diff --git a/include/etl/optional.h b/include/etl/optional.h
index 002d010a9..f70b2689c 100644
--- a/include/etl/optional.h
+++ b/include/etl/optional.h
@@ -484,14 +484,16 @@ namespace etl
       //*************************************************************************
       template <typename... TArgs>
       ETL_CONSTEXPR20_STL
-      void emplace(TArgs&& ... args)
+      T& emplace(TArgs&& ... args)
       {
         storage.construct(etl::forward<TArgs>(args)...);
+
+        return storage.u.value;
       }
 #else
       //*************************************************************************
       /// Emplaces a value.
-      /// 1 parameter.
+      /// 0 parameters.
       //*************************************************************************
       T& emplace()
       {
@@ -1048,14 +1050,16 @@ namespace etl
       //*************************************************************************
       template <typename... TArgs>
       ETL_CONSTEXPR14
-      void emplace(TArgs&& ... args)
+      T& emplace(TArgs&& ... args)
       {
         storage.construct(etl::forward<TArgs>(args)...);
+
+        return storage.value;
       }
 #else
       //*************************************************************************
       /// Emplaces a value.
-      /// 1 parameter.
+      /// 0 parameters.
       //*************************************************************************
       T& emplace()
       {
diff --git a/test/test_optional.cpp b/test/test_optional.cpp
index 61e68672b..87ee24c72 100644
--- a/test/test_optional.cpp
+++ b/test/test_optional.cpp
@@ -157,6 +157,16 @@ namespace
       CHECK_EQUAL(0, int(result.value()));
     }
 
+    //*************************************************************************
+    TEST(test_emplace_return)
+    {
+      etl::optional<DataM> data;
+
+      DataM* datam = &data.emplace(1U);
+      CHECK_EQUAL(datam, &data.value());
+      CHECK(datam != nullptr);
+    }
+
     //*************************************************************************
     TEST(test_moveable)
     {