diff --git a/library/src/scala/Option.scala b/library/src/scala/Option.scala
index 68f2ee039e7e..c9c7969550a0 100644
--- a/library/src/scala/Option.scala
+++ b/library/src/scala/Option.scala
@@ -220,7 +220,10 @@ sealed abstract class Option[+A] extends IterableOnce[A] with Product with Seria
    *  val textField = new JComponent(initialText.orNull,20)
    *  ```
    */
-  @inline final def orNull[A1 >: A](implicit ev: Null <:< A1): A1 = this getOrElse ev(null)
+  @inline final def orNull: A | Null = this.getOrElse(null)
+  
+  // for binary and TASTy backwards compatibility 
+  @deprecated @inline protected final def orNull[A1 >: A](implicit ev: Null <:< A1): A1 = this getOrElse ev(null)
 
   /** Returns a $some containing the result of applying $f to this $option's
    *  value if this $option is nonempty.
diff --git a/project/MiMaFilters.scala b/project/MiMaFilters.scala
index 6a8a9326b6d0..7c307588e2eb 100644
--- a/project/MiMaFilters.scala
+++ b/project/MiMaFilters.scala
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ object MiMaFilters {
 
       // Breaking changes since last reference version
       Build.mimaPreviousDottyVersion -> Seq(
+        ProblemFilters.exclude[DirectMissingMethodProblem]("scala.None.orNull"),
         ProblemFilters.exclude[MissingTypesProblem]("scala.util.control.NonLocalReturns$ReturnThrowable"),
         // THIS IS FINE, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN THIS WAY
         ProblemFilters.exclude[MissingTypesProblem]("scala.Function1$"),
diff --git a/tests/explicit-nulls/pos/option-ornull.scala b/tests/explicit-nulls/pos/option-ornull.scala
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..d17b7356a1d7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/explicit-nulls/pos/option-ornull.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+import java.util.Optional
+
+class CheckResult(result: Option[Unit]):
+  def foo =
+    val x: Optional[Unit] = Optional.ofNullable(result.orNull)
+    42