diff --git a/packages/compiler-cli/src/ngtsc/typecheck/src/type_check_file.ts b/packages/compiler-cli/src/ngtsc/typecheck/src/type_check_file.ts
index eadc68b5fd..9f1fb7c708 100644
--- a/packages/compiler-cli/src/ngtsc/typecheck/src/type_check_file.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler-cli/src/ngtsc/typecheck/src/type_check_file.ts
@@ -59,6 +59,11 @@ export class TypeCheckFile extends Environment {
       source += printer.printNode(ts.EmitHint.Unspecified, stmt, this.contextFile) + '\n';
     }
 
+    // Ensure the template type-checking file is an ES module. Otherwise, it's interpreted as some
+    // kind of global namespace in TS, which forces a full re-typecheck of the user's program that
+    // is somehow more expensive than the initial parse.
+    source += '\nexport const IS_A_MODULE = true;\n';
+
     return ts.createSourceFile(
         this.fileName, source, ts.ScriptTarget.Latest, true, ts.ScriptKind.TS);
   }
diff --git a/packages/compiler-cli/src/ngtsc/typecheck/test/type_constructor_spec.ts b/packages/compiler-cli/src/ngtsc/typecheck/test/type_constructor_spec.ts
index 36744e9b42..0cf603313f 100644
--- a/packages/compiler-cli/src/ngtsc/typecheck/test/type_constructor_spec.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler-cli/src/ngtsc/typecheck/test/type_constructor_spec.ts
@@ -13,12 +13,14 @@ import {TypeScriptReflectionHost, isNamedClassDeclaration} from '../../reflectio
 import {getDeclaration, makeProgram} from '../../testing';
 import {getRootDirs} from '../../util/src/typescript';
 import {TypeCheckContext} from '../src/context';
+import {TypeCheckFile} from '../src/type_check_file';
 import {ALL_ENABLED_CONFIG} from './test_utils';
 
 runInEachFileSystem(() => {
   describe('ngtsc typechecking', () => {
     let _: typeof absoluteFrom;
     let LIB_D_TS: TestFile;
+    let TYPE_CHECK_TS: TestFile;
 
     beforeEach(() => {
       _ = absoluteFrom;
@@ -29,12 +31,25 @@ runInEachFileSystem(() => {
     type Pick<T, K extends keyof T> = { [P in K]: T[P]; };
     type NonNullable<T> = T extends null | undefined ? never : T;`
       };
+      TYPE_CHECK_TS = {
+        name: _('/_typecheck_.ts'),
+        contents: `
+        export const IS_A_MODULE = true;
+        `
+      };
+    });
+
+    it('should not produce an empty SourceFile when there is nothing to typecheck', () => {
+      const file =
+          new TypeCheckFile(_('/_typecheck_.ts'), ALL_ENABLED_CONFIG, new ReferenceEmitter([]));
+      const sf = file.render();
+      expect(sf.statements.length).toBe(1);
     });
 
     describe('ctors', () => {
       it('compiles a basic type constructor', () => {
         const files: TestFile[] = [
-          LIB_D_TS, {
+          LIB_D_TS, TYPE_CHECK_TS, {
             name: _('/main.ts'),
             contents: `
 class TestClass<T extends string> {
@@ -72,7 +87,7 @@ TestClass.ngTypeCtor({value: 'test'});
 
       it('should not consider query fields', () => {
         const files: TestFile[] = [
-          LIB_D_TS, {
+          LIB_D_TS, TYPE_CHECK_TS, {
             name: _('/main.ts'),
             contents: `class TestClass { value: any; }`,
           }