diff --git a/packages/adapter-commons/src/service.ts b/packages/adapter-commons/src/service.ts
index 19b452f7a1..6182dbb4e8 100644
--- a/packages/adapter-commons/src/service.ts
+++ b/packages/adapter-commons/src/service.ts
@@ -26,12 +26,12 @@ export interface ServiceOptions {
 }
 
 export interface InternalServiceMethods<T = any> {
-    _find (params?: Params): Promise<T | T[] | Paginated<T>>;
+    _find (params?: Params): Promise<T[] | Paginated<T>>;
     _get (id: Id, params?: Params): Promise<T>;
     _create (data: Partial<T> | Array<Partial<T>>, params?: Params): Promise<T | T[]>;
     _update (id: Id, data: T, params?: Params): Promise<T>;
-    _patch (id: NullableId, data: Partial<T>, params?: Params): Promise<T>;
-    _remove (id: NullableId, params?: Params): Promise<T>;
+    _patch (id: NullableId, data: Partial<T>, params?: Params): Promise<T | T[]>;
+    _remove (id: NullableId, params?: Params): Promise<T | T[]>;
 }
 
 export class AdapterService<T = any> implements ServiceMethods<T> {
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ export class AdapterService<T = any> implements ServiceMethods<T> {
     }
   }
 
-  find (params?: Params): Promise<T | T[] | Paginated<T>> {
+  find (params?: Params): Promise<T[] | Paginated<T>> {
     return callMethod(this, '_find', params);
   }
 
@@ -94,6 +94,9 @@ export class AdapterService<T = any> implements ServiceMethods<T> {
     return callMethod(this, '_get', id, params);
   }
 
+  create (data: Partial<T>, params?: Params): Promise<T>;
+  create (data: Array<Partial<T>>, params?: Params): Promise<T[]>;
+  create (data: Partial<T> | Array<Partial<T>>, params?: Params): Promise<T | T[]>;
   create (data: Partial<T> | Array<Partial<T>>, params?: Params): Promise<T | T[]> {
     if (Array.isArray(data) && !this.allowsMulti('create')) {
       return Promise.reject(new MethodNotAllowed(`Can not create multiple entries`));
@@ -112,7 +115,10 @@ export class AdapterService<T = any> implements ServiceMethods<T> {
     return callMethod(this, '_update', id, data, params);
   }
 
-  patch (id: NullableId, data: Partial<T>, params?: Params): Promise<T> {
+  patch (id: Id, data: Partial<T>, params?: Params): Promise<T>;
+  patch (id: null, data: Partial<T>, params?: Params): Promise<T[]>;
+  patch (id: NullableId, data: Partial<T>, params?: Params): Promise<T | T[]>;
+  patch (id: NullableId, data: Partial<T>, params?: Params): Promise<T | T[]> {
     if (id === null && !this.allowsMulti('patch')) {
       return Promise.reject(new MethodNotAllowed(`Can not patch multiple entries`));
     }
@@ -120,7 +126,10 @@ export class AdapterService<T = any> implements ServiceMethods<T> {
     return callMethod(this, '_patch', id, data, params);
   }
 
-  remove (id: NullableId, params?: Params): Promise<T> {
+  remove (id: Id, params?: Params): Promise<T>;
+  remove (id: null, params?: Params): Promise<T[]>;
+  remove (id: NullableId, params?: Params): Promise<T | T[]>;
+  remove (id: NullableId, params?: Params): Promise<T | T[]> {
     if (id === null && !this.allowsMulti('remove')) {
       return Promise.reject(new MethodNotAllowed(`Can not remove multiple entries`));
     }
diff --git a/packages/feathers/index.d.ts b/packages/feathers/index.d.ts
index 25135d8f14..7f9cb6e2f8 100644
--- a/packages/feathers/index.d.ts
+++ b/packages/feathers/index.d.ts
@@ -149,11 +149,11 @@ declare namespace createApplication {
 
         create (data: Partial<T> | Array<Partial<T>>, params?: Params): Promise<T | T[]>;
 
-        update (id: NullableId, data: T, params?: Params): Promise<T>;
+        update (id: NullableId, data: T, params?: Params): Promise<T | T[]>;
 
-        patch (id: NullableId, data: Partial<T>, params?: Params): Promise<T>;
+        patch (id: NullableId, data: Partial<T>, params?: Params): Promise<T | T[]>;
 
-        remove (id: NullableId, params?: Params): Promise<T>;
+        remove (id: NullableId, params?: Params): Promise<T | T[]>;
     }
 
     interface SetupMethod {
@@ -161,11 +161,21 @@ declare namespace createApplication {
     }
 
     interface ServiceOverloads<T> {
+        create? (data: Partial<T>, params?: Params): Promise<T>;
+
         create? (data: Array<Partial<T>>, params?: Params): Promise<T[]>;
 
-        create? (data: Partial<T>, params?: Params): Promise<T>;
+        update? (id: Id, data: T, params?: Params): Promise<T>;
+
+        update? (id: null, data: T, params?: Params): Promise<T[]>;
+
+        patch? (id: Id, data: Partial<T>, params?: Params): Promise<T>;
+
+        patch? (id: null, data: Partial<T>, params?: Params): Promise<T[]>;
+
+        remove? (id: Id, params?: Params): Promise<T>;
 
-        patch? (id: NullableId, data: Pick<T, keyof T>, params?: Params): Promise<T>;
+        remove? (id: null, params?: Params): Promise<T[]>;
     }
 
     interface ServiceAddons<T> extends EventEmitter {