diff --git a/tower/src/builder/mod.rs b/tower/src/builder/mod.rs
index 1906bfc68..12d7b3030 100644
--- a/tower/src/builder/mod.rs
+++ b/tower/src/builder/mod.rs
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ impl<L> ServiceBuilder<L> {
     pub fn option_layer<T>(
         self,
         layer: Option<T>,
-    ) -> ServiceBuilder<Stack<crate::util::Either<T, Identity>, L>> {
+    ) -> ServiceBuilder<Stack<crate::util::OptionLayer<T>, L>> {
         self.layer(crate::util::option_layer(layer))
     }
 
diff --git a/tower/src/util/mod.rs b/tower/src/util/mod.rs
index a0622f334..9fe5501c0 100644
--- a/tower/src/util/mod.rs
+++ b/tower/src/util/mod.rs
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ mod map_result;
 mod map_future;
 mod oneshot;
 mod optional;
+mod optional_layer;
 mod ready;
 mod service_fn;
 mod then;
@@ -38,6 +39,7 @@ pub use self::{
     map_result::{MapResult, MapResultLayer},
     oneshot::Oneshot,
     optional::Optional,
+    optional_layer::{OptionLayer, OptionService},
     ready::{Ready, ReadyOneshot},
     service_fn::{service_fn, ServiceFn},
     then::{Then, ThenLayer},
@@ -46,8 +48,6 @@ pub use self::{
 pub use self::call_all::{CallAll, CallAllUnordered};
 use std::future::Future;
 
-use crate::layer::util::Identity;
-
 #[cfg(feature = "buffer")]
 use crate::buffer::Buffer;
 
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ pub mod future {
     pub use super::map_response::MapResponseFuture;
     pub use super::map_result::MapResultFuture;
     pub use super::optional::future as optional;
+    pub use super::optional_layer::ResponseFuture as OptionResponseFuture;
     pub use super::then::ThenFuture;
 }
 
@@ -1077,6 +1078,10 @@ impl<T: ?Sized, Request> ServiceExt<Request> for T where T: tower_service::Servi
 
 /// Convert an `Option<Layer>` into a [`Layer`].
 ///
+/// The returned [`OptionLayer`] unifies the error types of the layered and
+/// unlayered branches to [`BoxError`], so the optional layer is allowed to
+/// change the error type.
+///
 /// ```
 /// # use std::time::Duration;
 /// # use tower::Service;
@@ -1095,10 +1100,8 @@ impl<T: ?Sized, Request> ServiceExt<Request> for T where T: tower_service::Servi
 /// ```
 ///
 /// [`Layer`]: crate::layer::Layer
-pub fn option_layer<L>(layer: Option<L>) -> Either<L, Identity> {
-    if let Some(layer) = layer {
-        Either::Left(layer)
-    } else {
-        Either::Right(Identity::new())
-    }
+/// [`OptionLayer`]: crate::util::OptionLayer
+/// [`BoxError`]: crate::BoxError
+pub fn option_layer<L>(layer: Option<L>) -> OptionLayer<L> {
+    OptionLayer::new(layer)
 }
diff --git a/tower/src/util/optional_layer.rs b/tower/src/util/optional_layer.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3a2835ae3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tower/src/util/optional_layer.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,143 @@
+//! A [`Layer`] that is enabled or disabled by an [`Option`].
+//!
+//! See [`OptionLayer`] and [`option_layer`] for more details.
+//!
+//! [`option_layer`]: crate::util::option_layer
+
+use crate::BoxError;
+use pin_project_lite::pin_project;
+use std::{
+    future::Future,
+    pin::Pin,
+    task::{Context, Poll},
+};
+use tower_layer::Layer;
+use tower_service::Service;
+
+/// A [`Layer`] that optionally applies an inner layer `L`.
+///
+/// This is the layer produced by [`option_layer`]. When the inner layer is
+/// present, the resulting service is the layered service; when it is absent,
+/// the resulting service is the unmodified service.
+///
+/// Unlike branching with [`Either`] directly, [`OptionLayer`] unifies the error
+/// types of the two branches to [`BoxError`]. This means the optional layer is
+/// allowed to change the error type (as [`TimeoutLayer`] does, for example)
+/// without the two branches needing to share an error type.
+///
+/// [`option_layer`]: crate::util::option_layer
+/// [`Either`]: crate::util::Either
+/// [`BoxError`]: crate::BoxError
+/// [`TimeoutLayer`]: crate::timeout::TimeoutLayer
+#[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug)]
+pub struct OptionLayer<L> {
+    layer: Option<L>,
+}
+
+impl<L> OptionLayer<L> {
+    /// Create a new [`OptionLayer`] wrapping the given optional layer.
+    pub const fn new(layer: Option<L>) -> Self {
+        OptionLayer { layer }
+    }
+}
+
+impl<L> From<Option<L>> for OptionLayer<L> {
+    fn from(layer: Option<L>) -> Self {
+        OptionLayer::new(layer)
+    }
+}
+
+impl<S, L> Layer<S> for OptionLayer<L>
+where
+    L: Layer<S>,
+{
+    type Service = OptionService<L::Service, S>;
+
+    fn layer(&self, inner: S) -> Self::Service {
+        match &self.layer {
+            Some(layer) => OptionService::Some(layer.layer(inner)),
+            None => OptionService::None(inner),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// The [`Service`] produced by [`OptionLayer`].
+///
+/// Its error type is [`BoxError`], erasing any difference between the layered
+/// and unlayered branches' error types.
+///
+/// [`BoxError`]: crate::BoxError
+#[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug)]
+pub enum OptionService<A, B> {
+    /// The inner layer was present; the layered service.
+    Some(A),
+    /// The inner layer was absent; the unmodified service.
+    None(B),
+}
+
+impl<A, B, Request> Service<Request> for OptionService<A, B>
+where
+    A: Service<Request>,
+    A::Error: Into<BoxError>,
+    B: Service<Request, Response = A::Response>,
+    B::Error: Into<BoxError>,
+{
+    type Response = A::Response;
+    type Error = BoxError;
+    type Future = ResponseFuture<A::Future, B::Future>;
+
+    fn poll_ready(&mut self, cx: &mut Context<'_>) -> Poll<Result<(), Self::Error>> {
+        match self {
+            OptionService::Some(service) => service.poll_ready(cx).map_err(Into::into),
+            OptionService::None(service) => service.poll_ready(cx).map_err(Into::into),
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn call(&mut self, request: Request) -> Self::Future {
+        match self {
+            OptionService::Some(service) => ResponseFuture {
+                kind: Kind::Some {
+                    inner: service.call(request),
+                },
+            },
+            OptionService::None(service) => ResponseFuture {
+                kind: Kind::None {
+                    inner: service.call(request),
+                },
+            },
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+pin_project! {
+    /// Response future for [`OptionService`].
+    pub struct ResponseFuture<A, B> {
+        #[pin]
+        kind: Kind<A, B>,
+    }
+}
+
+pin_project! {
+    #[project = KindProj]
+    enum Kind<A, B> {
+        Some { #[pin] inner: A },
+        None { #[pin] inner: B },
+    }
+}
+
+impl<A, B, T, AE, BE> Future for ResponseFuture<A, B>
+where
+    A: Future<Output = Result<T, AE>>,
+    AE: Into<BoxError>,
+    B: Future<Output = Result<T, BE>>,
+    BE: Into<BoxError>,
+{
+    type Output = Result<T, BoxError>;
+
+    fn poll(self: Pin<&mut Self>, cx: &mut Context<'_>) -> Poll<Self::Output> {
+        match self.project().kind.project() {
+            KindProj::Some { inner } => inner.poll(cx).map_err(Into::into),
+            KindProj::None { inner } => inner.poll(cx).map_err(Into::into),
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/tower/tests/util/main.rs b/tower/tests/util/main.rs
index 18b7813ff..7e79c65e9 100644
--- a/tower/tests/util/main.rs
+++ b/tower/tests/util/main.rs
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 
 mod call_all;
 mod oneshot;
+mod option_layer;
 mod service_fn;
 #[path = "../support.rs"]
 pub(crate) mod support;
diff --git a/tower/tests/util/option_layer.rs b/tower/tests/util/option_layer.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d462249fc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tower/tests/util/option_layer.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+use std::convert::Infallible;
+
+use tower::util::{option_layer, MapErrLayer};
+use tower::{Layer, Service, ServiceExt};
+
+// Regression test for #665: `option_layer` previously returned an
+// `Either<L, Identity>` whose service required both branches to share an error
+// type. When the optional layer changed the error type, the result did not
+// implement `Service` at all. `option_layer` now unifies both branches' errors
+// to `BoxError`.
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn option_layer_unifies_branch_errors() {
+    let inner = tower::service_fn(|()| async { Ok::<_, Infallible>(()) });
+
+    // The optional layer changes the error type (`Infallible` -> `String`),
+    // which differs from the unlayered branch's error type (`Infallible`).
+    let layer = option_layer(Some(MapErrLayer::new(|e: Infallible| -> String {
+        match e {}
+    })));
+
+    let mut svc = layer.layer(inner);
+
+    let response = svc.ready().await.unwrap().call(()).await;
+    assert!(response.is_ok());
+}