diff --git a/src/components/Provider.tsx b/src/components/Provider.tsx
index a85bb7fd6..8a95454c7 100644
--- a/src/components/Provider.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Provider.tsx
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ export interface ProviderProps<A extends Action = AnyAction> {
    * If this is used, you'll need to customize `connect` by supplying the same context provided to the Provider.
    * Initial value doesn't matter, as it is overwritten with the internal state of Provider.
    */
-  context?: Context<ReactReduxContextValue | null>
+  context?: Context<ReactReduxContextValue>
   children: ReactNode
 }
 
diff --git a/src/components/connect.tsx b/src/components/connect.tsx
index 9d2dc829e..7ef301529 100644
--- a/src/components/connect.tsx
+++ b/src/components/connect.tsx
@@ -425,9 +425,9 @@ function connect<
   TMergedProps = {},
   State = DefaultRootState
 >(
-  mapStateToProps: MapStateToPropsParam<TStateProps, TOwnProps, State>,
-  mapDispatchToProps: MapDispatchToPropsParam<TDispatchProps, TOwnProps>,
-  mergeProps: MergeProps<TStateProps, TDispatchProps, TOwnProps, TMergedProps>,
+  mapStateToProps?: MapStateToPropsParam<TStateProps, TOwnProps, State>,
+  mapDispatchToProps?: MapDispatchToPropsParam<TDispatchProps, TOwnProps>,
+  mergeProps?: MergeProps<TStateProps, TDispatchProps, TOwnProps, TMergedProps>,
   options?: ConnectOptions<State, TStateProps, TOwnProps, TMergedProps>
 ): InferableComponentEnhancerWithProps<TMergedProps, TOwnProps & ConnectProps>
 
diff --git a/test/components/connect.spec.tsx b/test/components/connect.spec.tsx
index 9de7d7725..6bad24a28 100644
--- a/test/components/connect.spec.tsx
+++ b/test/components/connect.spec.tsx
@@ -2154,10 +2154,9 @@ describe('React', () => {
           }
         }
 
-        const context = React.createContext<ReactReduxContextValue<
-          any,
-          AnyAction
-        > | null>(null)
+        const context = React.createContext<
+          ReactReduxContextValue<any, AnyAction>
+        >(null as any)
 
         let actualState
 
@@ -2196,10 +2195,9 @@ describe('React', () => {
           }
         }
 
-        const context = React.createContext<ReactReduxContextValue<
-          any,
-          AnyAction
-        > | null>(null)
+        const context = React.createContext<
+          ReactReduxContextValue<any, AnyAction>
+        >(null as any)
 
         let actualState
 
@@ -2451,8 +2449,9 @@ describe('React', () => {
           (state: RootStateType = 0, action: ActionType) =>
             action.type === 'INC' ? state + 1 : state
         )
-        const customContext =
-          React.createContext<ReactReduxContextValue | null>(null)
+        const customContext = React.createContext<ReactReduxContextValue>(
+          null as any
+        )
 
         class A extends Component {
           render() {