diff --git a/src/compiler/checker.ts b/src/compiler/checker.ts
index cd4eeed7522..bcf95543d31 100644
--- a/src/compiler/checker.ts
+++ b/src/compiler/checker.ts
@@ -1898,13 +1898,17 @@ namespace ts {
 
         function tryGetMemberInModuleExportsAndProperties(memberName: __String, moduleSymbol: Symbol): Symbol | undefined {
             const symbol = tryGetMemberInModuleExports(memberName, moduleSymbol);
-            if (!symbol) {
-                const exportEquals = resolveExternalModuleSymbol(moduleSymbol);
-                if (exportEquals !== moduleSymbol) {
-                    return getPropertyOfType(getTypeOfSymbol(exportEquals), memberName);
-                }
+            if (symbol) {
+                return symbol;
             }
-            return symbol;
+
+            const exportEquals = resolveExternalModuleSymbol(moduleSymbol);
+            if (exportEquals === moduleSymbol) {
+                return undefined;
+            }
+
+            const type = getTypeOfSymbol(exportEquals);
+            return type.flags & TypeFlags.Primitive ? undefined : getPropertyOfType(type, memberName);
         }
 
         function getExportsOfSymbol(symbol: Symbol): SymbolTable {
diff --git a/src/compiler/types.ts b/src/compiler/types.ts
index c7803c35ee0..c6d1c1327be 100644
--- a/src/compiler/types.ts
+++ b/src/compiler/types.ts
@@ -2766,7 +2766,10 @@ namespace ts {
         getAmbientModules(): Symbol[];
 
         tryGetMemberInModuleExports(memberName: string, moduleSymbol: Symbol): Symbol | undefined;
-        /** Unlike `tryGetMemberInModuleExports`, this includes properties of an `export =` value. */
+        /**
+         * Unlike `tryGetMemberInModuleExports`, this includes properties of an `export =` value.
+         * Does *not* return properties of primitive types.
+         */
         /* @internal */ tryGetMemberInModuleExportsAndProperties(memberName: string, moduleSymbol: Symbol): Symbol | undefined;
         getApparentType(type: Type): Type;
         getSuggestionForNonexistentProperty(node: Identifier, containingType: Type): string | undefined;
diff --git a/tests/cases/fourslash/importNameCodeFixNewImportExportEqualsPrimitive.ts b/tests/cases/fourslash/importNameCodeFixNewImportExportEqualsPrimitive.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..0b9dbb489dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/cases/fourslash/importNameCodeFixNewImportExportEqualsPrimitive.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+/// <reference path="fourslash.ts" />
+
+////[|valueOf/*0*/();|]
+
+// @Filename: foo.ts
+////declare var x: number;
+////export = x;
+
+verify.not.codeFixAvailable(); // See GH#20191
diff --git a/tests/cases/fourslash/importNameCodeFixNewImportFile5.ts b/tests/cases/fourslash/importNameCodeFixNewImportFile5.ts
index 28cf48d8a5f..b92befd9881 100644
--- a/tests/cases/fourslash/importNameCodeFixNewImportFile5.ts
+++ b/tests/cases/fourslash/importNameCodeFixNewImportFile5.ts
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@
 //// declare var x: MyStatic;
 //// export = x;
 
-verify.importFixAtPosition([
+-verify.importFixAtPosition([
 `import { bar } from "./foo";
 
 bar();`
-]);
\ No newline at end of file
+]);