diff --git a/src/compiler/checker.ts b/src/compiler/checker.ts
index 92005a36b65..b891a0ec6c0 100644
--- a/src/compiler/checker.ts
+++ b/src/compiler/checker.ts
@@ -20640,6 +20640,9 @@ namespace ts {
         function createMarkerType(symbol: Symbol, source: TypeParameter, target: Type) {
             const mapper = makeUnaryTypeMapper(source, target);
             const type = getDeclaredTypeOfSymbol(symbol);
+            if (isErrorType(type)) {
+                return type;
+            }
             const result = symbol.flags & SymbolFlags.TypeAlias ?
                 getTypeAliasInstantiation(symbol, instantiateTypes(getSymbolLinks(symbol).typeParameters!, mapper)) :
                 createTypeReference(type as GenericType, instantiateTypes((type as GenericType).typeParameters, mapper));
diff --git a/tests/baselines/reference/varianceAnnotationsWithCircularlyReferencesError.errors.txt b/tests/baselines/reference/varianceAnnotationsWithCircularlyReferencesError.errors.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..d6589051967
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/baselines/reference/varianceAnnotationsWithCircularlyReferencesError.errors.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+tests/cases/conformance/types/typeParameters/typeParameterLists/varianceAnnotationsWithCircularlyReferencesError.ts(1,6): error TS2456: Type alias 'T1' circularly references itself.
+tests/cases/conformance/types/typeParameters/typeParameterLists/varianceAnnotationsWithCircularlyReferencesError.ts(1,11): error TS2300: Duplicate identifier '(Missing)'.
+tests/cases/conformance/types/typeParameters/typeParameterLists/varianceAnnotationsWithCircularlyReferencesError.ts(1,12): error TS1359: Identifier expected. 'in' is a reserved word that cannot be used here.
+tests/cases/conformance/types/typeParameters/typeParameterLists/varianceAnnotationsWithCircularlyReferencesError.ts(2,6): error TS2456: Type alias 'T2' circularly references itself.
+
+
+==== tests/cases/conformance/types/typeParameters/typeParameterLists/varianceAnnotationsWithCircularlyReferencesError.ts (4 errors) ====
+    type T1<in in> = T1 // Error: circularly references 
+         ~~
+!!! error TS2456: Type alias 'T1' circularly references itself.
+              
+!!! error TS2300: Duplicate identifier '(Missing)'.
+               ~~
+!!! error TS1359: Identifier expected. 'in' is a reserved word that cannot be used here.
+    type T2<out out> = T2 // Error: circularly references 
+         ~~
+!!! error TS2456: Type alias 'T2' circularly references itself.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/baselines/reference/varianceAnnotationsWithCircularlyReferencesError.js b/tests/baselines/reference/varianceAnnotationsWithCircularlyReferencesError.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..8f2cc8a9c38
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/baselines/reference/varianceAnnotationsWithCircularlyReferencesError.js
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+//// [varianceAnnotationsWithCircularlyReferencesError.ts]
+type T1<in in> = T1 // Error: circularly references 
+type T2<out out> = T2 // Error: circularly references 
+
+//// [varianceAnnotationsWithCircularlyReferencesError.js]
+"use strict";
+
+
+//// [varianceAnnotationsWithCircularlyReferencesError.d.ts]
+declare type T1<in , > = T1;
+declare type T2<out out> = T2;
diff --git a/tests/baselines/reference/varianceAnnotationsWithCircularlyReferencesError.symbols b/tests/baselines/reference/varianceAnnotationsWithCircularlyReferencesError.symbols
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..cb4760c4430
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/baselines/reference/varianceAnnotationsWithCircularlyReferencesError.symbols
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+=== tests/cases/conformance/types/typeParameters/typeParameterLists/varianceAnnotationsWithCircularlyReferencesError.ts ===
+type T1<in in> = T1 // Error: circularly references 
+>T1 : Symbol(T1, Decl(varianceAnnotationsWithCircularlyReferencesError.ts, 0, 0))
+> : Symbol((Missing), Decl(varianceAnnotationsWithCircularlyReferencesError.ts, 0, 8), Decl(varianceAnnotationsWithCircularlyReferencesError.ts, 0, 10))
+> : Symbol((Missing), Decl(varianceAnnotationsWithCircularlyReferencesError.ts, 0, 8), Decl(varianceAnnotationsWithCircularlyReferencesError.ts, 0, 10))
+>T1 : Symbol(T1, Decl(varianceAnnotationsWithCircularlyReferencesError.ts, 0, 0))
+
+type T2<out out> = T2 // Error: circularly references 
+>T2 : Symbol(T2, Decl(varianceAnnotationsWithCircularlyReferencesError.ts, 0, 19))
+>out : Symbol(out, Decl(varianceAnnotationsWithCircularlyReferencesError.ts, 1, 8))
+>T2 : Symbol(T2, Decl(varianceAnnotationsWithCircularlyReferencesError.ts, 0, 19))
+
diff --git a/tests/baselines/reference/varianceAnnotationsWithCircularlyReferencesError.types b/tests/baselines/reference/varianceAnnotationsWithCircularlyReferencesError.types
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..21c624057f1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/baselines/reference/varianceAnnotationsWithCircularlyReferencesError.types
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+=== tests/cases/conformance/types/typeParameters/typeParameterLists/varianceAnnotationsWithCircularlyReferencesError.ts ===
+type T1<in in> = T1 // Error: circularly references 
+>T1 : any
+
+type T2<out out> = T2 // Error: circularly references 
+>T2 : any
+
diff --git a/tests/cases/conformance/types/typeParameters/typeParameterLists/varianceAnnotationsWithCircularlyReferencesError.ts b/tests/cases/conformance/types/typeParameters/typeParameterLists/varianceAnnotationsWithCircularlyReferencesError.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..3ad0e4a6a57
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/cases/conformance/types/typeParameters/typeParameterLists/varianceAnnotationsWithCircularlyReferencesError.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+// @strict: true
+// @declaration: true
+
+type T1<in in> = T1 // Error: circularly references 
+type T2<out out> = T2 // Error: circularly references 
\ No newline at end of file