diff --git a/wp-admin/includes/class-wp-posts-list-table.php b/wp-admin/includes/class-wp-posts-list-table.php
index a0e4bfc8df..668c3d20a4 100644
--- a/wp-admin/includes/class-wp-posts-list-table.php
+++ b/wp-admin/includes/class-wp-posts-list-table.php
@@ -956,7 +956,7 @@ class WP_Posts_List_Table extends WP_List_Table {
 		echo "</strong>\n";
 
 		if ( ! is_post_type_hierarchical( $this->screen->post_type ) && 'excerpt' === $mode && current_user_can( 'read_post', $post->ID ) ) {
-			the_excerpt();
+			echo esc_html( get_the_excerpt() );
 		}
 
 		get_inline_data( $post );
diff --git a/wp-includes/version.php b/wp-includes/version.php
index c26e7a0fee..5664667424 100644
--- a/wp-includes/version.php
+++ b/wp-includes/version.php
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
  *
  * @global string $wp_version
  */
-$wp_version = '4.8-alpha-39954';
+$wp_version = '4.8-alpha-39956';
 
 /**
  * Holds the WordPress DB revision, increments when changes are made to the WordPress DB schema.