diff --git a/.github/changelog/fix-featured-password b/.github/changelog/fix-featured-password
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..76c2e91129
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/changelog/fix-featured-password
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+Significance: patch
+Type: fixed
+
+Password-protected sticky posts are no longer listed in your featured posts on the Fediverse.
diff --git a/includes/rest/class-collections-controller.php b/includes/rest/class-collections-controller.php
index 9f0bf8a853..84a8a38c9c 100644
--- a/includes/rest/class-collections-controller.php
+++ b/includes/rest/class-collections-controller.php
@@ -168,6 +168,7 @@ public function get_featured( $request, $user_id ) {
 				$args = array(
 					'post__in'            => $sticky_posts,
 					'ignore_sticky_posts' => 1,
+					'has_password'        => false,
 					'orderby'             => 'date',
 					'order'               => 'DESC',
 					// phpcs:ignore WordPress.DB.SlowDBQuery.slow_db_query_meta_query
@@ -183,7 +184,8 @@ public function get_featured( $request, $user_id ) {
 					$args['author'] = $user_id;
 				}
 
-				$posts = \get_posts( $args );
+				// The query leaves out password-protected posts; the rest of what keeps a post private (post type support, filters) is checked per post.
+				$posts = \array_values( \array_filter( \get_posts( $args ), 'Activitypub\is_post_publicly_queryable' ) );
 			}
 		}
 
@@ -191,7 +193,7 @@ public function get_featured( $request, $user_id ) {
 			'@context'     => Base_Object::JSON_LD_CONTEXT,
 			'id'           => get_rest_url_by_path( \sprintf( 'actors/%d/collections/featured', $user_id ) ),
 			'type'         => 'OrderedCollection',
-			'totalItems'   => \is_countable( $posts ) ? \count( $posts ) : 0,
+			'totalItems'   => \count( $posts ),
 			'orderedItems' => array(),
 		);
 
diff --git a/tests/phpunit/tests/includes/rest/class-test-collections-controller.php b/tests/phpunit/tests/includes/rest/class-test-collections-controller.php
index 39bd832116..92ba39d3cb 100644
--- a/tests/phpunit/tests/includes/rest/class-test-collections-controller.php
+++ b/tests/phpunit/tests/includes/rest/class-test-collections-controller.php
@@ -123,6 +123,31 @@ public function test_get_featured() {
 		$this->assertEquals( 1, $response['totalItems'] );
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * A sticky post that is not publicly queryable, here a password-protected one, is not featured.
+	 *
+	 * @covers ::get_featured
+	 */
+	public function test_get_featured_skips_password_protected_posts() {
+		$protected_id = self::factory()->post->create(
+			array(
+				'post_author'   => self::$user_id,
+				'post_password' => 'secret',
+			)
+		);
+		stick_post( self::$post_id );
+		stick_post( $protected_id );
+
+		$request = new \WP_REST_Request( 'GET', '/' . ACTIVITYPUB_REST_NAMESPACE . '/actors/' . self::$user_id . '/collections/featured' );
+		$request->set_param( 'page', 1 );
+		$request->set_param( 'per_page', 10 );
+		$response = rest_get_server()->dispatch( $request )->get_data();
+
+		$this->assertSame( 1, $response['totalItems'], 'The password-protected post must not be counted.' );
+		$this->assertCount( 1, $response['orderedItems'] );
+		$this->assertSame( \get_permalink( self::$post_id ), $response['orderedItems'][0]['url'] ?? '' );
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Test schema.
 	 *