( $result = $wpdb->get_var( $wpdb->prepare("SELECT term_id FROM $wpdb->terms as t WHERE $where", $where_fields) ) )
+	if ( $result = $wpdb->get_var( $wpdb->prepare("SELECT term_id FROM $wpdb->terms as t WHERE $where $orderby $limit", $where_fields) ) )
 		return $result;
 
-	return $wpdb->get_var( $wpdb->prepare("SELECT term_id FROM $wpdb->terms as t WHERE $else_where", $else_where_fields) );
+	return $wpdb->get_var( $wpdb->prepare("SELECT term_id FROM $wpdb->terms as t WHERE $else_where $orderby $limit", $else_where_fields) );
 }
 
 /**