diff --git a/docs/generators/java-camel.md b/docs/generators/java-camel.md
index c17f9e2620a..9b1c3c37162 100644
--- a/docs/generators/java-camel.md
+++ b/docs/generators/java-camel.md
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ These options may be applied as additional-properties (cli) or configOptions (pl
 |enumUnknownDefaultCase|If the server adds new enum cases, that are unknown by an old spec/client, the client will fail to parse the network response.With this option enabled, each enum will have a new case, 'unknown_default_open_api', so that when the server sends an enum case that is not known by the client/spec, they can safely fallback to this case.|<dl><dt>**false**</dt><dd>No changes to the enum's are made, this is the default option.</dd><dt>**true**</dt><dd>With this option enabled, each enum will have a new case, 'unknown_default_open_api', so that when the enum case sent by the server is not known by the client/spec, can safely be decoded to this case.</dd></dl>|false|
 |generateBuilders|Whether to generate builders for models| |false|
 |generateConstructorWithAllArgs|whether to generate a constructor for all arguments| |false|
+|generateGenericResponseEntity|Use a generic type for the `ResponseEntity` wrapping return values of generated API methods. If enabled, method are generated with return type ResponseEntity&lt;?&gt;| |false|
 |generatedConstructorWithRequiredArgs|Whether to generate constructors with required args for models| |true|
 |groupId|groupId in generated pom.xml| |org.openapitools|
 |hateoas|Use Spring HATEOAS library to allow adding HATEOAS links| |false|
diff --git a/docs/generators/spring.md b/docs/generators/spring.md
index 11081f66121..54d0433256e 100644
--- a/docs/generators/spring.md
+++ b/docs/generators/spring.md
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ These options may be applied as additional-properties (cli) or configOptions (pl
 |enumUnknownDefaultCase|If the server adds new enum cases, that are unknown by an old spec/client, the client will fail to parse the network response.With this option enabled, each enum will have a new case, 'unknown_default_open_api', so that when the server sends an enum case that is not known by the client/spec, they can safely fallback to this case.|<dl><dt>**false**</dt><dd>No changes to the enum's are made, this is the default option.</dd><dt>**true**</dt><dd>With this option enabled, each enum will have a new case, 'unknown_default_open_api', so that when the enum case sent by the server is not known by the client/spec, can safely be decoded to this case.</dd></dl>|false|
 |generateBuilders|Whether to generate builders for models| |false|
 |generateConstructorWithAllArgs|whether to generate a constructor for all arguments| |false|
+|generateGenericResponseEntity|Use a generic type for the `ResponseEntity` wrapping return values of generated API methods. If enabled, method are generated with return type ResponseEntity&lt;?&gt;| |false|
 |generatedConstructorWithRequiredArgs|Whether to generate constructors with required args for models| |true|
 |groupId|groupId in generated pom.xml| |org.openapitools|
 |hateoas|Use Spring HATEOAS library to allow adding HATEOAS links| |false|
diff --git a/modules/openapi-generator/src/main/java/org/openapitools/codegen/languages/SpringCodegen.java b/modules/openapi-generator/src/main/java/org/openapitools/codegen/languages/SpringCodegen.java
index 4d1f9438f05..621c91bfa84 100644
--- a/modules/openapi-generator/src/main/java/org/openapitools/codegen/languages/SpringCodegen.java
+++ b/modules/openapi-generator/src/main/java/org/openapitools/codegen/languages/SpringCodegen.java
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ public class SpringCodegen extends AbstractJavaCodegen
     public static final String RETURN_SUCCESS_CODE = "returnSuccessCode";
     public static final String UNHANDLED_EXCEPTION_HANDLING = "unhandledException";
     public static final String USE_RESPONSE_ENTITY = "useResponseEntity";
+    public static final String GENERATE_GENERIC_RESPONSE_ENTITY = "generateGenericResponseEntity";
     public static final String USE_ENUM_CASE_INSENSITIVE = "useEnumCaseInsensitive";
     public static final String USE_SPRING_BOOT3 = "useSpringBoot3";
     public static final String REQUEST_MAPPING_OPTION = "requestMappingMode";
@@ -147,6 +148,7 @@ public class SpringCodegen extends AbstractJavaCodegen
     @Setter protected boolean useSpringController = false;
     protected boolean useSwaggerUI = true;
     @Setter protected boolean useResponseEntity = true;
+    @Setter protected boolean generateGenericResponseEntity = false;
     @Setter protected boolean useEnumCaseInsensitive = false;
     @Getter @Setter
     protected boolean useSpringBoot3 = false;
@@ -256,6 +258,10 @@ public class SpringCodegen extends AbstractJavaCodegen
                 "Use the `ResponseEntity` type to wrap return values of generated API methods. "
                         + "If disabled, method are annotated using a `@ResponseStatus` annotation, which has the status of the first response declared in the Api definition",
                 useResponseEntity));
+        cliOptions.add(CliOption.newBoolean(GENERATE_GENERIC_RESPONSE_ENTITY,
+                "Use a generic type for the `ResponseEntity` wrapping return values of generated API methods. "
+                        + "If enabled, method are generated with return type ResponseEntity<?>",
+                generateGenericResponseEntity));
         cliOptions.add(CliOption.newBoolean(USE_ENUM_CASE_INSENSITIVE,
                 "Use `equalsIgnoreCase` when String for enum comparison",
                 useEnumCaseInsensitive));
@@ -433,6 +439,11 @@ public class SpringCodegen extends AbstractJavaCodegen
 
         convertPropertyToBooleanAndWriteBack(UNHANDLED_EXCEPTION_HANDLING, this::setUnhandledException);
         convertPropertyToBooleanAndWriteBack(USE_RESPONSE_ENTITY, this::setUseResponseEntity);
+        convertPropertyToBooleanAndWriteBack(GENERATE_GENERIC_RESPONSE_ENTITY, this::setGenerateGenericResponseEntity);
+        if (!useResponseEntity) {
+            this.setGenerateGenericResponseEntity(false);
+            this.additionalProperties.put(GENERATE_GENERIC_RESPONSE_ENTITY, false);
+        }
         convertPropertyToBooleanAndWriteBack(OPTIONAL_ACCEPT_NULLABLE, this::setOptionalAcceptNullable);
         convertPropertyToBooleanAndWriteBack(USE_SPRING_BUILT_IN_VALIDATION, this::setUseSpringBuiltInValidation);
 
diff --git a/modules/openapi-generator/src/main/resources/JavaSpring/returnTypes.mustache b/modules/openapi-generator/src/main/resources/JavaSpring/returnTypes.mustache
index 70bad00b884..757696365ae 100644
--- a/modules/openapi-generator/src/main/resources/JavaSpring/returnTypes.mustache
+++ b/modules/openapi-generator/src/main/resources/JavaSpring/returnTypes.mustache
@@ -1 +1 @@
-{{#isMap}}Map<String, {{{returnType}}}>{{/isMap}}{{#isArray}}{{#reactive}}{{{returnType}}}{{/reactive}}{{^reactive}}{{{returnContainer}}}<{{{returnType}}}>{{/reactive}}{{/isArray}}{{^returnContainer}}{{#useResponseEntity}}{{{returnType}}}{{/useResponseEntity}}{{^useResponseEntity}}{{#isDelegate}}{{#isVoid}}{{#responseWrapper}}{{{returnType}}}{{/responseWrapper}}{{^responseWrapper}}void{{/responseWrapper}}{{/isVoid}}{{^isVoid}}{{{returnType}}}{{/isVoid}}{{/isDelegate}}{{^isDelegate}}{{#async}}{{{returnType}}}{{/async}}{{^async}}{{#isVoid}}{{#responseWrapper}}{{{returnType}}}{{/responseWrapper}}{{^responseWrapper}}void{{/responseWrapper}}{{/isVoid}}{{^isVoid}}{{{returnType}}}{{/isVoid}}{{/async}}{{/isDelegate}}{{/useResponseEntity}}{{/returnContainer}}
\ No newline at end of file
+{{#isMap}}Map<String, {{{returnType}}}>{{/isMap}}{{#isArray}}{{#reactive}}{{{returnType}}}{{/reactive}}{{^reactive}}{{#generateGenericResponseEntity}}?{{/generateGenericResponseEntity}}{{^generateGenericResponseEntity}}{{{returnContainer}}}<{{{returnType}}}>{{/generateGenericResponseEntity}}{{/reactive}}{{/isArray}}{{^returnContainer}}{{#useResponseEntity}}{{#generateGenericResponseEntity}}?{{/generateGenericResponseEntity}}{{^generateGenericResponseEntity}}{{{returnType}}}{{/generateGenericResponseEntity}}{{/useResponseEntity}}{{^useResponseEntity}}{{#isDelegate}}{{#isVoid}}{{#responseWrapper}}{{{returnType}}}{{/responseWrapper}}{{^responseWrapper}}void{{/responseWrapper}}{{/isVoid}}{{^isVoid}}{{{returnType}}}{{/isVoid}}{{/isDelegate}}{{^isDelegate}}{{#async}}{{{returnType}}}{{/async}}{{^async}}{{#isVoid}}{{#responseWrapper}}{{{returnType}}}{{/responseWrapper}}{{^responseWrapper}}void{{/responseWrapper}}{{/isVoid}}{{^isVoid}}{{{returnType}}}{{/isVoid}}{{/async}}{{/isDelegate}}{{/useResponseEntity}}{{/returnContainer}}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/modules/openapi-generator/src/test/java/org/openapitools/codegen/java/spring/SpringCodegenTest.java b/modules/openapi-generator/src/test/java/org/openapitools/codegen/java/spring/SpringCodegenTest.java
index 30a7c092d8c..f0992bf3657 100644
--- a/modules/openapi-generator/src/test/java/org/openapitools/codegen/java/spring/SpringCodegenTest.java
+++ b/modules/openapi-generator/src/test/java/org/openapitools/codegen/java/spring/SpringCodegenTest.java
@@ -5532,4 +5532,42 @@ public class SpringCodegenTest {
                 .fileContains("private @Nullable List<String> stringList;")
                 .fileContains("private List<String> stringRequiredList = new ArrayList<>();");
     }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testGenericReturnTypeWhenUsingResponseEntity_issue1096() throws IOException {
+        Map<String, Object> additionalProperties = new HashMap<>();
+        additionalProperties.put(SpringCodegen.USE_RESPONSE_ENTITY, "true");
+        additionalProperties.put(SpringCodegen.GENERATE_GENERIC_RESPONSE_ENTITY, "true");
+        additionalProperties.put(SpringCodegen.USE_SPRING_BOOT3, "true");
+        additionalProperties.put(CodegenConstants.MODEL_TESTS, "false");
+        additionalProperties.put(CodegenConstants.MODEL_DOCS, "false");
+        additionalProperties.put(CodegenConstants.APIS, "true");
+        additionalProperties.put(CodegenConstants.SUPPORTING_FILES, "false");
+
+        Map<String, File> files = generateFromContract("src/test/resources/3_0/petstore.yaml", SPRING_BOOT, additionalProperties);
+
+        JavaFileAssert.assertThat(files.get("PetApi.java"))
+                .assertMethod("getPetById").hasReturnType("ResponseEntity<?>")
+                .toFileAssert()
+                .assertMethod("findPetsByStatus").hasReturnType("ResponseEntity<?>");
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testGenericReturnTypeWhenNotUsingResponseEntity_issue1096() throws IOException {
+        Map<String, Object> additionalProperties = new HashMap<>();
+        additionalProperties.put(SpringCodegen.USE_RESPONSE_ENTITY, "false");
+        additionalProperties.put(SpringCodegen.GENERATE_GENERIC_RESPONSE_ENTITY, "true");
+        additionalProperties.put(SpringCodegen.USE_SPRING_BOOT3, "true");
+        additionalProperties.put(CodegenConstants.MODEL_TESTS, "false");
+        additionalProperties.put(CodegenConstants.MODEL_DOCS, "false");
+        additionalProperties.put(CodegenConstants.APIS, "true");
+        additionalProperties.put(CodegenConstants.SUPPORTING_FILES, "false");
+
+        Map<String, File> files = generateFromContract("src/test/resources/3_0/petstore.yaml", SPRING_BOOT, additionalProperties);
+
+        JavaFileAssert.assertThat(files.get("PetApi.java"))
+                .assertMethod("getPetById").hasReturnType("Pet")
+                .toFileAssert()
+                .assertMethod("findPetsByStatus").hasReturnType("List<Pet>");
+    }
 }