diff --git a/wp-includes/rest-api/endpoints/class-wp-rest-comments-controller.php b/wp-includes/rest-api/endpoints/class-wp-rest-comments-controller.php
index fbe5259334..d7a34f3301 100644
--- a/wp-includes/rest-api/endpoints/class-wp-rest-comments-controller.php
+++ b/wp-includes/rest-api/endpoints/class-wp-rest-comments-controller.php
@@ -552,13 +552,19 @@ class WP_REST_Comments_Controller extends WP_REST_Controller {
 		 * Filters a comment before it is inserted via the REST API.
 		 *
 		 * Allows modification of the comment right before it is inserted via wp_insert_comment().
+		 * Returning a WP_Error value from the filter will shortcircuit insertion and allow
+		 * skipping further processing.
 		 *
 		 * @since 4.7.0
+		 * @since 4.8.0 $prepared_comment can now be a WP_Error to shortcircuit insertion.
 		 *
-		 * @param array           $prepared_comment The prepared comment data for wp_insert_comment().
+		 * @param array|WP_Error  $prepared_comment The prepared comment data for wp_insert_comment().
 		 * @param WP_REST_Request $request          Request used to insert the comment.
 		 */
 		$prepared_comment = apply_filters( 'rest_pre_insert_comment', $prepared_comment, $request );
+		if ( is_wp_error( $prepared_comment ) ) {
+			return $prepared_comment;
+		}
 
 		$comment_id = wp_insert_comment( wp_filter_comment( wp_slash( (array) $prepared_comment ) ) );
 
diff --git a/wp-includes/version.php b/wp-includes/version.php
index 7b63b79fd4..6a0d0539ef 100644
--- a/wp-includes/version.php
+++ b/wp-includes/version.php
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
  *
  * @global string $wp_version
  */
-$wp_version = '4.8-alpha-39921';
+$wp_version = '4.8-alpha-39922';
 
 /**
  * Holds the WordPress DB revision, increments when changes are made to the WordPress DB schema.