Themes: Don't return anchor tag if link is empty in get_the_author_pots_link()

src/wp-includes/author-template.php

@@ -323,7 +323,7 @@ function the_author_posts() {
  *
  * @global WP_User $authordata The current author's data.
  *
- * @return string An HTML link to the author page, or an empty string if $authordata is not set.
+ * @return string An HTML link to the author page, or just the author's display name if the URL is empty, or an empty string if $authordata is not set.
  */
 function get_the_author_posts_link() {
 	global $authordata;
@@ -336,11 +336,17 @@ function get_the_author_posts_link() {
 	/* translators: %s: Author's display name. */
 	$title = sprintf( __( 'Posts by %s' ), $author );
 
-	$link = sprintf(
-		'<a href="%1$s" rel="author">%2$s</a>',
-		esc_url( get_author_posts_url( $authordata->ID, $authordata->user_nicename ) ),
-		$author
-	);
+	$url = get_author_posts_url( $authordata->ID, $authordata->user_nicename );
+
+	if ( empty( $url ) || 'http://' === $url ) {
+		$link = $author;
+	} else {
+		$link = sprintf(
+			'<a href="%1$s" rel="author">%2$s</a>',
+			esc_url( $url ),
+			$author
+		);
+	}
 
 	/**
 	 * Filters the link to the author page of the author of the current post.

tests/phpunit/tests/user/getTheAuthorPostsLink.php

@@ -86,4 +86,43 @@ public function test_get_the_author_posts_link_should_return_empty_string_if_aut
 
 		$this->assertSame( '', get_the_author_posts_link() );
 	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @ticket 39844
+	 */
+	public function test_get_the_author_posts_link_returns_author_name_when_url_is_empty() {
+		$author = get_userdata( self::$author_id );
+
+		$GLOBALS['authordata'] = $author;
+
+		add_filter( 'author_link', '__return_empty_string' );
+		$link = get_the_author_posts_link();
+		remove_filter( 'author_link', '__return_empty_string' );
+
+		unset( $GLOBALS['authordata'] );
+
+		$this->assertSame( 'Test Author', $link );
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @ticket 39844
+	 */
+	public function test_get_the_author_posts_link_returns_author_name_when_url_is_http_placeholder() {
+		$author = get_userdata( self::$author_id );
+
+		$GLOBALS['authordata'] = $author;
+
+		add_filter(
+			'author_link',
+			static function () {
+				return 'http://';
+			}
+		);
+		$link = get_the_author_posts_link();
+		remove_all_filters( 'author_link' );
+
+		unset( $GLOBALS['authordata'] );
+
+		$this->assertSame( 'Test Author', $link );
+	}
 }