diff --git a/src/wp-includes/ms-site.php b/src/wp-includes/ms-site.php
index 6399dab72e881..6b35a093476d6 100644
--- a/src/wp-includes/ms-site.php
+++ b/src/wp-includes/ms-site.php
@@ -701,6 +701,7 @@ function wp_initialize_site( $site_id, array $args = array() ) {
 	$switch = false;
 	if ( get_current_blog_id() !== $site->id ) {
 		$switch = true;
+		remove_action( 'switch_blog', 'wp_switch_roles_and_user', 1 );
 		switch_to_blog( $site->id );
 	}
 
@@ -740,8 +741,8 @@ function wp_initialize_site( $site_id, array $args = array() ) {
 	clean_blog_cache( $site );
 
 	// Populate the site's roles.
-	populate_roles();
 	$wp_roles = new WP_Roles();
+	populate_roles();
 
 	// Populate metadata for the site.
 	populate_site_meta( $site->id, $args['meta'] );
@@ -761,6 +762,7 @@ function wp_initialize_site( $site_id, array $args = array() ) {
 	}
 
 	if ( $switch ) {
+		add_action( 'switch_blog', 'wp_switch_roles_and_user', 1, 2 );
 		restore_current_blog();
 	}
 
diff --git a/tests/phpunit/tests/multisite/site.php b/tests/phpunit/tests/multisite/site.php
index 920a76f6a7e30..cc30e5f8a6506 100644
--- a/tests/phpunit/tests/multisite/site.php
+++ b/tests/phpunit/tests/multisite/site.php
@@ -1996,6 +1996,43 @@ public function test_wp_initialize_site_user_roles() {
 		);
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * @ticket 37685
+	 */
+	public function test_wp_initialize_site_does_not_query_user_roles_before_tables_exist() {
+		global $EZSQL_ERROR;
+
+		$error_count_before = count( (array) $EZSQL_ERROR );
+
+		$result = wp_initialize_site( self::$uninitialized_site_id, array() );
+
+		$new_errors = array_slice( (array) $EZSQL_ERROR, $error_count_before );
+
+		wp_uninitialize_site( self::$uninitialized_site_id );
+
+		$this->assertTrue( $result );
+
+		foreach ( $new_errors as $error ) {
+			$this->assertStringNotContainsString( 'user_roles', $error['query'] );
+		}
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @ticket 37685
+	 */
+	public function test_wp_initialize_site_restores_global_state() {
+		$blog_id_before       = get_current_blog_id();
+		$roles_site_id_before = wp_roles()->get_site_id();
+
+		$result = wp_initialize_site( self::$uninitialized_site_id, array() );
+
+		wp_uninitialize_site( self::$uninitialized_site_id );
+
+		$this->assertTrue( $result );
+		$this->assertSame( $blog_id_before, get_current_blog_id() );
+		$this->assertSame( $roles_site_id_before, wp_roles()->get_site_id() );
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * @ticket 41333
 	 */