diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/axes/_base.py b/lib/matplotlib/axes/_base.py
index 95d534bf1507..a61be157e012 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/axes/_base.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/axes/_base.py
@@ -2535,8 +2535,9 @@ def _update_title_position(self, renderer):
             top = 0
             for ax in axs:
                 try:
-                    if (ax.xaxis.get_label_position() == 'top'
-                            or ax.xaxis.get_ticks_position() == 'top'):
+                    choices = ['top', 'unknown']
+                    if (ax.xaxis.get_label_position() == 'top' or
+                            ax.xaxis.get_ticks_position() in choices):
                         bb = ax.xaxis.get_tightbbox(renderer)
                     else:
                         bb = ax.get_window_extent(renderer)
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_axes.py b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_axes.py
index cf29daba9ae3..741a9c2b574a 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_axes.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_axes.py
@@ -5723,6 +5723,16 @@ def test_title_xticks_top():
     assert ax.title.get_position()[1] > 1.04
 
 
+def test_title_xticks_top_both():
+    # Test that title moves if xticks on top of axes.
+    fig, ax = plt.subplots()
+    ax.tick_params(axis="x", bottom=True, top=True,
+                             labelbottom=True, labeltop=True)
+    ax.set_title('xlabel top')
+    fig.canvas.draw()
+    assert ax.title.get_position()[1] > 1.04
+
+
 def test_offset_label_color():
     # Tests issue 6440
     fig = plt.figure()