diff --git a/src/backend/models/fullReviewDrafts.ts b/src/backend/models/fullReviewDrafts.ts
index 6c9a5545..8b00af97 100644
--- a/src/backend/models/fullReviewDrafts.ts
+++ b/src/backend/models/fullReviewDrafts.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import { FullReviewDraft } from './entities';
 
 @Repository(FullReviewDraft)
 export class FullReviewDraftModel extends EntityRepository<FullReviewDraft> {
-  async search(query: string): Promise<any> {
+  async search(query: string): Promise<unknown> {
     const connection = this.em.getConnection();
 
     return await connection.execute(
diff --git a/src/backend/models/preprints.ts b/src/backend/models/preprints.ts
index 8903f0ff..fe1208c6 100644
--- a/src/backend/models/preprints.ts
+++ b/src/backend/models/preprints.ts
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ const log = getLogger('backend:model:preprints');
 
 @Repository(Preprint)
 export class PreprintModel extends EntityRepository<Preprint> {
-  async findOneByUuidOrHandle(value: string, params: string[]): Promise<any> {
+  async findOneByUuidOrHandle(value: string, params: string[]): Promise<Preprint> {
     try {
       const { id, scheme } = decodePreprintId(value);
       return this.findOne({ handle: `${scheme}:${id}` }, params);
diff --git a/src/backend/utils/http-errors.ts b/src/backend/utils/http-errors.ts
index 98bc443f..c2f2b0ea 100644
--- a/src/backend/utils/http-errors.ts
+++ b/src/backend/utils/http-errors.ts
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ class HttpError extends ChainedError {
 }
 
 // Adapted from https://github.com/jshttp/http-errors
-export function createError(...args: any[]): HttpError {
+export function createError(...args: unknown[]): HttpError {
   let err: Error;
   let msg: string;
   let status = 500;