diff --git a/types/create-react-class/create-react-class-tests.ts b/types/create-react-class/create-react-class-tests.ts
index b8025b23f0..3d7536d722 100644
--- a/types/create-react-class/create-react-class-tests.ts
+++ b/types/create-react-class/create-react-class-tests.ts
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ interface State {
     bar: number;
 }
 
-const props: Props & React.ClassAttributes<{}> = {
+const props: Props = {
     foo: "foo"
 };
 
diff --git a/types/react-daterange-picker/index.d.ts b/types/react-daterange-picker/index.d.ts
index e6fac4c33d..9d1d3ec565 100644
--- a/types/react-daterange-picker/index.d.ts
+++ b/types/react-daterange-picker/index.d.ts
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ import * as momentRange from "moment-range";
 export default class DateRangePicker extends React.Component<Props> { }
 export as namespace ReactDateRangePicker;
 
-export interface Props extends React.Props<{}> {
+export interface Props<T = DateRangePicker> extends React.Props<T> {
     bemBlock?: string;
     bemNamespace?: string;
     dateStates?: DateState[];
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ export interface StateDefinition {
     selectable?: boolean;
 }
 
-export interface PaginationArrowProps extends React.Props<{}> {
+export interface PaginationArrowProps<T = PaginationArrow> extends React.Props<T> {
     disabled?: boolean;
     onTrigger?(): void;
     direction?: 'next' | 'previous';
diff --git a/types/react/index.d.ts b/types/react/index.d.ts
index 968063559a..beaf5327d5 100644
--- a/types/react/index.d.ts
+++ b/types/react/index.d.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 //                 Josh Rutherford <https://github.com/theruther4d>
 //                 Guilherme Hübner <https://github.com/guilhermehubner>
 //                 Josh Goldberg <https://github.com/joshuakgoldberg>
+//                 Ferdy Budhidharma <https://github.com/ferdaber>
 //                 Johann Rakotoharisoa <https://github.com/jrakotoharisoa>
 // Definitions: https://github.com/DefinitelyTyped/DefinitelyTyped
 // TypeScript Version: 2.6
@@ -79,7 +80,12 @@ declare namespace React {
     type ComponentType<P = {}> = ComponentClass<P> | StatelessComponent<P>;
 
     type Key = string | number;
-    type Ref<T> = string | { bivarianceHack(instance: T | null): any }["bivarianceHack"];
+
+    interface RefObject<T> {
+        readonly current: T | null;
+    }
+
+    type Ref<T> = string | { bivarianceHack(instance: T | null): any }["bivarianceHack"] | RefObject<T>;
 
     // tslint:disable-next-line:interface-over-type-literal
     type ComponentState = {};
@@ -334,6 +340,14 @@ declare namespace React {
         displayName?: string;
     }
 
+    interface RefForwardingComponent<T, P = {}> {
+        (props: P & { children?: ReactNode }, ref?: Ref<T>): ReactElement<any> | null;
+        propTypes?: ValidationMap<P>;
+        contextTypes?: ValidationMap<any>;
+        defaultProps?: Partial<P>;
+        displayName?: string;
+    }
+
     interface ComponentClass<P = {}> extends StaticLifecycle<P, any> {
         new (props: P, context?: any): Component<P, ComponentState>;
         propTypes?: ValidationMap<P>;
@@ -535,6 +549,10 @@ declare namespace React {
         [propertyName: string]: any;
     }
 
+    function createRef<T>(): RefObject<T>;
+
+    function forwardRef<T, P = {}>(Component: RefForwardingComponent<T, P>): ComponentType<P & ClassAttributes<T>>;
+
     //
     // Event System
     // ----------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/types/react/test/index.ts b/types/react/test/index.ts
index 1df0282ee8..4ec98db218 100644
--- a/types/react/test/index.ts
+++ b/types/react/test/index.ts
@@ -37,7 +37,8 @@ interface MyComponent extends React.Component<Props, State> {
     reset(): void;
 }
 
-const props: Props & React.ClassAttributes<{}> = {
+// use any for ClassAttribute type sine we're using string refs
+const props: Props & React.ClassAttributes<any> = {
     key: 42,
     ref: "myComponent42",
     hello: "world",
@@ -288,6 +289,15 @@ DOM.div({ ref: node => domNodeRef = node });
 let inputNodeRef: HTMLInputElement | null;
 DOM.input({ ref: node => inputNodeRef = node as HTMLInputElement });
 
+const ForwardingRefComponent = React.forwardRef((props: {}, ref: React.Ref<RefComponent>) => {
+    return React.createElement(RefComponent, { ref });
+});
+
+function RefCarryingComponent() {
+    const ref: React.RefObject<RefComponent> = React.createRef();
+    return React.createElement(ForwardingRefComponent, { ref });
+}
+
 //
 // Attributes
 // --------------------------------------------------------------------------