diff --git a/framework/CHANGELOG.md b/framework/CHANGELOG.md
index 4869591ce6f..89f5154fea7 100644
--- a/framework/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/framework/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ Yii Framework 2 Change Log
 - Chg #20276: Removed autogenerated migration phpdoc (userator)
 - New #20185: Add `BackedEnum` support to `AttributeTypecastBehavior` (briedis)
 - New #20279: Add to the `\yii\web\Request` CSRF validation by custom HTTP header (olegbaturin)
+- New #20332: Added support for the '__class' key in `\yii\di\Instance:eunsure(['__class' => ...])` (LAV45)
 
 
 2.0.51 July 18, 2024
diff --git a/framework/di/Instance.php b/framework/di/Instance.php
index 39bd801b354..edecbe9be80 100644
--- a/framework/di/Instance.php
+++ b/framework/di/Instance.php
@@ -118,11 +118,18 @@ public static function of($id, $optional = false)
     public static function ensure($reference, $type = null, $container = null)
     {
         if (is_array($reference)) {
-            $class = isset($reference['class']) ? $reference['class'] : $type;
             if (!$container instanceof Container) {
                 $container = Yii::$container;
             }
-            unset($reference['class']);
+            if (isset($reference['__class'])) {
+                $class = $reference['__class'];
+                unset($reference['__class'], $type['class']);
+            } elseif (isset($reference['class'])) {
+                $class = $reference['class'];
+                unset($reference['class']);
+            } else {
+                $class = $type;
+            }
             $component = $container->get($class, [], $reference);
             if ($type === null || $component instanceof $type) {
                 return $component;
diff --git a/tests/framework/di/InstanceTest.php b/tests/framework/di/InstanceTest.php
index 78044062ed3..2254689403a 100644
--- a/tests/framework/di/InstanceTest.php
+++ b/tests/framework/di/InstanceTest.php
@@ -97,6 +97,7 @@ public function testEnsure_MinimalSettings()
         $this->assertInstanceOf(Connection::className(), Instance::ensure('db'));
         $this->assertInstanceOf(Connection::className(), Instance::ensure(new Connection()));
         $this->assertInstanceOf(Connection::className(), Instance::ensure(['class' => 'yii\db\Connection', 'dsn' => 'test']));
+        $this->assertInstanceOf(Connection::className(), Instance::ensure(['__class' => 'yii\db\Connection', 'dsn' => 'test']));
         Yii::$container = new Container();
     }