diff --git a/wp-includes/class-wpdb.php b/wp-includes/class-wpdb.php
index a22ef31e0..d3b7f519c 100644
--- a/wp-includes/class-wpdb.php
+++ b/wp-includes/class-wpdb.php
@@ -1635,7 +1635,7 @@ public function prepare( $query, ...$args ) {
 						 */
 						|| ( '' === $format && '%' !== substr( $split_query[ $key - 1 ], -1, 1 ) )
 					) {
-						$placeholder = "'%" . $format . "s'";
+						$placeholder = "N'%" . $format . "s'";
 					}
 				}
 			}