diff --git a/packages/authentication-client/src/index.ts b/packages/authentication-client/src/index.ts
index ecf0f0f1b2..f6650418da 100644
--- a/packages/authentication-client/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/authentication-client/src/index.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import { AuthenticationResult, AuthenticationRequest } from '@feathersjs/authent
 import { Storage, MemoryStorage, StorageWrapper } from './storage';
 
 declare module '@feathersjs/feathers' {
-  interface Application<ServiceTypes = any> {
+  interface Application<ServiceTypes = {}> {
     io?: any;
     rest?: any;
     primus?: any;
diff --git a/packages/authentication/test/jwt.test.ts b/packages/authentication/test/jwt.test.ts
index 2e2c6b052e..8761644e25 100644
--- a/packages/authentication/test/jwt.test.ts
+++ b/packages/authentication/test/jwt.test.ts
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@ const { authenticate } = hooks;
 describe('authentication/jwt', () => {
   let app: Application<{
     authentication: AuthenticationService & Service<AuthenticationResult>,
-    users: Service<any>
+    users: Service<any>,
+    protected: Service<any>
   }>;
   let user: any;
   let accessToken: string;
diff --git a/packages/feathers/index.d.ts b/packages/feathers/index.d.ts
index 46bd95a6e1..676b94521d 100644
--- a/packages/feathers/index.d.ts
+++ b/packages/feathers/index.d.ts
@@ -178,10 +178,10 @@ declare namespace createApplication {
 
     type ServiceMixin = (service: Service<any>, path: string) => void;
 
-    interface Application<ServiceTypes = any> extends EventEmitter {
+    interface Application<ServiceTypes = {}> extends EventEmitter {
         version: string;
 
-        services: ServiceTypes;
+        services: keyof ServiceTypes extends never ? any : ServiceTypes;
 
         mixins: ServiceMixin[];
 
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ declare namespace createApplication {
 
         service<L extends keyof ServiceTypes> (location: L): ServiceTypes[L];
 
-        service (location: string): Service<any>;
+        service (location: string): keyof ServiceTypes extends never ? any : never;
 
         use (path: string, service: Partial<ServiceMethods<any> & SetupMethod> | Application, options?: any): this;