diff --git a/src/compiler/checker.ts b/src/compiler/checker.ts
index ac1edd33f6a..11d91875838 100644
--- a/src/compiler/checker.ts
+++ b/src/compiler/checker.ts
@@ -9103,9 +9103,11 @@ module ts {
             globalBooleanType = getGlobalType("Boolean");
             globalRegExpType = getGlobalType("RegExp");
 
-            if (compilerOptions.target >= ScriptTarget.ES6) {
-                globalTemplateStringsArrayType = getGlobalType("TemplateStringsArray");
-            }
+            // If we're in ES6 mode, load the TemplateStringsArray.
+            // Otherwise, default to 'unknown' for the purposes of type checking in LS scenarios.
+            globalTemplateStringsArrayType = compilerOptions.target >= ScriptTarget.ES6
+                ? getGlobalType("TemplateStringsArray")
+                : unknownType;
         }
 
         initializeTypeChecker();
diff --git a/tests/baselines/reference/noDefaultLib.errors.txt b/tests/baselines/reference/noDefaultLib.errors.txt
index f2c23d56d25..02098950055 100644
--- a/tests/baselines/reference/noDefaultLib.errors.txt
+++ b/tests/baselines/reference/noDefaultLib.errors.txt
@@ -1,12 +1,10 @@
 error TS2318: Cannot find global type 'Boolean'.
 error TS2318: Cannot find global type 'IArguments'.
-error TS2318: Cannot find global type 'TemplateStringsArray'.
 tests/cases/compiler/noDefaultLib.ts(4,11): error TS2317: Global type 'Array' must have 1 type parameter(s).
 
 
 !!! error TS2318: Cannot find global type 'Boolean'.
 !!! error TS2318: Cannot find global type 'IArguments'.
-!!! error TS2318: Cannot find global type 'TemplateStringsArray'.
 ==== tests/cases/compiler/noDefaultLib.ts (1 errors) ====
     /// <reference no-default-lib="true"/>
     var x;
diff --git a/tests/baselines/reference/parser509698.errors.txt b/tests/baselines/reference/parser509698.errors.txt
index 2a8cc607e1e..2aaaec18dc2 100644
--- a/tests/baselines/reference/parser509698.errors.txt
+++ b/tests/baselines/reference/parser509698.errors.txt
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ error TS2318: Cannot find global type 'Number'.
 error TS2318: Cannot find global type 'Object'.
 error TS2318: Cannot find global type 'RegExp'.
 error TS2318: Cannot find global type 'String'.
-error TS2318: Cannot find global type 'TemplateStringsArray'.
 
 
 !!! error TS2318: Cannot find global type 'Array'.
@@ -17,7 +16,6 @@ error TS2318: Cannot find global type 'TemplateStringsArray'.
 !!! error TS2318: Cannot find global type 'Object'.
 !!! error TS2318: Cannot find global type 'RegExp'.
 !!! error TS2318: Cannot find global type 'String'.
-!!! error TS2318: Cannot find global type 'TemplateStringsArray'.
 ==== tests/cases/conformance/parser/ecmascript5/RegressionTests/parser509698.ts (0 errors) ====
     /// <style requireSemi="on" />
     /// <reference no-default-lib="true"/>
diff --git a/tests/baselines/reference/project/noDefaultLib/amd/noDefaultLib.errors.txt b/tests/baselines/reference/project/noDefaultLib/amd/noDefaultLib.errors.txt
index 908fe85e3da..eeaf52ba72a 100644
--- a/tests/baselines/reference/project/noDefaultLib/amd/noDefaultLib.errors.txt
+++ b/tests/baselines/reference/project/noDefaultLib/amd/noDefaultLib.errors.txt
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ error TS2318: Cannot find global type 'Number'.
 error TS2318: Cannot find global type 'Object'.
 error TS2318: Cannot find global type 'RegExp'.
 error TS2318: Cannot find global type 'String'.
-error TS2318: Cannot find global type 'TemplateStringsArray'.
 test.ts(3,8): error TS2304: Cannot find name 'Array'.
 
 
@@ -18,7 +17,6 @@ test.ts(3,8): error TS2304: Cannot find name 'Array'.
 !!! error TS2318: Cannot find global type 'Object'.
 !!! error TS2318: Cannot find global type 'RegExp'.
 !!! error TS2318: Cannot find global type 'String'.
-!!! error TS2318: Cannot find global type 'TemplateStringsArray'.
 ==== test.ts (1 errors) ====
     /// <reference no-default-lib="true"/>
     
diff --git a/tests/baselines/reference/project/noDefaultLib/node/noDefaultLib.errors.txt b/tests/baselines/reference/project/noDefaultLib/node/noDefaultLib.errors.txt
index 908fe85e3da..eeaf52ba72a 100644
--- a/tests/baselines/reference/project/noDefaultLib/node/noDefaultLib.errors.txt
+++ b/tests/baselines/reference/project/noDefaultLib/node/noDefaultLib.errors.txt
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ error TS2318: Cannot find global type 'Number'.
 error TS2318: Cannot find global type 'Object'.
 error TS2318: Cannot find global type 'RegExp'.
 error TS2318: Cannot find global type 'String'.
-error TS2318: Cannot find global type 'TemplateStringsArray'.
 test.ts(3,8): error TS2304: Cannot find name 'Array'.
 
 
@@ -18,7 +17,6 @@ test.ts(3,8): error TS2304: Cannot find name 'Array'.
 !!! error TS2318: Cannot find global type 'Object'.
 !!! error TS2318: Cannot find global type 'RegExp'.
 !!! error TS2318: Cannot find global type 'String'.
-!!! error TS2318: Cannot find global type 'TemplateStringsArray'.
 ==== test.ts (1 errors) ====
     /// <reference no-default-lib="true"/>
     
diff --git a/tests/baselines/reference/typeCheckTypeArgument.errors.txt b/tests/baselines/reference/typeCheckTypeArgument.errors.txt
index 71ba09d44fc..bf3e8bfdb9b 100644
--- a/tests/baselines/reference/typeCheckTypeArgument.errors.txt
+++ b/tests/baselines/reference/typeCheckTypeArgument.errors.txt
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ error TS2318: Cannot find global type 'Number'.
 error TS2318: Cannot find global type 'Object'.
 error TS2318: Cannot find global type 'RegExp'.
 error TS2318: Cannot find global type 'String'.
-error TS2318: Cannot find global type 'TemplateStringsArray'.
 tests/cases/compiler/typeCheckTypeArgument.ts(3,19): error TS2304: Cannot find name 'UNKNOWN'.
 tests/cases/compiler/typeCheckTypeArgument.ts(5,26): error TS2304: Cannot find name 'UNKNOWN'.
 tests/cases/compiler/typeCheckTypeArgument.ts(7,21): error TS2304: Cannot find name 'UNKNOWN'.
@@ -23,7 +22,6 @@ tests/cases/compiler/typeCheckTypeArgument.ts(15,13): error TS2304: Cannot find
 !!! error TS2318: Cannot find global type 'Object'.
 !!! error TS2318: Cannot find global type 'RegExp'.
 !!! error TS2318: Cannot find global type 'String'.
-!!! error TS2318: Cannot find global type 'TemplateStringsArray'.
 ==== tests/cases/compiler/typeCheckTypeArgument.ts (6 errors) ====
     /// <reference no-default-lib="true"/>