diff --git a/src/wp-includes/template.php b/src/wp-includes/template.php
index 401df4db19925..d07296045ca85 100644
--- a/src/wp-includes/template.php
+++ b/src/wp-includes/template.php
@@ -729,15 +729,18 @@ function locate_template( $template_names, $load = false, $load_once = true, $ar
 		if ( ! $template_name ) {
 			continue;
 		}
-		if ( file_exists( $wp_stylesheet_path . '/' . $template_name ) ) {
-			$located = $wp_stylesheet_path . '/' . $template_name;
-			break;
-		} elseif ( $is_child_theme && file_exists( $wp_template_path . '/' . $template_name ) ) {
-			$located = $wp_template_path . '/' . $template_name;
+		$stylesheet      = $wp_stylesheet_path . '/' . $template_name;
+		$template        = $wp_template_path . '/' . $template_name;
+		$template_compat = ABSPATH . WPINC . '/theme-compat/' . $template_name;
+
+		if ( file_exists( $stylesheet ) && 0 === validate_file( $stylesheet ) ) {
+			$located = $stylesheet;
 			break;
-		} elseif ( file_exists( ABSPATH . WPINC . '/theme-compat/' . $template_name ) ) {
-			$located = ABSPATH . WPINC . '/theme-compat/' . $template_name;
+		} elseif ( $is_child_theme && file_exists( $template ) && 0 === validate_file( $template ) ) {
+			$located = $template;
 			break;
+		} elseif ( file_exists( $template_compat ) && 0 === validate_file( $template_compat ) ) {
+			$located = $template_compat;
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/tests/phpunit/tests/template.php b/tests/phpunit/tests/template.php
index 0507be4327250..717a76b4aade7 100644
--- a/tests/phpunit/tests/template.php
+++ b/tests/phpunit/tests/template.php
@@ -494,6 +494,45 @@ public function test_locate_template_uses_current_theme() {
 		$this->assertSame( $new_theme->get_stylesheet_directory() . '/index.php', locate_template( $template_names ), 'Incorrect index template found in theme after switch.' );
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Tests that `locate_template()` uses the current theme even after switching the theme.
+	 *
+	 * @dataProvider data_locate_template_only_loads_theme_files
+	 *
+	 * @ticket 58905
+	 *
+	 * @covers ::locate_template
+	 *
+	 * @param string $template_name  Template name to locate.
+	 * @param bool   $located_empty  Whether the located template should be empty.
+	 */
+	public function test_locate_template_only_loads_theme_files( $template_name, $located_empty ) {
+		$located_return = locate_template( $template_name );
+		$this->assertSame( empty( $located_return ), $located_empty );
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Data provider for `test_locate_template_only_loads_theme_files()`.
+	 *
+	 * @return array
+	 */
+	public function data_locate_template_only_loads_theme_files() {
+		return array(
+			'file that is in theme compat so will always return' => array(
+				'header.php',
+				false,
+			),
+			'something that does not exist'    => array(
+				'the_limit_according_to_cady_heron.php',
+				true,
+			),
+			'file that is not in a theme path' => array(
+				WP_PLUGIN_DIR . '/hello.php',
+				true,
+			),
+		);
+	}
+
 	public function assertTemplateHierarchy( $url, array $expected, $message = '' ) {
 		$this->go_to( $url );
 		$hierarchy = $this->get_template_hierarchy();