diff --git a/detekt-core/src/main/resources/default-detekt-config.yml b/detekt-core/src/main/resources/default-detekt-config.yml
index a5647513d665..0f356b190b93 100644
--- a/detekt-core/src/main/resources/default-detekt-config.yml
+++ b/detekt-core/src/main/resources/default-detekt-config.yml
@@ -433,6 +433,8 @@ potential-bugs:
       - '*.CheckReturnValue'
     ignoreReturnValueAnnotations:
       - '*.CanIgnoreReturnValue'
+    returnValueTypes:
+      - 'kotlinx.coroutines.flow.Flow'
     ignoreFunctionCall: []
   ImplicitDefaultLocale:
     active: true
diff --git a/detekt-rules-errorprone/src/main/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/rules/bugs/IgnoredReturnValue.kt b/detekt-rules-errorprone/src/main/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/rules/bugs/IgnoredReturnValue.kt
index b5eb9c48df43..b6c979e2df55 100644
--- a/detekt-rules-errorprone/src/main/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/rules/bugs/IgnoredReturnValue.kt
+++ b/detekt-rules-errorprone/src/main/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/rules/bugs/IgnoredReturnValue.kt
@@ -13,11 +13,14 @@ import io.gitlab.arturbosch.detekt.api.internal.ActiveByDefault
 import io.gitlab.arturbosch.detekt.api.internal.Configuration
 import io.gitlab.arturbosch.detekt.api.internal.RequiresTypeResolution
 import io.gitlab.arturbosch.detekt.api.simplePatternToRegex
+import io.gitlab.arturbosch.detekt.rules.fqNameOrNull
 import org.jetbrains.kotlin.descriptors.annotations.AnnotationDescriptor
+import org.jetbrains.kotlin.name.FqName
 import org.jetbrains.kotlin.psi.KtCallExpression
 import org.jetbrains.kotlin.resolve.BindingContext
 import org.jetbrains.kotlin.resolve.bindingContextUtil.isUsedAsExpression
 import org.jetbrains.kotlin.resolve.calls.util.getResolvedCall
+import org.jetbrains.kotlin.types.KotlinType
 import org.jetbrains.kotlin.types.typeUtil.isUnit
 
 /**
@@ -61,6 +64,11 @@ class IgnoredReturnValue(config: Config = Config.empty) : Rule(config) {
         it.map(String::simplePatternToRegex)
     }
 
+    @Configuration("List of return types that should not be ignored")
+    private val returnValueTypes: List<Regex> by config(listOf("kotlinx.coroutines.flow.Flow")) {
+        it.map(String::simplePatternToRegex)
+    }
+
     @Configuration(
         "List of function signatures which should be ignored by this rule. " +
             "Specifying fully-qualified function signature with name only (i.e. `java.time.LocalDate.now`) will " +
@@ -87,6 +95,7 @@ class IgnoredReturnValue(config: Config = Config.empty) : Rule(config) {
         val annotations = resultingDescriptor.annotations
         if (annotations.any { it in ignoreReturnValueAnnotations }) return
         if (restrictToAnnotatedMethods &&
+            resultingDescriptor.returnType !in returnValueTypes &&
             (annotations + resultingDescriptor.containingDeclaration.annotations).none { it in returnValueAnnotations }
         ) return
 
@@ -100,9 +109,11 @@ class IgnoredReturnValue(config: Config = Config.empty) : Rule(config) {
         )
     }
 
-    @Suppress("UnusedPrivateMember")
-    private operator fun List<Regex>.contains(annotation: AnnotationDescriptor): Boolean {
-        val fqName = annotation.fqName?.asString() ?: return false
-        return any { it.matches(fqName) }
+    private operator fun List<Regex>.contains(type: KotlinType?) = contains(type?.fqNameOrNull())
+    private operator fun List<Regex>.contains(annotation: AnnotationDescriptor) = contains(annotation.fqName)
+
+    private operator fun List<Regex>.contains(fqName: FqName?): Boolean {
+        val name = fqName?.asString() ?: return false
+        return any { it.matches(name) }
     }
 }
diff --git a/detekt-rules-errorprone/src/test/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/rules/bugs/IgnoredReturnValueSpec.kt b/detekt-rules-errorprone/src/test/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/rules/bugs/IgnoredReturnValueSpec.kt
index 41693016a9e3..a6a6a1340fb3 100644
--- a/detekt-rules-errorprone/src/test/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/rules/bugs/IgnoredReturnValueSpec.kt
+++ b/detekt-rules-errorprone/src/test/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/rules/bugs/IgnoredReturnValueSpec.kt
@@ -881,4 +881,70 @@ class IgnoredReturnValueSpec(private val env: KotlinCoreEnvironment) {
             assertThat(findings).isEmpty()
         }
     }
+
+    @Nested
+    inner class `return value types default config` {
+        private val subject = IgnoredReturnValue()
+
+        @Test
+        fun `reports when result of function returning Flow is ignored`() {
+            val code = """
+                import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.flowOf
+                
+                fun foo() {
+                    flowOf(1, 2, 3)
+                }
+            """
+            val findings = subject.compileAndLintWithContext(env, code)
+
+            assertThat(findings)
+                .singleElement()
+                .hasSourceLocation(line = 4, column = 5)
+                .hasMessage("The call flowOf is returning a value that is ignored.")
+        }
+
+        @Test
+        fun `reports when a function returned result is used in a chain that returns a Flow`() {
+            val code = """
+                import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.*
+                
+                fun foo() {
+                    flowOf(1, 2, 3)
+                        .onEach { println(it) }
+                }
+            """
+            val findings = subject.compileAndLintWithContext(env, code)
+
+            assertThat(findings)
+                .singleElement()
+                .hasSourceLocation(line = 5, column = 10)
+                .hasMessage("The call onEach is returning a value that is ignored.")
+        }
+
+        @Test
+        fun `does not report when a function returned value is used to be returned`() {
+            val code = """
+                import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.flowOf
+                
+                fun foo() = flowOf(1, 2, 3)
+            """
+            val findings = subject.compileAndLintWithContext(env, code)
+            assertThat(findings).isEmpty()
+        }
+
+        @Test
+        fun `does not report when a function returned value is consumed in a chain that returns an Unit`() {
+            val code = """
+                import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.*
+                
+                suspend fun foo() {
+                    flowOf(1, 2, 3)
+                        .onEach { println(it) }
+                        .collect()
+                }
+            """
+            val findings = subject.compileAndLintWithContext(env, code)
+            assertThat(findings).isEmpty()
+        }
+    }
 }