diff --git a/backport-changelog/6.9/8063.md b/backport-changelog/6.9/8063.md
index 8a4613e59e2bd0..d882c897d252e6 100644
--- a/backport-changelog/6.9/8063.md
+++ b/backport-changelog/6.9/8063.md
@@ -4,3 +4,4 @@ https://github.com/WordPress/wordpress-develop/pull/8063
 * https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/71811
 * https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/72029
 * https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/72049
+* https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/72011
diff --git a/lib/compat/wordpress-6.9/template-activate.php b/lib/compat/wordpress-6.9/template-activate.php
index fdbbb5c098a958..53595d129c3240 100644
--- a/lib/compat/wordpress-6.9/template-activate.php
+++ b/lib/compat/wordpress-6.9/template-activate.php
@@ -71,14 +71,16 @@ function gutenberg_setup_static_template() {
 		'active_templates',
 		array(
 			'type'         => 'object',
+			// Do not set the default value to an empty array! For some reason
+			// that will prevent the option from being set to an empty array.
 			'show_in_rest' => array(
 				'schema' => array(
 					'type'                 => 'object',
-					// properties can be integers or false (deactivated).
+					// Properties can be integers, strings, or false
+					// (deactivated).
 					'additionalProperties' => true,
 				),
 			),
-			'default'      => array(),
 			'label'        => 'Active Templates',
 		)
 	);
@@ -438,9 +440,9 @@ function gutenberg_set_active_template_theme( $changes, $request ) {
 // is active.
 add_action( 'init', 'gutenberg_migrate_existing_templates' );
 function gutenberg_migrate_existing_templates() {
-	$active_templates = get_option( 'active_templates' );
+	$active_templates = get_option( 'active_templates', false );
 
-	if ( $active_templates ) {
+	if ( false !== $active_templates ) {
 		return;
 	}
 
diff --git a/packages/core-data/src/private-selectors.ts b/packages/core-data/src/private-selectors.ts
index 560ba6e628686b..d9bc2214c860c0 100644
--- a/packages/core-data/src/private-selectors.ts
+++ b/packages/core-data/src/private-selectors.ts
@@ -240,11 +240,38 @@ export const getTemplateId = createRegistrySelector(
 		// First see if the post/page has an assigned template and fetch it.
 		const currentTemplateSlug = editedEntity.template;
 		if ( currentTemplateSlug ) {
-			const currentTemplate = select( STORE_NAME ).getDefaultTemplateId( {
-				slug: currentTemplateSlug,
-			} );
-			if ( currentTemplate ) {
-				return currentTemplate;
+			const userTemplates = select( STORE_NAME ).getEntityRecords(
+				'postType',
+				'wp_template',
+				{ per_page: -1 }
+			);
+			if ( ! userTemplates ) {
+				return;
+			}
+			const userTemplateWithSlug = userTemplates.find(
+				( { slug } ) => slug === currentTemplateSlug
+			);
+
+			if ( userTemplateWithSlug ) {
+				return userTemplateWithSlug.id;
+			}
+
+			const registeredTemplates = select( STORE_NAME ).getEntityRecords(
+				'postType',
+				'wp_registered_template',
+				{ per_page: -1 }
+			);
+
+			if ( ! registeredTemplates ) {
+				return;
+			}
+
+			const registeredTemplateWithSlug = registeredTemplates.find(
+				( { slug } ) => slug === currentTemplateSlug
+			);
+
+			if ( registeredTemplateWithSlug ) {
+				return registeredTemplateWithSlug.id;
 			}
 		}
 		// If no template is assigned, use the default template.
diff --git a/packages/edit-site/src/components/dataviews-actions/index.js b/packages/edit-site/src/components/dataviews-actions/index.js
index 826482d3efa205..323d93fa7bff9d 100644
--- a/packages/edit-site/src/components/dataviews-actions/index.js
+++ b/packages/edit-site/src/components/dataviews-actions/index.js
@@ -57,10 +57,6 @@ export const useSetActiveTemplateAction = () => {
 						activeTemplates[ item.slug ] = item.id;
 					}
 				}
-				// To do: figure out why the REST API deletes the option when
-				// it's set to an empty object. That would trigger the migration
-				// function, which will make all templates in the database active.
-				activeTemplates.__preventCollapse = 0;
 				await editEntityRecord( 'root', 'site', undefined, {
 					active_templates: activeTemplates,
 				} );
diff --git a/packages/editor/src/components/post-template/block-theme.js b/packages/editor/src/components/post-template/block-theme.js
index d457cfba91fac6..a6256a4c0151dd 100644
--- a/packages/editor/src/components/post-template/block-theme.js
+++ b/packages/editor/src/components/post-template/block-theme.js
@@ -31,10 +31,15 @@ export default function BlockThemeControl( { id } ) {
 		onNavigateToEntityRecord,
 		getEditorSettings,
 		hasGoBack,
+		hasSpecificTemplate,
 	} = useSelect( ( select ) => {
-		const { getRenderingMode, getEditorSettings: _getEditorSettings } =
-			unlock( select( editorStore ) );
+		const {
+			getRenderingMode,
+			getEditorSettings: _getEditorSettings,
+			getCurrentPost,
+		} = unlock( select( editorStore ) );
 		const editorSettings = _getEditorSettings();
+		const currentPost = getCurrentPost();
 		return {
 			isTemplateHidden: getRenderingMode() === 'post-only',
 			onNavigateToEntityRecord: editorSettings.onNavigateToEntityRecord,
@@ -42,6 +47,7 @@ export default function BlockThemeControl( { id } ) {
 			hasGoBack: editorSettings.hasOwnProperty(
 				'onNavigateToPreviousEntityRecord'
 			),
+			hasSpecificTemplate: !! currentPost.template,
 		};
 	}, [] );
 
@@ -52,6 +58,8 @@ export default function BlockThemeControl( { id } ) {
 		'wp_template',
 		id
 	);
+	const { getEntityRecord } = useSelect( coreStore );
+	const { editEntityRecord } = useDispatch( coreStore );
 	const { createSuccessNotice } = useDispatch( noticesStore );
 	const { setRenderingMode, setDefaultRenderingMode } = unlock(
 		useDispatch( editorStore )
@@ -126,11 +134,45 @@ export default function BlockThemeControl( { id } ) {
 						<MenuGroup>
 							{ canCreateTemplate && (
 								<MenuItem
-									onClick={ () => {
+									onClick={ async () => {
 										onNavigateToEntityRecord( {
 											postId: template.id,
 											postType: 'wp_template',
 										} );
+										// When editing a global template,
+										// activate the auto-draft. This is not
+										// immediately live (we're not saving
+										// site options), and when nothing is
+										// saved, the setting will be ignored.
+										// In the future, we should make the
+										// duplication explicit, so there
+										// wouldn't be an "edit" button for
+										// static theme templates.
+										if ( ! hasSpecificTemplate ) {
+											const activeTemplates =
+												await getEntityRecord(
+													'root',
+													'site'
+												).active_templates;
+											if (
+												activeTemplates[
+													template.slug
+												] !== template.id
+											) {
+												editEntityRecord(
+													'root',
+													'site',
+													undefined,
+													{
+														active_templates: {
+															...activeTemplates,
+															[ template.slug ]:
+																template.id,
+														},
+													}
+												);
+											}
+										}
 										onClose();
 										mayShowTemplateEditNotice();
 									} }