diff --git a/packages/core/src/event_emitter.ts b/packages/core/src/event_emitter.ts
index 40482cd8df..c1a2bed99e 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/event_emitter.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/event_emitter.ts
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ export class EventEmitter<T> extends Subject<T> {
    * @param complete When supplied, a custom handler for a completion
    * notification from this emitter.
    */
-  subscribe(generatorOrNext?: any, error?: any, complete?: any): any {
+  subscribe(generatorOrNext?: any, error?: any, complete?: any): Subscription {
     let schedulerFn: (t: any) => any;
     let errorFn = (err: any): any => null;
     let completeFn = (): any => null;
diff --git a/tools/public_api_guard/core/core.d.ts b/tools/public_api_guard/core/core.d.ts
index fb5ec145dc..f9fd78569c 100644
--- a/tools/public_api_guard/core/core.d.ts
+++ b/tools/public_api_guard/core/core.d.ts
@@ -313,7 +313,7 @@ export declare class EventEmitter<T> extends Subject<T> {
     __isAsync: boolean;
     constructor(isAsync?: boolean);
     emit(value?: T): void;
-    subscribe(generatorOrNext?: any, error?: any, complete?: any): any;
+    subscribe(generatorOrNext?: any, error?: any, complete?: any): Subscription;
 }
 
 export interface ExistingProvider extends ExistingSansProvider {