diff --git a/packages/compiler-cli/src/ngtsc/host/src/reflection.ts b/packages/compiler-cli/src/ngtsc/host/src/reflection.ts
index d47f27c269..bfea18a9ac 100644
--- a/packages/compiler-cli/src/ngtsc/host/src/reflection.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler-cli/src/ngtsc/host/src/reflection.ts
@@ -53,9 +53,9 @@ export enum ClassMemberKind {
  */
 export interface ClassMember {
   /**
-   * TypeScript reference to the class member itself.
+   * TypeScript reference to the class member itself, or null if it is not applicable.
    */
-  node: ts.Node;
+  node: ts.Node|null;
 
   /**
    * Indication of which type of member this is (property, method, etc).
diff --git a/packages/compiler-cli/src/ngtsc/metadata/src/resolver.ts b/packages/compiler-cli/src/ngtsc/metadata/src/resolver.ts
index 66f4e66648..17b831087f 100644
--- a/packages/compiler-cli/src/ngtsc/metadata/src/resolver.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler-cli/src/ngtsc/metadata/src/resolver.ts
@@ -544,7 +544,7 @@ class StaticInterpreter {
       throw new Error(`attempting to call something that is not a function: ${lhs}`);
     } else if (!isFunctionOrMethodReference(lhs)) {
       throw new Error(
-          `calling something that is not a function declaration? ${ts.SyntaxKind[lhs.node.kind]}`);
+          `calling something that is not a function declaration? ${ts.SyntaxKind[lhs.node.kind]} (${node.getText()})`);
     }
 
     const fn = lhs.node;