diff --git a/src/compiler/factory.ts b/src/compiler/factory.ts
index 8721a03ad71..88f2603e6e9 100644
--- a/src/compiler/factory.ts
+++ b/src/compiler/factory.ts
@@ -822,16 +822,6 @@ namespace ts {
         return react;
     }
 
-    export function createReactSpread(reactNamespace: string, segments: Expression[], parentElement: JsxOpeningLikeElement) {
-        return createCall(
-            createPropertyAccess(
-                createReactNamespace(reactNamespace, parentElement),
-                "__spread"
-            ),
-            segments
-        );
-    }
-
     export function createReactCreateElement(reactNamespace: string, tagName: Expression, props: Expression, children: Expression[], parentElement: JsxOpeningLikeElement, location: TextRange): LeftHandSideExpression {
         const argumentsList = [tagName];
         if (props) {
@@ -868,6 +858,13 @@ namespace ts {
         );
     }
 
+    export function createAssignHelper(attributesSegments: Expression[]) {
+        return createCall(
+            createIdentifier("__assign"),
+            attributesSegments
+        );
+    }
+
     export function createParamHelper(expression: Expression, parameterOffset: number) {
         return createCall(
             createIdentifier("__param"),
diff --git a/src/compiler/printer.ts b/src/compiler/printer.ts
index 17dabf60665..557eddabe85 100644
--- a/src/compiler/printer.ts
+++ b/src/compiler/printer.ts
@@ -26,6 +26,19 @@ var __extends = (this && this.__extends) || function (d, b) {
     d.prototype = b === null ? Object.create(b) : (__.prototype = b.prototype, new __());
 };`;
 
+        // Emit output for the __assign helper function.
+        // This is typically used for JSX spread attributes,
+        // and can be used for object literal spread properties.
+        const assignHelper = `
+var __assign = (this && this.__assign) || Object.assign || function(t) {
+    for (var s, i = 1, n = arguments.length; i < n; i++) {
+        s = arguments[i];
+        for (var p in s) if (Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(s, p))
+            t[p] = s[p];
+    }
+    return t;
+};`;
+
         // emit output for the __decorate helper function
         const decorateHelper = `
 var __decorate = (this && this.__decorate) || function (decorators, target, key, desc) {
@@ -173,6 +186,7 @@ const _super = (function (geti, seti) {
             let currentText: string;
             let currentFileIdentifiers: Map<string>;
             let extendsEmitted: boolean;
+            let assignEmitted: boolean;
             let decorateEmitted: boolean;
             let paramEmitted: boolean;
             let awaiterEmitted: boolean;
@@ -232,6 +246,7 @@ const _super = (function (geti, seti) {
                 currentSourceFile = undefined;
                 currentText = undefined;
                 extendsEmitted = false;
+                assignEmitted = false;
                 decorateEmitted = false;
                 paramEmitted = false;
                 awaiterEmitted = false;
@@ -2023,6 +2038,11 @@ const _super = (function (geti, seti) {
                         helpersEmitted = true;
                     }
 
+                    if (compilerOptions.jsx !== JsxEmit.Preserve && !assignEmitted && (node.flags & NodeFlags.HasJsxSpreadAttribute)) {
+                        writeLines(assignHelper);
+                        assignEmitted = true;
+                    }
+
                     if (!decorateEmitted && node.flags & NodeFlags.HasDecorators) {
                         writeLines(decorateHelper);
                         if (compilerOptions.emitDecoratorMetadata) {
diff --git a/src/compiler/transformers/jsx.ts b/src/compiler/transformers/jsx.ts
index 7dfe84b0b11..6a90fd0ecaf 100644
--- a/src/compiler/transformers/jsx.ts
+++ b/src/compiler/transformers/jsx.ts
@@ -100,9 +100,9 @@ namespace ts {
                 }
 
                 // Either emit one big object literal (no spread attribs), or
-                // a call to React.__spread
+                // a call to the __assign helper.
                 objectProperties = singleOrUndefined(segments)
-                    || createReactSpread(compilerOptions.reactNamespace, segments, node);
+                    || createAssignHelper(segments);
             }
 
             const element = createReactCreateElement(
diff --git a/tests/baselines/reference/reactNamespaceJSXEmit.js b/tests/baselines/reference/reactNamespaceJSXEmit.js
index b39c1c1633a..3a21504bb80 100644
--- a/tests/baselines/reference/reactNamespaceJSXEmit.js
+++ b/tests/baselines/reference/reactNamespaceJSXEmit.js
@@ -21,8 +21,8 @@ var __assign = (this && this.__assign) || Object.assign || function(t) {
     }
     return t;
 };
-myReactLib.createElement("foo", {data: true});
-myReactLib.createElement(Bar, {x: x});
+myReactLib.createElement("foo", { data: true });
+myReactLib.createElement(Bar, { x: x });
 myReactLib.createElement("x-component", null);
 myReactLib.createElement(Bar, __assign({}, x));
 myReactLib.createElement(Bar, __assign({}, x, { y: 2 }));
diff --git a/tests/baselines/reference/tsxExternalModuleEmit2.js b/tests/baselines/reference/tsxExternalModuleEmit2.js
index 384e04a8e71..6c01a48af78 100644
--- a/tests/baselines/reference/tsxExternalModuleEmit2.js
+++ b/tests/baselines/reference/tsxExternalModuleEmit2.js
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ var __assign = (this && this.__assign) || Object.assign || function(t) {
     }
     return t;
 };
-var mod_1 = require('mod');
+var mod_1 = require("mod");
 // Should see mod_1['default'] in emit here
 React.createElement(Foo, { handler: mod_1["default"] });
 // Should see mod_1['default'] in emit here