diff --git a/docs/api/configureStore.mdx b/docs/api/configureStore.mdx
index c1fe26beb7..a5b05db21d 100644
--- a/docs/api/configureStore.mdx
+++ b/docs/api/configureStore.mdx
@@ -40,7 +40,6 @@ Redux Toolkit's `configureStore` simplifies that setup process, by doing all tha
 
 interface ConfigureStoreOptions<
   S = any,
-  A extends Action = UnknownAction,
   M extends Tuple<Middlewares<S>> = Tuple<Middlewares<S>>
   E extends Tuple<Enhancers> = Tuple<Enhancers>,
   P = S
@@ -49,13 +48,16 @@ interface ConfigureStoreOptions<
    * A single reducer function that will be used as the root reducer, or an
    * object of slice reducers that will be passed to `combineReducers()`.
    */
-  reducer: Reducer<S, A, P> | ReducersMapObject<S, A, P>
+  reducer: Reducer<S, UnknownAction, P> | ReducersMapObject<S, UnknownAction, P>
 
   /**
-   * An array of Redux middleware to install. If not supplied, defaults to
-   * the set of middleware returned by `getDefaultMiddleware()`.
+   * A callback which receives `getDefaultMiddleware` and should return a Tuple
+   * of middleware to install. If not supplied, defaults to the set of
+   * middleware returned by `getDefaultMiddleware()`.
+   *
+   * @example `middleware: (gDM) => gDM().concat(logger, apiMiddleware, yourCustomMiddleware)`
    */
-  middleware?: ((getDefaultMiddleware: CurriedGetDefaultMiddleware<S>) => M) | M
+  middleware?: (getDefaultMiddleware: GetDefaultMiddleware<S>) => M
 
   /**
    * Whether to enable Redux DevTools integration. Defaults to `true`.
@@ -87,16 +89,15 @@ interface ConfigureStoreOptions<
    * and should return a new array (such as `getDefaultEnhancers().concat(offline)`).
    * If you only need to add middleware, you can use the `middleware` parameter instead.
    */
-  enhancers?: (getDefaultEnhancers: GetDefaultEnhancers<M>) => E | E
+  enhancers?: (getDefaultEnhancers: GetDefaultEnhancers<M>) => E
 }
 
 function configureStore<
   S = any,
-  A extends Action = UnknownAction,
   M extends Tuple<Middlewares<S>> = Tuple<Middlewares<S>>
   E extends Tuple<Enhancers> = Tuple<Enhancers>,
   P = S
->(options: ConfigureStoreOptions<S, A, M, E, P>): EnhancedStore<S, A, M, E>
+>(options: ConfigureStoreOptions<S, M, E, P>): EnhancedStore<S, E>
 ```
 
 ### `reducer`
diff --git a/packages/toolkit/src/configureStore.ts b/packages/toolkit/src/configureStore.ts
index ad14e3543f..926b28d6ba 100644
--- a/packages/toolkit/src/configureStore.ts
+++ b/packages/toolkit/src/configureStore.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ import type {
   Reducer,
   ReducersMapObject,
   Middleware,
-  Action,
   StoreEnhancer,
   Store,
   UnknownAction,
@@ -39,7 +38,6 @@ import { buildGetDefaultEnhancers } from './getDefaultEnhancers'
  */
 export interface ConfigureStoreOptions<
   S = any,
-  A extends Action = UnknownAction,
   M extends Tuple<Middlewares<S>> = Tuple<Middlewares<S>>,
   E extends Tuple<Enhancers> = Tuple<Enhancers>,
   P = S,
@@ -47,8 +45,13 @@ export interface ConfigureStoreOptions<
   /**
    * A single reducer function that will be used as the root reducer, or an
    * object of slice reducers that will be passed to `combineReducers()`.
+   *
+   * The reducer must handle `UnknownAction`, matching the store's dispatch
+   * type. A root reducer is always called with actions it doesn't recognise
+   * (`@@INIT`, replaced-reducer actions, thunk-dispatched actions, ...), so
+   * its `action` parameter cannot be narrowed to a specific action type.
    */
-  reducer: Reducer<S, A, P> | ReducersMapObject<S, A, P>
+  reducer: Reducer<S, UnknownAction, P> | ReducersMapObject<S, UnknownAction, P>
 
   /**
    * An array of Redux middleware to install, or a callback receiving `getDefaultMiddleware` and returning a Tuple of middleware.
@@ -105,10 +108,9 @@ type Enhancers = ReadonlyArray<StoreEnhancer>
  */
 export type EnhancedStore<
   S = any,
-  A extends Action = UnknownAction,
   E extends Enhancers = Enhancers,
 > = ExtractStoreExtensions<E> &
-  Store<S, A, UnknownIfNonSpecific<ExtractStateExtensions<E>>>
+  Store<S, UnknownAction, UnknownIfNonSpecific<ExtractStateExtensions<E>>>
 
 /**
  * A friendly abstraction over the standard Redux `createStore()` function.
@@ -120,13 +122,12 @@ export type EnhancedStore<
  */
 export function configureStore<
   S = any,
-  A extends Action = UnknownAction,
   M extends Tuple<Middlewares<S>> = Tuple<[ThunkMiddlewareFor<S>]>,
   E extends Tuple<Enhancers> = Tuple<
     [StoreEnhancer<{ dispatch: ExtractDispatchExtensions<M> }>, StoreEnhancer]
   >,
   P = S,
->(options: ConfigureStoreOptions<S, A, M, E, P>): EnhancedStore<S, A, E> {
+>(options: ConfigureStoreOptions<S, M, E, P>): EnhancedStore<S, E> {
   const getDefaultMiddleware = buildGetDefaultMiddleware<S>()
 
   const {
@@ -138,12 +139,16 @@ export function configureStore<
     enhancers = undefined,
   } = options || {}
 
-  let rootReducer: Reducer<S, A, P>
+  let rootReducer: Reducer<S, UnknownAction, P>
 
   if (typeof reducer === 'function') {
     rootReducer = reducer
   } else if (isPlainObject(reducer)) {
-    rootReducer = combineReducers(reducer) as unknown as Reducer<S, A, P>
+    rootReducer = combineReducers(reducer) as unknown as Reducer<
+      S,
+      UnknownAction,
+      P
+    >
   } else {
     throw new Error(
       '`reducer` is a required argument, and must be a function or an object of functions that can be passed to combineReducers',
diff --git a/packages/toolkit/src/tests/configureStore.test-d.ts b/packages/toolkit/src/tests/configureStore.test-d.ts
index 8e7fa2ad1a..fabfaa3c43 100644
--- a/packages/toolkit/src/tests/configureStore.test-d.ts
+++ b/packages/toolkit/src/tests/configureStore.test-d.ts
@@ -56,14 +56,43 @@ describe('type tests', () => {
     expectTypeOf(store).not.toExtend<Store<string, UnknownAction>>()
   })
 
-  test('configureStore() infers the store action type.', () => {
-    const reducer: Reducer<number, PayloadAction<number>> = () => 0
+  test('configureStore() always types the store action as `UnknownAction`.', () => {
+    // `configureStore` no longer accepts/infers a store-wide action type - the
+    // store always dispatches `UnknownAction`, matching the root reducer, which
+    // is always called with actions it doesn't recognise.
+    // See https://github.com/reduxjs/redux-toolkit/issues/5317
+    const reducer: Reducer<number, UnknownAction> = () => 0
 
     const store = configureStore({ reducer })
 
-    expectTypeOf(store).toExtend<Store<number, PayloadAction<number>>>()
+    expectTypeOf(store).toExtend<Store<number, UnknownAction>>()
+
+    expectTypeOf(store).not.toExtend<Store<number, PayloadAction<number>>>()
+  })
+
+  test('configureStore() rejects a reducer narrowed to a specific action.', () => {
+    // A root reducer is always called with `@@INIT`, replaced-reducer actions,
+    // thunk-dispatched actions, etc. - narrowing its `action` parameter below
+    // `UnknownAction` is unsound, so the `reducer` option rejects it.
+    const specificReducer: Reducer<number, PayloadAction<number>> = () => 0
+
+    // @ts-expect-error the reducer must handle `UnknownAction`
+    configureStore({ reducer: specificReducer })
+
+    // slice reducers and `combineReducers()` output handle `UnknownAction`, so
+    // they remain accepted.
+    const slice = createSlice({
+      name: 'counter',
+      initialState: 0,
+      reducers: {
+        increment: (state, action: PayloadAction<number>) =>
+          state + action.payload,
+      },
+    })
+
+    configureStore({ reducer: slice.reducer })
 
-    expectTypeOf(store).not.toExtend<Store<number, PayloadAction<string>>>()
+    configureStore({ reducer: combineReducers({ counter: slice.reducer }) })
   })
 
   test('configureStore() accepts Tuple for middleware, but not plain array.', () => {
diff --git a/packages/toolkit/src/tests/utils/helpers.tsx b/packages/toolkit/src/tests/utils/helpers.tsx
index 402fdda91f..9668520dfb 100644
--- a/packages/toolkit/src/tests/utils/helpers.tsx
+++ b/packages/toolkit/src/tests/utils/helpers.tsx
@@ -181,10 +181,7 @@ export function setupApiStore<
     } & {
       [K in keyof R]: ReturnType<R[K]>
     },
-    UnknownAction,
-    ReturnType<typeof getStore> extends EnhancedStore<any, any, infer M>
-      ? M
-      : never
+    ReturnType<typeof getStore> extends EnhancedStore<any, infer M> ? M : never
   >
 
   const initialStore = getStore() as StoreType