diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/cats/data/OptionT.scala b/core/src/main/scala/cats/data/OptionT.scala
index 106891bcbe..6b587d0dce 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/cats/data/OptionT.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/cats/data/OptionT.scala
@@ -51,10 +51,10 @@ final case class OptionT[F[_], A](value: F[Option[A]]) {
   def subflatMap[B](f: A => Option[B])(implicit F: Functor[F]): OptionT[F, B] =
     transform(_.flatMap(f))
 
-  def getOrElse(default: => A)(implicit F: Functor[F]): F[A] =
+  def getOrElse[B >: A](default: => B)(implicit F: Functor[F]): F[B] =
     F.map(value)(_.getOrElse(default))
 
-  def getOrElseF(default: => F[A])(implicit F: Monad[F]): F[A] =
+  def getOrElseF[B >: A](default: => F[B])(implicit F: Monad[F]): F[B] =
     F.flatMap(value)(_.fold(default)(F.pure))
 
   def collect[B](f: PartialFunction[A, B])(implicit F: Functor[F]): OptionT[F, B] =
diff --git a/tests/src/test/scala/cats/tests/OptionTSuite.scala b/tests/src/test/scala/cats/tests/OptionTSuite.scala
index d3b7eea447..32e3458fda 100644
--- a/tests/src/test/scala/cats/tests/OptionTSuite.scala
+++ b/tests/src/test/scala/cats/tests/OptionTSuite.scala
@@ -148,12 +148,23 @@ class OptionTSuite extends CatsSuite {
     }
   }
 
+  test("OptionT[Id, A].getOrElse consistent with Option.getOrElse, with respect to types") {
+    forAll { (o: Option[Int]) =>
+      o.map(Right.apply).getOrElse(Left("error")) should === (OptionT[Id, Int](o).map(Right.apply).getOrElse("error".asLeft[Int]))
+    }
+  }
+
   test("OptionT[Id, A].getOrElseF consistent with Option.getOrElse") {
     forAll { (o: Option[Int], i: Int) =>
       o.getOrElse(i) should === (OptionT[Id, Int](o).getOrElseF(i))
     }
   }
 
+  test("OptionT[Id, A].getOrElseF consistent with Option.getOrElse, with respect to types") {
+    forAll { (o: Option[Int]) =>
+      o.map(Right.apply).getOrElse(Left("error")) should === (OptionT[Id, Int](o).map(Right.apply).getOrElseF("error".asLeft[Int]))
+    }
+  }
   test("OptionT[Id, A].collect consistent with Option.collect") {
     forAll { (o: Option[Int], f: Int => Option[String]) =>
       val p = Function.unlift(f)