diff --git a/packages/compiler-cli/src/transformers/program.ts b/packages/compiler-cli/src/transformers/program.ts
index b10c8b8027..b6f07b4a91 100644
--- a/packages/compiler-cli/src/transformers/program.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler-cli/src/transformers/program.ts
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ const MAX_FILE_COUNT_FOR_SINGLE_FILE_EMIT = 20;
 /**
  * Fields to lower within metadata in render2 mode.
  */
-const LOWER_FIELDS = ['useValue', 'useFactory', 'data', 'id'];
+const LOWER_FIELDS = ['useValue', 'useFactory', 'data', 'id', 'loadChildren'];
 
 /**
  * Fields to lower within metadata in render3 mode.
diff --git a/packages/compiler-cli/test/BUILD.bazel b/packages/compiler-cli/test/BUILD.bazel
index a6c0b2d355..e6cb2ebf07 100644
--- a/packages/compiler-cli/test/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/packages/compiler-cli/test/BUILD.bazel
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ jasmine_node_test(
         "//packages/common:npm_package",
         "//packages/core:npm_package",
         "//packages/platform-browser:npm_package",
+        "//packages/router:npm_package",
     ],
     deps = [
         ":ngc_lib",
diff --git a/packages/compiler-cli/test/ngc_spec.ts b/packages/compiler-cli/test/ngc_spec.ts
index 779ca766c7..259ea65783 100644
--- a/packages/compiler-cli/test/ngc_spec.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler-cli/test/ngc_spec.ts
@@ -869,6 +869,40 @@ describe('ngc transformer command-line', () => {
         expect(mymoduleSource).toMatch(/ɵ0 = .*'test'/);
       });
 
+      it('should lower loadChildren', () => {
+        write('mymodule.ts', `
+          import {Component, NgModule} from '@angular/core';
+          import {RouterModule} from '@angular/router';
+          
+          export function foo(): string {
+            console.log('side-effect');
+            return 'test';
+          }
+
+          @Component({
+            selector: 'route',
+            template: 'route',
+          })
+          export class Route {}
+
+          @NgModule({
+            declarations: [Route],
+            imports: [
+              RouterModule.forRoot([
+                {path: '', pathMatch: 'full', component: Route, loadChildren: foo()}
+              ]),
+            ]
+          })
+          export class MyModule {}
+        `);
+        expect(compile()).toEqual(0);
+
+        const mymodulejs = path.resolve(outDir, 'mymodule.js');
+        const mymoduleSource = fs.readFileSync(mymodulejs, 'utf8');
+        expect(mymoduleSource).toContain('loadChildren: ɵ0');
+        expect(mymoduleSource).toMatch(/ɵ0 = .*foo\(\)/);
+      });
+
       it('should be able to lower supported expressions', () => {
         writeConfig(`{
           "extends": "./tsconfig-base.json",
diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/aot/static_reflector.ts b/packages/compiler/src/aot/static_reflector.ts
index 812e54ac83..d8dd289192 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/src/aot/static_reflector.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/aot/static_reflector.ts
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ const IGNORE = {
 
 const USE_VALUE = 'useValue';
 const PROVIDE = 'provide';
-const REFERENCE_SET = new Set([USE_VALUE, 'useFactory', 'data', 'id']);
+const REFERENCE_SET = new Set([USE_VALUE, 'useFactory', 'data', 'id', 'loadChildren']);
 const TYPEGUARD_POSTFIX = 'TypeGuard';
 const USE_IF = 'UseIf';