diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/cats/data/EitherT.scala b/core/src/main/scala/cats/data/EitherT.scala
index 658cdd0f67..2bcd268d9d 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/cats/data/EitherT.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/cats/data/EitherT.scala
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ final case class EitherT[F[_], A, B](value: F[Either[A, B]]) {
       case Right(b) => F.pure(b)
     }
 
-  def orElse[AA, BB >: B](default: => EitherT[F, AA, BB])(implicit F: Monad[F]): EitherT[F, AA, BB] =
+  def orElse[C, BB >: B](default: => EitherT[F, C, BB])(implicit F: Monad[F]): EitherT[F, C, BB] =
     EitherT(F.flatMap(value) {
       case Left(_)      => default.value
       case r @ Right(_) => F.pure(r.leftCast)
@@ -85,8 +85,7 @@ final case class EitherT[F[_], A, B](value: F[Either[A, B]]) {
                                                          applicativeG: Applicative[G]): G[EitherT[F, C, D]] =
     applicativeG.map(traverseF.traverse(value)(axb => Bitraverse[Either].bitraverse(axb)(f, g)))(EitherT.apply)
 
-  def biflatMap[AA >: A, BB >: B](fa: A => EitherT[F, AA, BB],
-                                  fb: B => EitherT[F, AA, BB])(implicit F: FlatMap[F]): EitherT[F, AA, BB] =
+  def biflatMap[C, D](fa: A => EitherT[F, C, D], fb: B => EitherT[F, C, D])(implicit F: FlatMap[F]): EitherT[F, C, D] =
     EitherT(F.flatMap(value) {
       case Left(a)  => fa(a).value
       case Right(a) => fb(a).value
@@ -122,7 +121,7 @@ final case class EitherT[F[_], A, B](value: F[Either[A, B]]) {
 
   def leftMap[C](f: A => C)(implicit F: Functor[F]): EitherT[F, C, B] = bimap(f, identity)
 
-  def leftFlatMap[BB >: B, D](f: A => EitherT[F, D, BB])(implicit F: Monad[F]): EitherT[F, D, BB] =
+  def leftFlatMap[BB >: B, C](f: A => EitherT[F, C, BB])(implicit F: Monad[F]): EitherT[F, C, BB] =
     EitherT(F.flatMap(value) {
       case Left(a)      => f(a).value
       case r @ Right(_) => F.pure(r.leftCast)
@@ -248,7 +247,7 @@ final case class EitherT[F[_], A, B](value: F[Either[A, B]]) {
    * res0: EitherT[Option, NonEmptyList[Error], Int] = EitherT(Some(Left(NonEmptyList(error 1, error 2, error 3))))
    * }}}
    */
-  def withValidated[AA, BB](f: Validated[A, B] => Validated[AA, BB])(implicit F: Functor[F]): EitherT[F, AA, BB] =
+  def withValidated[C, D](f: Validated[A, B] => Validated[C, D])(implicit F: Functor[F]): EitherT[F, C, D] =
     EitherT(F.map(value)(either => f(either.toValidated).toEither))
 
   def show(implicit show: Show[F[Either[A, B]]]): String = show.show(value)