diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-sns/lib/topic-base.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-sns/lib/topic-base.ts
index 35fef62dc2e0f..01a12275d7bb0 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-sns/lib/topic-base.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-sns/lib/topic-base.ts
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ export interface ITopic extends IResource, notifications.INotificationRuleTarget
   /**
    * Subscribe some endpoint to this topic
    */
-  addSubscription(subscription: ITopicSubscription): void;
+  addSubscription(subscription: ITopicSubscription): Subscription;
 
   /**
    * Adds a statement to the IAM resource policy associated with this topic.
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ export abstract class TopicBase extends Resource implements ITopic {
   /**
    * Subscribe some endpoint to this topic
    */
-  public addSubscription(subscription: ITopicSubscription) {
+  public addSubscription(subscription: ITopicSubscription): Subscription {
     const subscriptionConfig = subscription.bind(this);
 
     const scope = subscriptionConfig.subscriberScope || this;
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ export abstract class TopicBase extends Resource implements ITopic {
       throw new Error(`A subscription with id "${id}" already exists under the scope ${scope.node.path}`);
     }
 
-    new Subscription(scope, id, {
+    return new Subscription(scope, id, {
       topic: this,
       ...subscriptionConfig,
     });