diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/output/abstract_js_emitter.ts b/packages/compiler/src/output/abstract_js_emitter.ts
index 621a67af40..fde1fbe80b 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/src/output/abstract_js_emitter.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/output/abstract_js_emitter.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
  */
 
 
-import {AbstractEmitterVisitor, CATCH_ERROR_VAR, CATCH_STACK_VAR, EmitterVisitorContext} from './abstract_emitter';
+import {AbstractEmitterVisitor, CATCH_ERROR_VAR, CATCH_STACK_VAR, EmitterVisitorContext, escapeIdentifier} from './abstract_emitter';
 import * as o from './output_ast';
 
 export abstract class AbstractJsEmitterVisitor extends AbstractEmitterVisitor {
@@ -150,6 +150,42 @@ export abstract class AbstractJsEmitterVisitor extends AbstractEmitterVisitor {
     return null;
   }
 
+  visitLocalizedString(ast: o.LocalizedString, ctx: EmitterVisitorContext): any {
+    // The following convoluted piece of code is effectively the downlevelled equivalent of
+    // ```
+    // $localize `...`
+    // ```
+    // which is effectively like:
+    // ```
+    // $localize(__makeTemplateObject(cooked, raw), expression1, expression2, ...);
+    // ```
+    //
+    // The `$localize` function expects a "template object", which is an array of "cooked" strings
+    // plus a `raw` property that contains an array of "raw" strings.
+    //
+    // In some environments a helper function called `__makeTemplateObject(cooked, raw)` might be
+    // available, in which case we use that. Otherwise we must create our own helper function
+    // inline.
+    //
+    // In the inline function, if `Object.defineProperty` is available we use that to attach the
+    // `raw` array.
+    ctx.print(
+        ast,
+        '$localize((this&&this.__makeTemplateObject||function(e,t){return Object.defineProperty?Object.defineProperty(e,"raw",{value:t}):e.raw=t,e})(');
+    const parts = [ast.serializeI18nHead()];
+    for (let i = 1; i < ast.messageParts.length; i++) {
+      parts.push(ast.serializeI18nTemplatePart(i));
+    }
+    ctx.print(ast, `[${parts.map(part => escapeIdentifier(part.cooked, false)).join(', ')}], `);
+    ctx.print(ast, `[${parts.map(part => escapeIdentifier(part.raw, false)).join(', ')}])`);
+    ast.expressions.forEach(expression => {
+      ctx.print(ast, ', ');
+      expression.visitExpression(this, ctx);
+    });
+    ctx.print(ast, ')');
+    return null;
+  }
+
   private _visitParams(params: o.FnParam[], ctx: EmitterVisitorContext): void {
     this.visitAllObjects(param => ctx.print(null, param.name), params, ctx, ',');
   }
diff --git a/packages/compiler/test/output/js_emitter_spec.ts b/packages/compiler/test/output/js_emitter_spec.ts
index e38e310ba5..a60c15c706 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/test/output/js_emitter_spec.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/test/output/js_emitter_spec.ts
@@ -200,6 +200,15 @@ const externalModuleIdentifier = new o.ExternalReference(anotherModuleUrl, 'some
       ].join('\n'));
     });
 
+    it('should support ES5 localized strings', () => {
+      expect(emitStmt(new o.ExpressionStatement(o.localizedString(
+                 {}, ['ab\\:c', 'd"e\'f'], ['ph1'],
+                 [o.literal(7, o.NUMBER_TYPE).plus(o.literal(8, o.NUMBER_TYPE))]))))
+          .toEqual(
+              String.raw
+              `$localize((this&&this.__makeTemplateObject||function(e,t){return Object.defineProperty?Object.defineProperty(e,"raw",{value:t}):e.raw=t,e})(['ab\\:c', ':ph1:d"e\'f'], ['ab\\\\:c', ':ph1:d"e\'f']), (7 + 8));`);
+    });
+
     it('should support try/catch', () => {
       const bodyStmt = o.variable('body').callFn([]).toStmt();
       const catchStmt =
diff --git a/packages/compiler/test/output/ts_emitter_spec.ts b/packages/compiler/test/output/ts_emitter_spec.ts
index aa4b7ab649..cc287c22a8 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/test/output/ts_emitter_spec.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/test/output/ts_emitter_spec.ts
@@ -249,6 +249,13 @@ const externalModuleIdentifier = new o.ExternalReference(anotherModuleUrl, 'some
       ].join('\n'));
     });
 
+    it('should support localized strings', () => {
+      expect(emitStmt(new o.ExpressionStatement(o.localizedString(
+                 {}, ['ab\\:c', 'd"e\'f'], ['ph1'],
+                 [o.literal(7, o.NUMBER_TYPE).plus(o.literal(8, o.NUMBER_TYPE))]))))
+          .toEqual('$localize `ab\\\\:c${(7 + 8)}:ph1:d"e\'f`;');
+    });
+
     it('should support try/catch', () => {
       const bodyStmt = o.variable('body').callFn([]).toStmt();
       const catchStmt =