diff --git a/skimage/morphology/binary.py b/skimage/morphology/binary.py
index 5324b0f5..69d3eb08 100644
--- a/skimage/morphology/binary.py
+++ b/skimage/morphology/binary.py
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ def binary_erosion(image, selem=None, out=None):
     ndimage.convolve(binary, selem, mode='constant', cval=1, output=conv)
 
     if out is None:
-        out = conv
+        out = np.empty_like(conv, dtype=np.bool)
     return np.equal(conv, selem_sum, out=out)
 
 
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ def binary_dilation(image, selem=None, out=None):
     ndimage.convolve(binary, selem, mode='constant', cval=0, output=conv)
 
     if out is None:
-        out = conv
+        out = np.empty_like(conv, dtype=np.bool)
     return np.not_equal(conv, 0, out=out)
 
 
diff --git a/skimage/morphology/tests/test_binary.py b/skimage/morphology/tests/test_binary.py
index c0c4c682..e0db7416 100644
--- a/skimage/morphology/tests/test_binary.py
+++ b/skimage/morphology/tests/test_binary.py
@@ -110,5 +110,45 @@ def test_3d_fallback_cube_selem():
         new_image = function(image, cube)
         yield testing.assert_array_equal, new_image, image
 
+def test_binary_output_2d():
+    image = np.zeros((9, 9), np.uint16)
+    image[2:-2, 2:-2] = 2**14
+    image[3:-3, 3:-3] = 2**15
+    image[4, 4] = 2**16-1
+    
+    bin_opened = binary.binary_opening(image)
+    bin_closed = binary.binary_closing(image)
+    
+    int_opened = np.empty_like(image, dtype=np.uint8)
+    int_closed = np.empty_like(image, dtype=np.uint8)
+    binary.binary_opening(image, out=int_opened)
+    binary.binary_closing(image, out=int_closed)
+    
+    testing.assert_equal(bin_opened.dtype, np.bool)
+    testing.assert_equal(bin_closed.dtype, np.bool)
+    
+    testing.assert_equal(int_opened.dtype, np.uint8)
+    testing.assert_equal(int_closed.dtype, np.uint8)
+ 
+def test_binary_output_3d():
+    image = np.zeros((9, 9, 9), np.uint16)
+    image[2:-2, 2:-2, 2:-2] = 2**14
+    image[3:-3, 3:-3, 3:-3] = 2**15
+    image[4, 4, 4] = 2**16-1
+
+    bin_opened = binary.binary_opening(image)
+    bin_closed = binary.binary_closing(image)
+    
+    int_opened = np.empty_like(image, dtype=np.uint8)
+    int_closed = np.empty_like(image, dtype=np.uint8)
+    binary.binary_opening(image, out=int_opened)
+    binary.binary_closing(image, out=int_closed)
+    
+    testing.assert_equal(bin_opened.dtype, np.bool)
+    testing.assert_equal(bin_closed.dtype, np.bool)
+    
+    testing.assert_equal(int_opened.dtype, np.uint8)
+    testing.assert_equal(int_closed.dtype, np.uint8)   
+
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     testing.run_module_suite()