diff --git a/src/compiler/transformers/declarations.ts b/src/compiler/transformers/declarations.ts
index 1bc618c8266a2..9ba6e19ec4dc6 100644
--- a/src/compiler/transformers/declarations.ts
+++ b/src/compiler/transformers/declarations.ts
@@ -1529,7 +1529,8 @@ export function transformDeclarations(context: TransformationContext) {
                         errorNode: input,
                     });
                     errorFallbackNode = input;
-                    const varDecl = factory.createVariableDeclaration(newId, /*exclamationToken*/ undefined, resolver.createTypeOfExpression(input.expression, input, declarationEmitNodeBuilderFlags, symbolTracker), /*initializer*/ undefined);
+                    const type = ensureType(input);
+                    const varDecl = factory.createVariableDeclaration(newId, /*exclamationToken*/ undefined, type, /*initializer*/ undefined);
                     errorFallbackNode = undefined;
                     const statement = factory.createVariableStatement(needsDeclare ? [factory.createModifier(SyntaxKind.DeclareKeyword)] : [], factory.createVariableDeclarationList([varDecl], NodeFlags.Const));