diff --git a/internal/checker/checker.go b/internal/checker/checker.go
index 47610ff765..3d0d2c60be 100644
--- a/internal/checker/checker.go
+++ b/internal/checker/checker.go
@@ -14746,8 +14746,10 @@ func (c *Checker) resolveESModuleSymbol(moduleSymbol *ast.Symbol, referencingLoc
 	symbol := c.resolveExternalModuleSymbol(moduleSymbol, dontResolveAlias)
 	if !dontResolveAlias && symbol != nil {
 		if !suppressInteropError && symbol.Flags&(ast.SymbolFlagsModule|ast.SymbolFlagsVariable) == 0 && ast.GetDeclarationOfKind(symbol, ast.KindSourceFile) == nil {
-			compilerOptionName := core.IfElse(c.moduleKind >= core.ModuleKindES2015, "allowSyntheticDefaultImports", "esModuleInterop")
-			c.error(referencingLocation, diagnostics.This_module_can_only_be_referenced_with_ECMAScript_imports_Slashexports_by_turning_on_the_0_flag_and_referencing_its_default_export, compilerOptionName)
+			if ast.GetDeclarationOfKind(symbol, ast.KindJSExportAssignment) == nil {
+				compilerOptionName := core.IfElse(c.moduleKind >= core.ModuleKindES2015, "allowSyntheticDefaultImports", "esModuleInterop")
+				c.error(referencingLocation, diagnostics.This_module_can_only_be_referenced_with_ECMAScript_imports_Slashexports_by_turning_on_the_0_flag_and_referencing_its_default_export, compilerOptionName)
+			}
 			return symbol
 		}
 		referenceParent := referencingLocation.Parent
diff --git a/testdata/baselines/reference/compiler/commonJsModule.symbols b/testdata/baselines/reference/compiler/commonJsModule.symbols
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d638107133
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testdata/baselines/reference/compiler/commonJsModule.symbols
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+//// [tests/cases/compiler/commonJsModule.ts] ////
+
+=== shared.vars.js ===
+const foo = ['bar', 'baz'];
+>foo : Symbol(foo, Decl(shared.vars.js, 0, 5))
+
+module.exports = {
+>module.exports : Symbol(export=, Decl(shared.vars.js, 0, 27))
+>module : Symbol(module.exports)
+>exports : Symbol(export=, Decl(shared.vars.js, 0, 27))
+
+    foo,
+>foo : Symbol(foo, Decl(shared.vars.js, 2, 18))
+
+};
+
+=== index.ts ===
+import { foo } from "./shared.vars";
+>foo : Symbol(foo, Decl(index.ts, 0, 8))
+
+console.log(foo);
+>console.log : Symbol(log, Decl(lib.dom.d.ts, --, --))
+>console : Symbol(console, Decl(lib.dom.d.ts, --, --))
+>log : Symbol(log, Decl(lib.dom.d.ts, --, --))
+>foo : Symbol(foo, Decl(index.ts, 0, 8))
+
diff --git a/testdata/baselines/reference/compiler/commonJsModule.types b/testdata/baselines/reference/compiler/commonJsModule.types
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a8f1f09ca2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testdata/baselines/reference/compiler/commonJsModule.types
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+//// [tests/cases/compiler/commonJsModule.ts] ////
+
+=== shared.vars.js ===
+const foo = ['bar', 'baz'];
+>foo : string[]
+>['bar', 'baz'] : string[]
+>'bar' : "bar"
+>'baz' : "baz"
+
+module.exports = {
+>module.exports = {    foo,} : { foo: string[]; }
+>module.exports : { foo: string[]; }
+>module : { "export=": { foo: string[]; }; }
+>exports : { foo: string[]; }
+>{    foo,} : { foo: string[]; }
+
+    foo,
+>foo : string[]
+
+};
+
+=== index.ts ===
+import { foo } from "./shared.vars";
+>foo : string[]
+
+console.log(foo);
+>console.log(foo) : void
+>console.log : (...data: any[]) => void
+>console : Console
+>log : (...data: any[]) => void
+>foo : string[]
+
diff --git a/testdata/baselines/reference/submodule/compiler/jsExportMemberMergedWithModuleAugmentation.errors.txt b/testdata/baselines/reference/submodule/compiler/jsExportMemberMergedWithModuleAugmentation.errors.txt
index b210254502..e974eed6ea 100644
--- a/testdata/baselines/reference/submodule/compiler/jsExportMemberMergedWithModuleAugmentation.errors.txt
+++ b/testdata/baselines/reference/submodule/compiler/jsExportMemberMergedWithModuleAugmentation.errors.txt
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-/index.ts(1,23): error TS2497: This module can only be referenced with ECMAScript imports/exports by turning on the 'esModuleInterop' flag and referencing its default export.
 /index.ts(3,16): error TS2671: Cannot augment module './test' because it resolves to a non-module entity.
 /index.ts(11,10): error TS2749: 'Abcde' refers to a value, but is being used as a type here. Did you mean 'typeof Abcde'?
 
@@ -13,10 +12,8 @@
       Abcde
     };
     
-==== /index.ts (3 errors) ====
+==== /index.ts (2 errors) ====
     import { Abcde } from "./test";
-                          ~~~~~~~~
-!!! error TS2497: This module can only be referenced with ECMAScript imports/exports by turning on the 'esModuleInterop' flag and referencing its default export.
     
     declare module "./test" {
                    ~~~~~~~~
diff --git a/testdata/baselines/reference/submodule/compiler/jsExportMemberMergedWithModuleAugmentation2.errors.txt b/testdata/baselines/reference/submodule/compiler/jsExportMemberMergedWithModuleAugmentation2.errors.txt
index 4a8d07e7d0..b4c688f682 100644
--- a/testdata/baselines/reference/submodule/compiler/jsExportMemberMergedWithModuleAugmentation2.errors.txt
+++ b/testdata/baselines/reference/submodule/compiler/jsExportMemberMergedWithModuleAugmentation2.errors.txt
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-/index.ts(1,19): error TS2497: This module can only be referenced with ECMAScript imports/exports by turning on the 'esModuleInterop' flag and referencing its default export.
 /index.ts(3,16): error TS2671: Cannot augment module './test' because it resolves to a non-module entity.
 /index.ts(7,3): error TS2339: Property 'toFixed' does not exist on type 'string'.
 
@@ -8,10 +7,8 @@
       a: "ok"
     };
     
-==== /index.ts (3 errors) ====
+==== /index.ts (2 errors) ====
     import { a } from "./test";
-                      ~~~~~~~~
-!!! error TS2497: This module can only be referenced with ECMAScript imports/exports by turning on the 'esModuleInterop' flag and referencing its default export.
     
     declare module "./test" {
                    ~~~~~~~~
diff --git a/testdata/baselines/reference/submodule/conformance/conflictingCommonJSES2015Exports.errors.txt b/testdata/baselines/reference/submodule/conformance/conflictingCommonJSES2015Exports.errors.txt
index 57cc9ec89f..c01a40ff2f 100644
--- a/testdata/baselines/reference/submodule/conformance/conflictingCommonJSES2015Exports.errors.txt
+++ b/testdata/baselines/reference/submodule/conformance/conflictingCommonJSES2015Exports.errors.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 bug24934.js(2,1): error TS2309: An export assignment cannot be used in a module with other exported elements.
-use.js(1,21): error TS2497: This module can only be referenced with ECMAScript imports/exports by turning on the 'esModuleInterop' flag and referencing its default export.
 
 
 ==== bug24934.js (1 errors) ====
@@ -7,9 +6,7 @@ use.js(1,21): error TS2497: This module can only be referenced with ECMAScript i
     module.exports = { abc };
     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 !!! error TS2309: An export assignment cannot be used in a module with other exported elements.
-==== use.js (1 errors) ====
+==== use.js (0 errors) ====
     import { abc } from './bug24934';
-                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~
-!!! error TS2497: This module can only be referenced with ECMAScript imports/exports by turning on the 'esModuleInterop' flag and referencing its default export.
     abc(1, 2, 3);
     
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/testdata/baselines/reference/submodule/conformance/reExportJsFromTs.errors.txt b/testdata/baselines/reference/submodule/conformance/reExportJsFromTs.errors.txt
deleted file mode 100644
index 40aeeccd69..0000000000
--- a/testdata/baselines/reference/submodule/conformance/reExportJsFromTs.errors.txt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,13 +0,0 @@
-/src/constants.ts(1,30): error TS2497: This module can only be referenced with ECMAScript imports/exports by turning on the 'esModuleInterop' flag and referencing its default export.
-
-
-==== /lib/constants.js (0 errors) ====
-    module.exports = {
-      str: 'x',
-    };
-    
-==== /src/constants.ts (1 errors) ====
-    import * as tsConstants from "../lib/constants";
-                                 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-!!! error TS2497: This module can only be referenced with ECMAScript imports/exports by turning on the 'esModuleInterop' flag and referencing its default export.
-    export { tsConstants };
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/testdata/baselines/reference/submoduleAccepted/compiler/jsExportMemberMergedWithModuleAugmentation.errors.txt.diff b/testdata/baselines/reference/submoduleAccepted/compiler/jsExportMemberMergedWithModuleAugmentation.errors.txt.diff
index 4f27d9dc88..b039959a17 100644
--- a/testdata/baselines/reference/submoduleAccepted/compiler/jsExportMemberMergedWithModuleAugmentation.errors.txt.diff
+++ b/testdata/baselines/reference/submoduleAccepted/compiler/jsExportMemberMergedWithModuleAugmentation.errors.txt.diff
@@ -2,21 +2,18 @@
 +++ new.jsExportMemberMergedWithModuleAugmentation.errors.txt
 @@= skipped -0, +0 lines =@@
 -/index.ts(11,7): error TS2741: Property 'x' is missing in type '{ b: string; }' but required in type 'Abcde'.
-+/index.ts(1,23): error TS2497: This module can only be referenced with ECMAScript imports/exports by turning on the 'esModuleInterop' flag and referencing its default export.
 +/index.ts(3,16): error TS2671: Cannot augment module './test' because it resolves to a non-module entity.
 +/index.ts(11,10): error TS2749: 'Abcde' refers to a value, but is being used as a type here. Did you mean 'typeof Abcde'?
 
 
  ==== /test.js (0 errors) ====
-@@= skipped -10, +12 lines =@@
+@@= skipped -10, +11 lines =@@
        Abcde
      };
      
 -==== /index.ts (1 errors) ====
-+==== /index.ts (3 errors) ====
++==== /index.ts (2 errors) ====
      import { Abcde } from "./test";
-+                          ~~~~~~~~
-+!!! error TS2497: This module can only be referenced with ECMAScript imports/exports by turning on the 'esModuleInterop' flag and referencing its default export.
      
      declare module "./test" {
 +                   ~~~~~~~~
@@ -24,7 +21,7 @@
        interface Abcde { b: string }
      }
      
-@@= skipped -12, +16 lines =@@
+@@= skipped -12, +14 lines =@@
      // Bug: the type meaning from /test.js does not
      // propagate through the object literal export.
      const x: Abcde = { b: "" };
diff --git a/testdata/baselines/reference/submoduleAccepted/compiler/jsExportMemberMergedWithModuleAugmentation2.errors.txt.diff b/testdata/baselines/reference/submoduleAccepted/compiler/jsExportMemberMergedWithModuleAugmentation2.errors.txt.diff
index 0d0a3d51ef..a7005abc39 100644
--- a/testdata/baselines/reference/submoduleAccepted/compiler/jsExportMemberMergedWithModuleAugmentation2.errors.txt.diff
+++ b/testdata/baselines/reference/submoduleAccepted/compiler/jsExportMemberMergedWithModuleAugmentation2.errors.txt.diff
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 +++ new.jsExportMemberMergedWithModuleAugmentation2.errors.txt
 @@= skipped -0, +0 lines =@@
 -/index.ts(4,16): error TS2300: Duplicate identifier 'a'.
-+/index.ts(1,19): error TS2497: This module can only be referenced with ECMAScript imports/exports by turning on the 'esModuleInterop' flag and referencing its default export.
 +/index.ts(3,16): error TS2671: Cannot augment module './test' because it resolves to a non-module entity.
  /index.ts(7,3): error TS2339: Property 'toFixed' does not exist on type 'string'.
 -/test.js(2,3): error TS2300: Duplicate identifier 'a'.
@@ -19,11 +18,8 @@
 -!!! related TS6203 /index.ts:4:16: 'a' was also declared here.
      };
      
--==== /index.ts (2 errors) ====
-+==== /index.ts (3 errors) ====
+ ==== /index.ts (2 errors) ====
      import { a } from "./test";
-+                      ~~~~~~~~
-+!!! error TS2497: This module can only be referenced with ECMAScript imports/exports by turning on the 'esModuleInterop' flag and referencing its default export.
      
      declare module "./test" {
 +                   ~~~~~~~~
diff --git a/testdata/baselines/reference/submoduleAccepted/conformance/conflictingCommonJSES2015Exports.errors.txt.diff b/testdata/baselines/reference/submoduleAccepted/conformance/conflictingCommonJSES2015Exports.errors.txt.diff
index 2d20070de6..eccafa819c 100644
--- a/testdata/baselines/reference/submoduleAccepted/conformance/conflictingCommonJSES2015Exports.errors.txt.diff
+++ b/testdata/baselines/reference/submoduleAccepted/conformance/conflictingCommonJSES2015Exports.errors.txt.diff
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
 @@= skipped -0, +0 lines =@@
 -bug24934.js(2,1): error TS2580: Cannot find name 'module'. Do you need to install type definitions for node? Try `npm i --save-dev @types/node`.
 +bug24934.js(2,1): error TS2309: An export assignment cannot be used in a module with other exported elements.
-+use.js(1,21): error TS2497: This module can only be referenced with ECMAScript imports/exports by turning on the 'esModuleInterop' flag and referencing its default export.
 
 
  ==== bug24934.js (1 errors) ====
@@ -11,12 +10,8 @@
      module.exports = { abc };
 -    ~~~~~~
 -!!! error TS2580: Cannot find name 'module'. Do you need to install type definitions for node? Try `npm i --save-dev @types/node`.
--==== use.js (0 errors) ====
 +    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 +!!! error TS2309: An export assignment cannot be used in a module with other exported elements.
-+==== use.js (1 errors) ====
+ ==== use.js (0 errors) ====
      import { abc } from './bug24934';
-+                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~
-+!!! error TS2497: This module can only be referenced with ECMAScript imports/exports by turning on the 'esModuleInterop' flag and referencing its default export.
-     abc(1, 2, 3);
-     
\ No newline at end of file
+     abc(1, 2, 3);
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/testdata/baselines/reference/submoduleAccepted/conformance/reExportJsFromTs.errors.txt.diff b/testdata/baselines/reference/submoduleAccepted/conformance/reExportJsFromTs.errors.txt.diff
deleted file mode 100644
index 0070c9a26c..0000000000
--- a/testdata/baselines/reference/submoduleAccepted/conformance/reExportJsFromTs.errors.txt.diff
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,17 +0,0 @@
---- old.reExportJsFromTs.errors.txt
-+++ new.reExportJsFromTs.errors.txt
-@@= skipped -0, +0 lines =@@
--<no content>
-+/src/constants.ts(1,30): error TS2497: This module can only be referenced with ECMAScript imports/exports by turning on the 'esModuleInterop' flag and referencing its default export.
-+
-+
-+==== /lib/constants.js (0 errors) ====
-+    module.exports = {
-+      str: 'x',
-+    };
-+    
-+==== /src/constants.ts (1 errors) ====
-+    import * as tsConstants from "../lib/constants";
-+                                 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-+!!! error TS2497: This module can only be referenced with ECMAScript imports/exports by turning on the 'esModuleInterop' flag and referencing its default export.
-+    export { tsConstants };
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/testdata/tests/cases/compiler/commonJsModule.ts b/testdata/tests/cases/compiler/commonJsModule.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a93d343088
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testdata/tests/cases/compiler/commonJsModule.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+// @allowJs: true
+// @noEmit: true
+// @esModuleInterop: true
+// @module: commonjs
+// @Filename: shared.vars.js
+const foo = ['bar', 'baz'];
+
+module.exports = {
+    foo,
+};
+
+// @Filename: index.ts
+import { foo } from "./shared.vars";
+
+console.log(foo);
\ No newline at end of file