diff --git a/packages/compiler-cli/src/ngtsc/shims/src/host.ts b/packages/compiler-cli/src/ngtsc/shims/src/host.ts
index 5dcf0af8dc..d30dac5756 100644
--- a/packages/compiler-cli/src/ngtsc/shims/src/host.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler-cli/src/ngtsc/shims/src/host.ts
@@ -95,11 +95,10 @@ export class GeneratedShimsHostWrapper implements ts.CompilerHost {
   getNewLine(): string { return this.delegate.getNewLine(); }
 
   fileExists(fileName: string): boolean {
-    const canonical = this.getCanonicalFileName(fileName);
     // Consider the file as existing whenever 1) it really does exist in the delegate host, or
     // 2) at least one of the shim generators recognizes it.
     return this.delegate.fileExists(fileName) ||
-        this.shimGenerators.some(gen => gen.recognize(canonical));
+        this.shimGenerators.some(gen => gen.recognize(fileName));
   }
 
   readFile(fileName: string): string|undefined { return this.delegate.readFile(fileName); }
diff --git a/packages/compiler-cli/test/ngtsc/ngtsc_spec.ts b/packages/compiler-cli/test/ngtsc/ngtsc_spec.ts
index 71c02f37d6..a27662e909 100644
--- a/packages/compiler-cli/test/ngtsc/ngtsc_spec.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler-cli/test/ngtsc/ngtsc_spec.ts
@@ -1550,6 +1550,23 @@ describe('ngtsc behavioral tests', () => {
     expect(emptyFactory).toContain(`export var ɵNonEmptyModule = true;`);
   });
 
+  it('should be able to compile an app using the factory shim', () => {
+    env.tsconfig({'allowEmptyCodegenFiles': true});
+
+    env.write('test.ts', `        
+        export {MyModuleNgFactory} from './my-module.ngfactory';
+    `);
+
+    env.write('my-module.ts', `
+        import {NgModule} from '@angular/core';
+
+        @NgModule({})
+        export class MyModule {}
+    `);
+
+    env.driveMain();
+  });
+
   it('should generate correct imports in factory stubs when compiling @angular/core', () => {
     env.tsconfig({'allowEmptyCodegenFiles': true});