diff --git a/modules/calib3d/misc/python/test/test_solvepnp.py b/modules/calib3d/misc/python/test/test_solvepnp.py
index b751e15c742a020b657b445cd5f57af9f26aa3b8..f7765c0384cf92828fabad6516588d76d0f07caa 100644
--- a/modules/calib3d/misc/python/test/test_solvepnp.py
+++ b/modules/calib3d/misc/python/test/test_solvepnp.py
@@ -39,6 +39,26 @@ class solvepnp_test(NewOpenCVTests):
             obj_points, img_points, cameraMatrix, distCoeffs, reprojectionError=r
         )
 
+    def test_regression_16049(self):
+        obj_points = np.array([[0, 0, 0], [0, 1, 0], [1, 1, 0], [1, 0, 0]], dtype=np.float32)
+        img_points = np.array(
+            [[[700, 400], [700, 600], [900, 600], [900, 400]]], dtype=np.float32
+        )
+
+        cameraMatrix = np.array(
+            [[712.0634, 0, 800], [0, 712.540, 500], [0, 0, 1]], dtype=np.float32
+        )
+        distCoeffs = np.array([[0, 0, 0, 0]], dtype=np.float32)
+        x, r, t, e = cv.solvePnPGeneric(
+            obj_points, img_points, cameraMatrix, distCoeffs
+        )
+        if e is None:
+            # noArray() is supported, see https://github.com/opencv/opencv/issues/16049
+            pass
+        else:
+            eDump = cv.utils.dumpInputArray(e)
+            self.assertEqual(eDump, "InputArray: empty()=false kind=0x00010000 flags=0x01010000 total(-1)=1 dims(-1)=2 size(-1)=1x1 type(-1)=CV_32FC1")
+
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     NewOpenCVTests.bootstrap()
diff --git a/modules/calib3d/src/solvepnp.cpp b/modules/calib3d/src/solvepnp.cpp
index d2fb3976c5cb8083fcc4f63a796e701682f4a461..0fcd670abcd6f119357bcbe949a3988a5bcccd3f 100644
--- a/modules/calib3d/src/solvepnp.cpp
+++ b/modules/calib3d/src/solvepnp.cpp
@@ -1009,7 +1009,10 @@ int solvePnPGeneric( InputArray _opoints, InputArray _ipoints,
 
     if (reprojectionError.needed())
     {
-        int type = reprojectionError.type();
+        int type = (reprojectionError.fixedType() || !reprojectionError.empty())
+                ? reprojectionError.type()
+                : (max(_ipoints.depth(), _opoints.depth()) == CV_64F ? CV_64F : CV_32F);
+
         reprojectionError.create(solutions, 1, type);
         CV_CheckType(reprojectionError.type(), type == CV_32FC1 || type == CV_64FC1,
                      "Type of reprojectionError must be CV_32FC1 or CV_64FC1!");