diff --git a/packages/compiler-cli/src/ngtsc/metadata/src/resolver.ts b/packages/compiler-cli/src/ngtsc/metadata/src/resolver.ts
index cb89986276..fdb48b9eb9 100644
--- a/packages/compiler-cli/src/ngtsc/metadata/src/resolver.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler-cli/src/ngtsc/metadata/src/resolver.ts
@@ -439,10 +439,7 @@ class StaticInterpreter {
     if (this.host.isClass(node)) {
       return this.getReference(node, context);
     } else if (ts.isVariableDeclaration(node)) {
-      if (!node.initializer) {
-        return undefined;
-      }
-      return this.visitExpression(node.initializer, context);
+      return this.visitVariableDeclaration(node, context);
     } else if (ts.isParameter(node) && context.scope.has(node)) {
       return context.scope.get(node) !;
     } else if (ts.isExportAssignment(node)) {
@@ -456,6 +453,16 @@ class StaticInterpreter {
     }
   }
 
+  private visitVariableDeclaration(node: ts.VariableDeclaration, context: Context): ResolvedValue {
+    if (node.initializer !== undefined) {
+      return this.visitExpression(node.initializer, context);
+    } else if (isVariableDeclarationDeclared(node)) {
+      return this.getReference(node, context);
+    } else {
+      return undefined;
+    }
+  }
+
   private visitEnumDeclaration(node: ts.EnumDeclaration, context: Context): ResolvedValue {
     const enumRef = this.getReference(node, context) as Reference<ts.EnumDeclaration>;
     const map = new Map<string, EnumValue>();
@@ -728,3 +735,16 @@ function identifierOfDeclaration(decl: ts.Declaration): ts.Identifier|undefined
 function isPossibleClassDeclaration(node: ts.Node): node is ts.Declaration {
   return ts.isClassDeclaration(node) || ts.isVariableDeclaration(node);
 }
+
+function isVariableDeclarationDeclared(node: ts.VariableDeclaration): boolean {
+  if (node.parent === undefined || !ts.isVariableDeclarationList(node.parent)) {
+    return false;
+  }
+  const declList = node.parent;
+  if (declList.parent === undefined || !ts.isVariableStatement(declList.parent)) {
+    return false;
+  }
+  const varStmt = declList.parent;
+  return varStmt.modifiers !== undefined &&
+      varStmt.modifiers.some(mod => mod.kind === ts.SyntaxKind.DeclareKeyword);
+}
diff --git a/packages/compiler-cli/src/ngtsc/metadata/test/resolver_spec.ts b/packages/compiler-cli/src/ngtsc/metadata/test/resolver_spec.ts
index 7c4863a6dd..f25f517fc7 100644
--- a/packages/compiler-cli/src/ngtsc/metadata/test/resolver_spec.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler-cli/src/ngtsc/metadata/test/resolver_spec.ts
@@ -284,4 +284,17 @@ describe('ngtsc metadata', () => {
     expect(result.enumRef.node.name.text).toBe('Foo');
     expect(result.name).toBe('B');
   });
+
+  it('variable declaration resolution works', () => {
+    const {program} = makeProgram([
+      {name: 'decl.d.ts', contents: 'export declare let value: number;'},
+      {name: 'entry.ts', contents: `import {value} from './decl'; const target$ = value;`},
+    ]);
+    const checker = program.getTypeChecker();
+    const host = new TypeScriptReflectionHost(checker);
+    const result = getDeclaration(program, 'entry.ts', 'target$', ts.isVariableDeclaration);
+    const res = staticallyResolve(result.initializer !, host, checker);
+    console.error(res);
+    expect(res instanceof Reference).toBe(true);
+  });
 });