diff --git a/packages/frontend-internal/src/wiring/OpaqueType.test.ts b/packages/frontend-internal/src/wiring/OpaqueType.test.ts
index f952f9cdbb..2e49ca9029 100644
--- a/packages/frontend-internal/src/wiring/OpaqueType.test.ts
+++ b/packages/frontend-internal/src/wiring/OpaqueType.test.ts
@@ -33,42 +33,20 @@ describe('OpaqueType', () => {
       versions: ['v1'],
     });
 
-    OpaqueMyType.createInstance({
-      // @ts-expect-error - wrong type
-      $$type: 'wrong-type',
-      version: 'v1',
-      foo: 'bar',
-    });
-
-    OpaqueMyType.createInstance({
-      $$type: 'my-type',
-      // @ts-expect-error - unsupported version
-      version: 'v2',
-      foo: 'bar',
-    });
-
-    // @ts-expect-error - missing version
-    OpaqueMyType.createInstance({
-      $$type: 'my-type',
+    // @ts-expect-error - unsupported version
+    OpaqueMyType.createInstance('v2', {
       foo: 'bar',
     });
 
     // @ts-expect-error - missing internal field
-    OpaqueMyType.createInstance({
-      $$type: 'my-type',
-      version: 'v1',
-    });
+    OpaqueMyType.createInstance('v1', {});
 
-    OpaqueMyType.createInstance({
-      $$type: 'my-type',
-      version: 'v1',
+    OpaqueMyType.createInstance('v1', {
       // @ts-expect-error - invalid internal field
       foo: 3,
     });
 
-    const myInstance = OpaqueMyType.createInstance({
-      $$type: 'my-type',
-      version: 'v1',
+    const myInstance = OpaqueMyType.createInstance('v1', {
       foo: 'bar',
     });
 
@@ -170,62 +148,34 @@ describe('OpaqueType', () => {
       versions: ['v1', 'v2', 'v3'],
     });
 
-    OpaqueMyType.createInstance({
-      // @ts-expect-error - wrong type
-      $$type: 'wrong-type',
-      version: 'v1',
-      foo: 'bar',
-    });
-
-    OpaqueMyType.createInstance({
-      $$type: 'my-type',
-      // @ts-expect-error - unsupported version
-      version: 'v0',
-      foo: 'bar',
-    });
-
-    // @ts-expect-error - missing version
-    OpaqueMyType.createInstance({
-      $$type: 'my-type',
+    // @ts-expect-error - unsupported version
+    OpaqueMyType.createInstance('v0', {
       foo: 'bar',
     });
 
     // @ts-expect-error - missing internal field
-    OpaqueMyType.createInstance({
-      $$type: 'my-type',
-      version: 'v1',
-    });
+    OpaqueMyType.createInstance('v1', {});
 
-    OpaqueMyType.createInstance({
-      $$type: 'my-type',
-      version: 'v1',
+    OpaqueMyType.createInstance('v1', {
       // @ts-expect-error - invalid internal field
       foo: 3,
     });
 
-    OpaqueMyType.createInstance({
-      $$type: 'my-type',
-      version: 'v2',
+    OpaqueMyType.createInstance('v2', {
       // @ts-expect-error - version mismatch
       foo: 'bar',
     });
 
-    OpaqueMyType.createInstance({
-      $$type: 'my-type',
-      version: 'v1',
+    OpaqueMyType.createInstance('v1', {
       // @ts-expect-error - version mismatch
       bar: 'foo',
     });
 
-    const myInstanceV1 = OpaqueMyType.createInstance({
-      $$type: 'my-type',
-      version: 'v1',
+    const myInstanceV1 = OpaqueMyType.createInstance('v1', {
       foo: 'bar',
     });
 
-    const myInstanceV2 = OpaqueMyType.createInstance({
-      $$type: 'my-type',
-      version: 'v2',
+    const myInstanceV2 = OpaqueMyType.createInstance('v2', {
       bar: 'foo',
     });
 
@@ -293,35 +243,20 @@ describe('OpaqueType', () => {
       versions: [undefined],
     });
 
-    OpaqueMyType.createInstance({
-      // @ts-expect-error - wrong type
-      $$type: 'wrong-type',
-      foo: 'bar',
-    });
-
-    OpaqueMyType.createInstance({
-      $$type: 'my-type',
-      // @ts-expect-error - unsupported version
-      version: 'v1',
+    // @ts-expect-error - unsupported version
+    OpaqueMyType.createInstance('v1', {
       foo: 'bar',
     });
 
     // @ts-expect-error - missing internal field
-    OpaqueMyType.createInstance({
-      $$type: 'my-type',
-      version: undefined,
-    });
+    OpaqueMyType.createInstance(undefined, {});
 
-    OpaqueMyType.createInstance({
-      $$type: 'my-type',
-      version: undefined,
+    OpaqueMyType.createInstance(undefined, {
       // @ts-expect-error - invalid internal field
       foo: 3,
     });
 
-    const myInstance = OpaqueMyType.createInstance({
-      $$type: 'my-type',
-      version: undefined,
+    const myInstance = OpaqueMyType.createInstance(undefined, {
       foo: 'bar',
     });
 
@@ -370,62 +305,34 @@ describe('OpaqueType', () => {
       versions: [undefined, 'v1'],
     });
 
-    OpaqueMyType.createInstance({
-      // @ts-expect-error - wrong type
-      $$type: 'wrong-type',
-      version: 'v1',
-      foo: 'bar',
-    });
-
-    OpaqueMyType.createInstance({
-      $$type: 'my-type',
-      // @ts-expect-error - unsupported version
-      version: 'v3',
-      foo: 'bar',
-    });
-
-    // @ts-expect-error - missing version
-    OpaqueMyType.createInstance({
-      $$type: 'my-type',
+    // @ts-expect-error - unsupported version
+    OpaqueMyType.createInstance('v0', {
       foo: 'bar',
     });
 
     // @ts-expect-error - missing internal field
-    OpaqueMyType.createInstance({
-      $$type: 'my-type',
-      version: 'v1',
-    });
+    OpaqueMyType.createInstance('v1', {});
 
-    OpaqueMyType.createInstance({
-      $$type: 'my-type',
-      version: 'v1',
+    OpaqueMyType.createInstance('v1', {
       // @ts-expect-error - invalid internal field
       foo: 3,
     });
 
-    OpaqueMyType.createInstance({
-      $$type: 'my-type',
-      version: undefined,
+    OpaqueMyType.createInstance(undefined, {
       // @ts-expect-error - version mismatch
       foo: 'bar',
     });
 
-    OpaqueMyType.createInstance({
-      $$type: 'my-type',
-      version: 'v1',
+    OpaqueMyType.createInstance('v1', {
       // @ts-expect-error - version mismatch
       bar: 'foo',
     });
 
-    const myInstanceV1 = OpaqueMyType.createInstance({
-      $$type: 'my-type',
-      version: 'v1',
+    const myInstanceV1 = OpaqueMyType.createInstance('v1', {
       foo: 'bar',
     });
 
-    const myInstanceV2 = OpaqueMyType.createInstance({
-      $$type: 'my-type',
-      version: undefined,
+    const myInstanceV2 = OpaqueMyType.createInstance(undefined, {
       bar: 'foo',
     });
 
@@ -472,4 +379,38 @@ describe('OpaqueType', () => {
       `"Invalid opaque type instance, got version 'v3', expected undefined or 'v1'"`,
     );
   });
+
+  it('should create an empty opaque type with no versions', () => {
+    type MyType = {
+      $$type: 'my-type';
+    };
+
+    const OpaqueMyType = OpaqueType.create<{
+      public: MyType;
+      versions: {
+        version: undefined;
+      };
+    }>({
+      type: 'my-type',
+      versions: [undefined],
+    });
+
+    // @ts-expect-error - unsupported version
+    OpaqueMyType.createInstance('v0', {
+      foo: 'bar',
+    });
+
+    const myInstance = OpaqueMyType.createInstance(undefined, {});
+
+    expect(myInstance.$$type).toBe('my-type');
+
+    expect(OpaqueMyType.isType(myInstance)).toBe(true);
+    expect(OpaqueMyType.isType('hello')).toBe(false);
+
+    const myInternal = OpaqueMyType.toInternal(myInstance);
+    expect(myInternal).toBe(myInstance);
+    // All fields accessible
+    expect(myInternal.$$type).toBe('my-type');
+    expect(myInternal.version).toBe(undefined);
+  });
 });
diff --git a/packages/frontend-internal/src/wiring/OpaqueType.ts b/packages/frontend-internal/src/wiring/OpaqueType.ts
index 5f571a5d4b..abd74bd910 100644
--- a/packages/frontend-internal/src/wiring/OpaqueType.ts
+++ b/packages/frontend-internal/src/wiring/OpaqueType.ts
@@ -116,14 +116,27 @@ export class OpaqueType<
   }
 
   /**
-   * Creates an instance of the opaque type, returning the public public type.
+   * Creates an instance of the opaque type, returning the public type.
    *
-   * By providing a type argument you can narrow the return to specific type parameters.
+   * @param version The version of the instance to create
+   * @param value The remaining public and internal properties of the instance
+   * @returns An instance of the opaque type
    */
-  createInstance<TBase extends T['public'] = T['public']>(
-    value: T['public'] & T['versions'] & Object, // & Object to allow for object properties too, e.g. toString()
-  ): TBase {
-    return value as unknown as TBase;
+  createInstance<TVersion extends T['versions']['version']>(
+    version: TVersion,
+    props: Omit<T['public'], '$$type'> &
+      (T['versions'] extends infer UVersion
+        ? UVersion extends { version: TVersion }
+          ? Omit<UVersion, 'version'>
+          : never
+        : never) &
+      Object, // & Object to allow for object properties too, e.g. toString()
+  ): T['public'] {
+    return {
+      ...(props as object),
+      $$type: this.#type,
+      ...(version && { version }),
+    } as T['public'];
   }
 
   #isThisInternalType(value: unknown): value is T['public'] & T['versions'] {
diff --git a/packages/frontend-plugin-api/src/wiring/createExtension.ts b/packages/frontend-plugin-api/src/wiring/createExtension.ts
index 92c8bc7be9..4941324bed 100644
--- a/packages/frontend-plugin-api/src/wiring/createExtension.ts
+++ b/packages/frontend-plugin-api/src/wiring/createExtension.ts
@@ -366,6 +366,26 @@ export function createExtension<
   namespace: string | undefined extends TNamespace ? undefined : TNamespace;
   name: string | undefined extends TName ? undefined : TName;
 }> {
+  type T = {
+    config: string extends keyof TConfigSchema
+      ? {}
+      : {
+          [key in keyof TConfigSchema]: z.infer<ReturnType<TConfigSchema[key]>>;
+        };
+    configInput: string extends keyof TConfigSchema
+      ? {}
+      : z.input<
+          z.ZodObject<{
+            [key in keyof TConfigSchema]: ReturnType<TConfigSchema[key]>;
+          }>
+        >;
+    output: UOutput;
+    inputs: TInputs;
+    kind: string | undefined extends TKind ? undefined : TKind;
+    namespace: string | undefined extends TNamespace ? undefined : TNamespace;
+    name: string | undefined extends TName ? undefined : TName;
+  };
+
   const schemaDeclaration = options.config?.schema;
   const configSchema =
     schemaDeclaration &&
@@ -377,30 +397,8 @@ export function createExtension<
       ),
     );
 
-  return OpaqueExtensionDefinition.createInstance({
-    $$type: '@backstage/ExtensionDefinition',
-    version: 'v2',
-    T: undefined as unknown as {
-      config: string extends keyof TConfigSchema
-        ? {}
-        : {
-            [key in keyof TConfigSchema]: z.infer<
-              ReturnType<TConfigSchema[key]>
-            >;
-          };
-      configInput: string extends keyof TConfigSchema
-        ? {}
-        : z.input<
-            z.ZodObject<{
-              [key in keyof TConfigSchema]: ReturnType<TConfigSchema[key]>;
-            }>
-          >;
-      output: UOutput;
-      inputs: TInputs;
-      kind: string | undefined extends TKind ? undefined : TKind;
-      namespace: string | undefined extends TNamespace ? undefined : TNamespace;
-      name: string | undefined extends TName ? undefined : TName;
-    },
+  return OpaqueExtensionDefinition.createInstance('v2', {
+    T: undefined as unknown as T,
     kind: options.kind,
     namespace: options.namespace,
     name: options.name,
@@ -512,5 +510,5 @@ export function createExtension<
         },
       }) as ExtensionDefinition<any>;
     },
-  });
+  }) as ExtensionDefinition<T>;
 }