diff --git a/java/client/src/org/openqa/selenium/SearchContext.java b/java/client/src/org/openqa/selenium/SearchContext.java
index 5d3548b817f17..061ed6336049f 100644
--- a/java/client/src/org/openqa/selenium/SearchContext.java
+++ b/java/client/src/org/openqa/selenium/SearchContext.java
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ public interface SearchContext {
    * @return A list of all {@link WebElement}s, or an empty list if nothing matches
    * @see org.openqa.selenium.By
    */
-  List<WebElement> findElements(By by);
+   <T extends List<? extends WebElement>> T findElements(By by);
 
 
   /**
@@ -36,5 +36,5 @@ public interface SearchContext {
    * @return The first matching element on the current context
    * @throws NoSuchElementException If no matching elements are found
    */
-  WebElement findElement(By by);
+  <T extends WebElement> T findElement(By by);
 }
diff --git a/java/client/src/org/openqa/selenium/WebDriver.java b/java/client/src/org/openqa/selenium/WebDriver.java
index f0c41be470ae1..014a21722bd84 100644
--- a/java/client/src/org/openqa/selenium/WebDriver.java
+++ b/java/client/src/org/openqa/selenium/WebDriver.java
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ public interface WebDriver extends SearchContext {
    * @see org.openqa.selenium.By
    * @see org.openqa.selenium.WebDriver.Timeouts
    */
-  List<WebElement> findElements(By by);
+  <T extends List<? extends WebElement>> T findElements(By by);
 
 
   /**
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ public interface WebDriver extends SearchContext {
    * @see org.openqa.selenium.By
    * @see org.openqa.selenium.WebDriver.Timeouts
    */
-  WebElement findElement(By by);
+  <T extends WebElement> T findElement(By by);
 
   // Misc
 
diff --git a/java/client/src/org/openqa/selenium/WebElement.java b/java/client/src/org/openqa/selenium/WebElement.java
index af7e94d91f092..1e57bc5c9c8bd 100644
--- a/java/client/src/org/openqa/selenium/WebElement.java
+++ b/java/client/src/org/openqa/selenium/WebElement.java
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ public interface WebElement extends SearchContext {
    * @see org.openqa.selenium.By
    * @see org.openqa.selenium.WebDriver.Timeouts
    */
-  List<WebElement> findElements(By by);
+  <T extends List<? extends WebElement>> T findElements(By by);
 
   /**
    * Find the first {@link WebElement} using the given method. See the note in
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ public interface WebElement extends SearchContext {
    * @see org.openqa.selenium.By
    * @see org.openqa.selenium.WebDriver.Timeouts
    */
-  WebElement findElement(By by);
+  <T extends WebElement> T findElement(By by);
 
   /**
    * Is this element displayed or not? This method avoids the problem of having to parse an
diff --git a/java/client/src/org/openqa/selenium/internal/FindsByClassName.java b/java/client/src/org/openqa/selenium/internal/FindsByClassName.java
index 14d0864c58921..cbe897bf7f9c2 100644
--- a/java/client/src/org/openqa/selenium/internal/FindsByClassName.java
+++ b/java/client/src/org/openqa/selenium/internal/FindsByClassName.java
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 import java.util.List;
 
 public interface FindsByClassName {
-  WebElement findElementByClassName(String using);
+  <T extends WebElement> T findElementByClassName(String using);
 
-  List<WebElement> findElementsByClassName(String using);
+  <T extends List<? extends WebElement>> T findElementsByClassName(String using);
 }
diff --git a/java/client/src/org/openqa/selenium/internal/FindsByCssSelector.java b/java/client/src/org/openqa/selenium/internal/FindsByCssSelector.java
index 79d3267ebc788..386219e5adf75 100644
--- a/java/client/src/org/openqa/selenium/internal/FindsByCssSelector.java
+++ b/java/client/src/org/openqa/selenium/internal/FindsByCssSelector.java
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 import java.util.List;
 
 public interface FindsByCssSelector {
-  WebElement findElementByCssSelector(String using);
+  <T extends WebElement> T findElementByCssSelector(String using);
 
-  List<WebElement> findElementsByCssSelector(String using);
+  <T extends List<? extends WebElement>> T findElementsByCssSelector(String using);
 }
diff --git a/java/client/src/org/openqa/selenium/internal/FindsById.java b/java/client/src/org/openqa/selenium/internal/FindsById.java
index b4d2e5da59131..d6e8aa3d8baa6 100644
--- a/java/client/src/org/openqa/selenium/internal/FindsById.java
+++ b/java/client/src/org/openqa/selenium/internal/FindsById.java
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 import java.util.List;
 
 public interface FindsById {
-  WebElement findElementById(String using);
+  <T extends WebElement> T findElementById(String using);
 
-  List<WebElement> findElementsById(String using);
+  <T extends List<? extends WebElement>> T findElementsById(String using);
 }
diff --git a/java/client/src/org/openqa/selenium/internal/FindsByLinkText.java b/java/client/src/org/openqa/selenium/internal/FindsByLinkText.java
index 00ee6080b1469..265fb64daa11d 100644
--- a/java/client/src/org/openqa/selenium/internal/FindsByLinkText.java
+++ b/java/client/src/org/openqa/selenium/internal/FindsByLinkText.java
@@ -21,11 +21,11 @@
 import java.util.List;
 
 public interface FindsByLinkText {
-  WebElement findElementByLinkText(String using);
+  <T extends WebElement> T findElementByLinkText(String using);
 
-  List<WebElement> findElementsByLinkText(String using);
+  <T extends List<? extends WebElement>> T findElementsByLinkText(String using);
 
-  WebElement findElementByPartialLinkText(String using);
+  <T extends WebElement> T findElementByPartialLinkText(String using);
 
-  List<WebElement> findElementsByPartialLinkText(String using);
+  <T extends List<? extends WebElement>> T findElementsByPartialLinkText(String using);
 }
diff --git a/java/client/src/org/openqa/selenium/internal/FindsByName.java b/java/client/src/org/openqa/selenium/internal/FindsByName.java
index 38226be5d9a74..0b9db839e0381 100644
--- a/java/client/src/org/openqa/selenium/internal/FindsByName.java
+++ b/java/client/src/org/openqa/selenium/internal/FindsByName.java
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 import java.util.List;
 
 public interface FindsByName {
-  WebElement findElementByName(String using);
+  <T extends WebElement> T findElementByName(String using);
 
-  List<WebElement> findElementsByName(String using);
+  <T extends List<? extends WebElement>> T findElementsByName(String using);
 }
diff --git a/java/client/src/org/openqa/selenium/internal/FindsByTagName.java b/java/client/src/org/openqa/selenium/internal/FindsByTagName.java
index 5ef915134513b..46f0463450222 100644
--- a/java/client/src/org/openqa/selenium/internal/FindsByTagName.java
+++ b/java/client/src/org/openqa/selenium/internal/FindsByTagName.java
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 import java.util.List;
 
 public interface FindsByTagName {
-  WebElement findElementByTagName(String using);
+  <T extends WebElement> T findElementByTagName(String using);
 
-  List<WebElement> findElementsByTagName(String using);
+  <T extends List<? extends WebElement>> T findElementsByTagName(String using);
 }
diff --git a/java/client/src/org/openqa/selenium/internal/FindsByXPath.java b/java/client/src/org/openqa/selenium/internal/FindsByXPath.java
index 6deb142eb31df..0e8ab4a4d2b39 100644
--- a/java/client/src/org/openqa/selenium/internal/FindsByXPath.java
+++ b/java/client/src/org/openqa/selenium/internal/FindsByXPath.java
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 import java.util.List;
 
 public interface FindsByXPath {
-  WebElement findElementByXPath(String using);
+  <T extends WebElement> T findElementByXPath(String using);
 
-  List<WebElement> findElementsByXPath(String using);
+  <T extends List<? extends WebElement>> T findElementsByXPath(String using);
 }
diff --git a/java/client/src/org/openqa/selenium/remote/RemoteWebDriver.java b/java/client/src/org/openqa/selenium/remote/RemoteWebDriver.java
index 16fdbf4053d24..0da4043217b4f 100644
--- a/java/client/src/org/openqa/selenium/remote/RemoteWebDriver.java
+++ b/java/client/src/org/openqa/selenium/remote/RemoteWebDriver.java
@@ -336,12 +336,12 @@ public <X> X getScreenshotAs(OutputType<X> outputType) throws WebDriverException
     }
   }
 
-  public List<WebElement> findElements(By by) {
-    return by.findElements(this);
+  public <T extends List<? extends WebElement>> T findElements(By by) {
+    return (T) by.findElements(this);
   }
 
-  public WebElement findElement(By by) {
-    return by.findElement(this);
+  public <T extends WebElement> T findElement(By by) {
+    return (T) by.findElement(this);
   }
 
   protected WebElement findElement(String by, String using) {
@@ -389,68 +389,68 @@ protected List<WebElement> findElements(String by, String using) {
     return allElements;
   }
 
-  public WebElement findElementById(String using) {
-    return findElement("id", using);
+  public <T extends WebElement> T findElementById(String using) {
+    return (T) findElement("id", using);
   }
 
-  public List<WebElement> findElementsById(String using) {
-    return findElements("id", using);
+  public <T extends List<? extends WebElement>> T findElementsById(String using) {
+    return (T) findElements("id", using);
   }
 
-  public WebElement findElementByLinkText(String using) {
-    return findElement("link text", using);
+  public <T extends WebElement> T findElementByLinkText(String using) {
+    return (T) findElement("link text", using);
   }
 
-  public List<WebElement> findElementsByLinkText(String using) {
-    return findElements("link text", using);
+  public <T extends List<? extends WebElement>> T findElementsByLinkText(String using) {
+    return (T) findElements("link text", using);
   }
 
-  public WebElement findElementByPartialLinkText(String using) {
-    return findElement("partial link text", using);
+  public <T extends WebElement> T findElementByPartialLinkText(String using) {
+    return (T) findElement("partial link text", using);
   }
 
-  public List<WebElement> findElementsByPartialLinkText(String using) {
-    return findElements("partial link text", using);
+  public <T extends List<? extends WebElement>> T findElementsByPartialLinkText(String using) {
+    return (T) findElements("partial link text", using);
   }
 
-  public WebElement findElementByTagName(String using) {
-    return findElement("tag name", using);
+  public <T extends WebElement> T findElementByTagName(String using) {
+    return (T) findElement("tag name", using);
   }
 
-  public List<WebElement> findElementsByTagName(String using) {
-    return findElements("tag name", using);
+  public <T extends List<? extends WebElement>> T findElementsByTagName(String using) {
+    return (T) findElements("tag name", using);
   }
 
-  public WebElement findElementByName(String using) {
-    return findElement("name", using);
+  public <T extends WebElement> T findElementByName(String using) {
+    return (T) findElement("name", using);
   }
 
-  public List<WebElement> findElementsByName(String using) {
-    return findElements("name", using);
+  public <T extends List<? extends WebElement>> T findElementsByName(String using) {
+    return (T) findElements("name", using);
   }
 
-  public WebElement findElementByClassName(String using) {
-    return findElement("class name", using);
+  public <T extends WebElement> T findElementByClassName(String using) {
+    return (T) findElement("class name", using);
   }
 
-  public List<WebElement> findElementsByClassName(String using) {
-    return findElements("class name", using);
+  public <T extends List<? extends WebElement>> T findElementsByClassName(String using) {
+    return (T) findElements("class name", using);
   }
 
-  public WebElement findElementByCssSelector(String using) {
-    return findElement("css selector", using);
+  public <T extends WebElement> T findElementByCssSelector(String using) {
+    return (T) findElement("css selector", using);
   }
 
-  public List<WebElement> findElementsByCssSelector(String using) {
-    return findElements("css selector", using);
+  public <T extends List<? extends WebElement>> T findElementsByCssSelector(String using) {
+    return (T) findElements("css selector", using);
   }
 
-  public WebElement findElementByXPath(String using) {
-    return findElement("xpath", using);
+  public <T extends WebElement> T findElementByXPath(String using) {
+    return (T) findElement("xpath", using);
   }
 
-  public List<WebElement> findElementsByXPath(String using) {
-    return findElements("xpath", using);
+  public <T extends List<? extends WebElement>> T findElementsByXPath(String using) {
+    return (T) findElements("xpath", using);
   }
 
   // Misc
diff --git a/java/client/src/org/openqa/selenium/remote/RemoteWebElement.java b/java/client/src/org/openqa/selenium/remote/RemoteWebElement.java
index d887c3249b8e0..6cb5f569df9f1 100644
--- a/java/client/src/org/openqa/selenium/remote/RemoteWebElement.java
+++ b/java/client/src/org/openqa/selenium/remote/RemoteWebElement.java
@@ -159,12 +159,12 @@ public String getCssValue(String propertyName) {
     return (String) response.getValue();
   }
 
-  public List<WebElement> findElements(By by) {
-    return by.findElements(this);
+  public <T extends List<? extends WebElement>> T findElements(By by) {
+    return (T) by.findElements(this);
   }
 
-  public WebElement findElement(By by) {
-    return by.findElement(this);
+  public <T extends WebElement> T findElement(By by) {
+    return (T) by.findElement(this);
   }
 
   protected WebElement findElement(String using, String value) {
@@ -200,68 +200,68 @@ protected List<WebElement> findElements(String using, String value) {
     return allElements;
   }
 
-  public WebElement findElementById(String using) {
-    return findElement("id", using);
+  public <T extends WebElement> T findElementById(String using) {
+    return (T) findElement("id", using);
   }
 
-  public List<WebElement> findElementsById(String using) {
-    return findElements("id", using);
+  public <T extends List<? extends WebElement>> T findElementsById(String using) {
+    return (T) findElements("id", using);
   }
 
-  public WebElement findElementByLinkText(String using) {
-    return findElement("link text", using);
+  public <T extends WebElement> T findElementByLinkText(String using) {
+    return (T) findElement("link text", using);
   }
 
-  public List<WebElement> findElementsByLinkText(String using) {
-    return findElements("link text", using);
+  public <T extends List<? extends WebElement>> T findElementsByLinkText(String using) {
+    return (T) findElements("link text", using);
   }
 
-  public WebElement findElementByName(String using) {
-    return findElement("name", using);
+  public <T extends WebElement> T findElementByName(String using) {
+    return (T) findElement("name", using);
   }
 
-  public List<WebElement> findElementsByName(String using) {
-    return findElements("name", using);
+  public <T extends List<? extends WebElement>> T findElementsByName(String using) {
+    return (T) findElements("name", using);
   }
 
-  public WebElement findElementByClassName(String using) {
-    return findElement("class name", using);
+  public <T extends WebElement> T findElementByClassName(String using) {
+    return (T) findElement("class name", using);
   }
 
-  public List<WebElement> findElementsByClassName(String using) {
-    return findElements("class name", using);
+  public <T extends List<? extends WebElement>> T findElementsByClassName(String using) {
+    return (T) findElements("class name", using);
   }
 
-  public WebElement findElementByCssSelector(String using) {
-    return findElement("css selector", using);
+  public <T extends WebElement> T findElementByCssSelector(String using) {
+    return (T) findElement("css selector", using);
   }
 
-  public List<WebElement> findElementsByCssSelector(String using) {
-    return findElements("css selector", using);
+  public <T extends List<? extends WebElement>> T findElementsByCssSelector(String using) {
+    return (T) findElements("css selector", using);
   }
 
-  public WebElement findElementByXPath(String using) {
-    return findElement("xpath", using);
+  public <T extends WebElement> T findElementByXPath(String using) {
+    return (T) findElement("xpath", using);
   }
 
-  public List<WebElement> findElementsByXPath(String using) {
-    return findElements("xpath", using);
+  public <T extends List<? extends WebElement>> T findElementsByXPath(String using) {
+    return (T) findElements("xpath", using);
   }
 
-  public WebElement findElementByPartialLinkText(String using) {
-    return findElement("partial link text", using);
+  public <T extends WebElement> T findElementByPartialLinkText(String using) {
+    return (T) findElement("partial link text", using);
   }
 
-  public List<WebElement> findElementsByPartialLinkText(String using) {
-    return findElements("partial link text", using);
+  public <T extends List<? extends WebElement>> T findElementsByPartialLinkText(String using) {
+    return (T) findElements("partial link text", using);
   }
 
-  public WebElement findElementByTagName(String using) {
-    return findElement("tag name", using);
+  public <T extends WebElement> T findElementByTagName(String using) {
+    return (T) findElement("tag name", using);
   }
 
-  public List<WebElement> findElementsByTagName(String using) {
-    return findElements("tag name", using);
+  public <T extends List<? extends WebElement>> T findElementsByTagName(String using) {
+    return (T) findElements("tag name", using);
   }
 
   protected Response execute(String command, Map<String, ?> parameters) {