diff --git a/src/compiler/checker.ts b/src/compiler/checker.ts
index 8dca2ac0d0b..7199e4a548f 100644
--- a/src/compiler/checker.ts
+++ b/src/compiler/checker.ts
@@ -8522,6 +8522,9 @@ namespace ts {
             }
 
             function narrowTypeByEquality(type: Type, operator: SyntaxKind, value: Expression, assumeTrue: boolean): Type {
+                if (type.flags & TypeFlags.Any) {
+                    return type;
+                }
                 if (operator === SyntaxKind.ExclamationEqualsToken || operator === SyntaxKind.ExclamationEqualsEqualsToken) {
                     assumeTrue = !assumeTrue;
                 }