diff --git a/src/js/_enqueues/admin/inline-edit-post.js b/src/js/_enqueues/admin/inline-edit-post.js
index 6e6e3bef606ed..0d5b64bb9a323 100644
--- a/src/js/_enqueues/admin/inline-edit-post.js
+++ b/src/js/_enqueues/admin/inline-edit-post.js
@@ -109,14 +109,19 @@ window.wp = window.wp || {};
 		});
 
 		/**
-		 * Disables the password input field when the private post checkbox is checked.
+		 * Disables the password input field and sticky option when the private post checkbox is checked.
 		 */
-		$('#inline-edit .inline-edit-private input[value="private"]').on( 'click', function(){
-			var pw = $('input.inline-edit-password-input');
-			if ( $(this).prop('checked') ) {
-				pw.val('').prop('disabled', true);
+		$( 'table.widefat' ).on( 'change', '.inline-edit-private input[value="private"]', function() {
+			var editRow = $( this ).closest( 'tr' ),
+				pw = $( 'input.inline-edit-password-input', editRow ),
+				sticky = $( 'input[name="sticky"]', editRow );
+
+			if ( $( this ).prop( 'checked' ) ) {
+				pw.val( '' ).prop( 'disabled', true );
+				sticky.prop( 'checked', false ).prop( 'disabled', true );
 			} else {
-				pw.prop('disabled', false);
+				pw.prop( 'disabled', false );
+				sticky.prop( 'disabled', false );
 			}
 		});
 
@@ -144,6 +149,15 @@ window.wp = window.wp || {};
 
 		$('select[name="_status"] option[value="future"]', bulkRow).remove();
 
+		// Disable sticky option when the status is set to 'Private' in bulk edit.
+		$( '#bulk-edit' ).on( 'change', 'select[name="_status"]', function() {
+			if ( 'private' === $( this ).val() ) {
+				$( '#bulk-edit select[name="sticky"]' ).val( '-1' ).prop( 'disabled', true );
+			} else {
+				$( '#bulk-edit select[name="sticky"]' ).prop( 'disabled', false );
+			}
+		});
+
 		/**
 		 * Adds onclick events to the apply buttons.
 		 */
@@ -449,6 +463,7 @@ window.wp = window.wp || {};
 		if ( 'private' === status ) {
 			$('input[name="keep_private"]', editRow).prop('checked', true);
 			pw.val( '' ).prop( 'disabled', true );
+			$('input[name="sticky"]', editRow).prop('checked', false).prop('disabled', true);
 		}
 
 		// Remove the current page and children from the parent dropdown.
diff --git a/src/wp-admin/includes/post.php b/src/wp-admin/includes/post.php
index 39d267b623037..a754c3aa44c47 100644
--- a/src/wp-admin/includes/post.php
+++ b/src/wp-admin/includes/post.php
@@ -706,7 +706,12 @@ function bulk_edit_posts( $post_data = null ) {
 		update_post_meta( $post_id, '_edit_last', get_current_user_id() );
 		$updated[] = $post_id;
 
-		if ( isset( $post_data['sticky'] ) && current_user_can( $ptype->cap->edit_others_posts ) ) {
+		$post_status = ! empty( $post_data['post_status'] ) ? $post_data['post_status'] : $post->post_status;
+
+		// Private posts cannot be sticky.
+		if ( 'private' === $post_status ) {
+			unstick_post( $post_id );
+		} elseif ( isset( $post_data['sticky'] ) && current_user_can( $ptype->cap->edit_others_posts ) ) {
 			if ( 'sticky' === $post_data['sticky'] ) {
 				stick_post( $post_id );
 			} else {
diff --git a/tests/phpunit/tests/admin/includesPost.php b/tests/phpunit/tests/admin/includesPost.php
index d9d39d8da727d..252aa2912db65 100644
--- a/tests/phpunit/tests/admin/includesPost.php
+++ b/tests/phpunit/tests/admin/includesPost.php
@@ -258,6 +258,86 @@ public function test_bulk_edit_posts_stomping() {
 		$this->assertSame( 'closed', $post->ping_status );
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Private posts should not be made sticky during bulk edit.
+	 *
+	 * @ticket 39946
+	 */
+	public function test_bulk_edit_posts_should_not_make_private_posts_sticky() {
+		wp_set_current_user( self::$admin_id );
+
+		$post_id = self::factory()->post->create(
+			array(
+				'post_status' => 'publish',
+			)
+		);
+
+		$request = array(
+			'post_type' => 'post',
+			'sticky'    => 'sticky',
+			'_status'   => 'private',
+			'post'      => array( $post_id ),
+		);
+
+		bulk_edit_posts( $request );
+
+		$this->assertSame( 'private', get_post_status( $post_id ) );
+		$this->assertFalse( is_sticky( $post_id ) );
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Existing private posts should not be made sticky during bulk edit.
+	 *
+	 * @ticket 39946
+	 */
+	public function test_bulk_edit_posts_should_unstick_existing_private_posts() {
+		wp_set_current_user( self::$admin_id );
+
+		$post_id = self::factory()->post->create(
+			array(
+				'post_status' => 'private',
+			)
+		);
+		stick_post( $post_id );
+
+		$request = array(
+			'post_type' => 'post',
+			'sticky'    => 'sticky',
+			'_status'   => '-1',
+			'post'      => array( $post_id ),
+		);
+
+		bulk_edit_posts( $request );
+
+		$this->assertFalse( is_sticky( $post_id ) );
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Non-private posts should be made sticky during bulk edit.
+	 *
+	 * @ticket 39946
+	 */
+	public function test_bulk_edit_posts_should_make_non_private_posts_sticky() {
+		wp_set_current_user( self::$admin_id );
+
+		$post_id = self::factory()->post->create(
+			array(
+				'post_status' => 'publish',
+			)
+		);
+
+		$request = array(
+			'post_type' => 'post',
+			'sticky'    => 'sticky',
+			'_status'   => '-1',
+			'post'      => array( $post_id ),
+		);
+
+		bulk_edit_posts( $request );
+
+		$this->assertTrue( is_sticky( $post_id ) );
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * The bulk_edit_posts() function should preserve the post format
 	 * when it's unchanged.