diff --git a/src/modal/modal-ref.ts b/src/modal/modal-ref.ts
index ced3e4b8b2..61a960ba4a 100644
--- a/src/modal/modal-ref.ts
+++ b/src/modal/modal-ref.ts
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ export class NgbActiveModal {
 /**
  * A reference to a newly opened modal.
  */
-export class NgbModalRef {
+export class NgbModalRef<T = any> {
   private _resolve: (result?: any) => void;
   private _reject: (reason?: any) => void;
 
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ export class NgbModalRef {
    * The instance of component used as modal's content.
    * Undefined when a TemplateRef is used as modal's content.
    */
-  get componentInstance(): any {
+  get componentInstance(): T extends new (...args: any[]) => any ? InstanceType<T> : undefined {
     if (this._contentRef.componentRef) {
       return this._contentRef.componentRef.instance;
     }
diff --git a/src/modal/modal-stack.ts b/src/modal/modal-stack.ts
index c7b7f58e76..0c9d63a69d 100644
--- a/src/modal/modal-stack.ts
+++ b/src/modal/modal-stack.ts
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ export class NgbModalStack {
     });
   }
 
-  open(moduleCFR: ComponentFactoryResolver, contentInjector: Injector, content: any, options): NgbModalRef {
+  open<T>(moduleCFR: ComponentFactoryResolver, contentInjector: Injector, content: T, options): NgbModalRef<T> {
     const containerEl =
         isDefined(options.container) ? this._document.querySelector(options.container) : this._document.body;
     const renderer = this._rendererFactory.createRenderer(null, null);
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ export class NgbModalStack {
     let backdropCmptRef: ComponentRef<NgbModalBackdrop> =
         options.backdrop !== false ? this._attachBackdrop(moduleCFR, containerEl) : null;
     let windowCmptRef: ComponentRef<NgbModalWindow> = this._attachWindowComponent(moduleCFR, containerEl, contentRef);
-    let ngbModalRef: NgbModalRef = new NgbModalRef(windowCmptRef, contentRef, backdropCmptRef, options.beforeDismiss);
+    let ngbModalRef: NgbModalRef<T> = new NgbModalRef(windowCmptRef, contentRef, backdropCmptRef, options.beforeDismiss);
 
     this._registerModalRef(ngbModalRef);
     this._registerWindowCmpt(windowCmptRef);
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ export class NgbModalStack {
     return new ContentRef([[componentRef.location.nativeElement]], componentRef.hostView, componentRef);
   }
 
-  private _registerModalRef(ngbModalRef: NgbModalRef) {
+  private _registerModalRef<T>(ngbModalRef: NgbModalRef<T>) {
     const unregisterModalRef = () => {
       const index = this._modalRefs.indexOf(ngbModalRef);
       if (index > -1) {
diff --git a/src/modal/modal.spec.ts b/src/modal/modal.spec.ts
index 0f0af6844b..60cd283a3a 100644
--- a/src/modal/modal.spec.ts
+++ b/src/modal/modal.spec.ts
@@ -914,7 +914,7 @@ export class WithFirstFocusableModalCmpt {
 })
 class TestComponent {
   name = 'World';
-  openedModal: NgbModalRef;
+  openedModal: NgbModalRef<string>;
   show = true;
   @ViewChild('content') tplContent;
   @ViewChild('destroyableContent') tplDestroyableContent;
diff --git a/src/modal/modal.ts b/src/modal/modal.ts
index d669b2bbe4..8f1b08a009 100644
--- a/src/modal/modal.ts
+++ b/src/modal/modal.ts
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ export class NgbModal {
    * components can be injected with an instance of the NgbActiveModal class. You can use methods on the
    * NgbActiveModal class to close / dismiss modals from "inside" of a component.
    */
-  open(content: any, options: NgbModalOptions = {}): NgbModalRef {
+  open<T>(content: T, options: NgbModalOptions = {}): NgbModalRef<T> {
     const combinedOptions = Object.assign({}, this._config, options);
     return this._modalStack.open(this._moduleCFR, this._injector, content, combinedOptions);
   }