diff --git a/src/wp-admin/includes/class-wp-list-table.php b/src/wp-admin/includes/class-wp-list-table.php
index 7188ebc44c..e7a7855e8a 100644
--- a/src/wp-admin/includes/class-wp-list-table.php
+++ b/src/wp-admin/includes/class-wp-list-table.php
@@ -887,6 +887,12 @@ class WP_List_Table {
 		$columns = $this->get_columns();
 		$default = $this->get_default_primary_column_name();
 
+		// If the primary column doesn't exist fall back to the
+		// first non-checkbox column.
+		if ( ! isset( $columns[ $default ] ) ) {
+			$default = WP_List_Table::get_default_primary_column_name();
+		}
+
 		/**
 		 * Filter the name of the primary column for the current list table.
 		 *
diff --git a/src/wp-admin/includes/class-wp-posts-list-table.php b/src/wp-admin/includes/class-wp-posts-list-table.php
index 7c9ae710ef..571ad8a54e 100644
--- a/src/wp-admin/includes/class-wp-posts-list-table.php
+++ b/src/wp-admin/includes/class-wp-posts-list-table.php
@@ -1069,7 +1069,7 @@ class WP_Posts_List_Table extends WP_List_Table {
 	 * @return string Name of the default primary column, in this case, 'title'.
 	 */
 	protected function get_default_primary_column_name() {
-		return( 'title' );
+		return 'title';
 	}
 
 	/**