diff --git a/packages/core/src/di/r3_injector.ts b/packages/core/src/di/r3_injector.ts
index 28742c19a2..e8dcdf42ef 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/di/r3_injector.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/di/r3_injector.ts
@@ -231,9 +231,9 @@ export class R3Injector {
       def = ngModule.ngInjectorDef;
     }
 
-    // If no definition was found, throw.
+    // If no definition was found, it might be from exports. Remove it.
     if (def == null) {
-      throw new Error(`Type ${stringify(defType)} is missing an ngInjectorDef definition.`);
+      return;
     }
 
     // Check for circular dependencies.
@@ -333,7 +333,12 @@ export class R3Injector {
 function injectableDefRecord(token: Type<any>| InjectionToken<any>): Record<any> {
   const def = (token as InjectableType<any>).ngInjectableDef as InjectableDef<any>;
   if (def === undefined) {
-    throw new Error(`Type ${stringify(token)} is missing an ngInjectableDef definition.`);
+    if (token instanceof InjectionToken) {
+      throw new Error(`Token ${stringify(token)} is missing an ngInjectableDef definition.`);
+    }
+    // TODO(alxhub): there should probably be a strict mode which throws here instead of assuming a
+    // no-args constructor.
+    return makeRecord(() => new (token as Type<any>)());
   }
   return makeRecord(def.factory);
 }
diff --git a/packages/core/test/di/r3_injector_spec.ts b/packages/core/test/di/r3_injector_spec.ts
index 5e690b2f86..5f7a59124c 100644
--- a/packages/core/test/di/r3_injector_spec.ts
+++ b/packages/core/test/di/r3_injector_spec.ts
@@ -143,6 +143,16 @@ describe('InjectorDef-based createInjector()', () => {
     });
   }
 
+  class NotAModule {}
+
+  class ImportsNotAModule {
+    static ngInjectorDef = defineInjector({
+      factory: () => new ImportsNotAModule(),
+      imports: [NotAModule],
+      providers: [],
+    });
+  }
+
   class ScopedService {
     static ngInjectableDef = defineInjectable({
       providedIn: Module,
@@ -241,4 +251,9 @@ describe('InjectorDef-based createInjector()', () => {
     expect(() => (injector as R3Injector).destroy())
         .toThrowError('Injector has already been destroyed.');
   });
+
+  it('should not crash when importing something that has no ngInjectorDef', () => {
+    injector = createInjector(ImportsNotAModule);
+    expect(injector.get(ImportsNotAModule)).toBeDefined();
+  });
 });