diff --git a/src/compiler/checker.ts b/src/compiler/checker.ts
index 2ae303af37a95..66d2ce14828c8 100644
--- a/src/compiler/checker.ts
+++ b/src/compiler/checker.ts
@@ -10605,6 +10605,13 @@ namespace ts {
         }
 
         function checkStringLiteralExpression(node: StringLiteral): Type {
+            const parentKind = node.parent.kind;
+            if (parentKind === SyntaxKind.VariableDeclaration || parentKind === SyntaxKind.BindingElement) {
+                if (getCombinedNodeFlags(node.parent) & NodeFlags.Const) {
+                    return getStringLiteralTypeForText(node.text);
+                }
+            }
+
             const contextualType = getContextualType(node);
             if (contextualType && contextualTypeIsStringLiteralType(contextualType)) {
                 return getStringLiteralTypeForText(node.text);
diff --git a/src/services/services.ts b/src/services/services.ts
index 7c98e650a16c9..75e02a8e6de11 100644
--- a/src/services/services.ts
+++ b/src/services/services.ts
@@ -1581,6 +1581,36 @@ namespace ts {
         export const letElement = "let";
     }
 
+    export type ScriptElementKind = typeof ScriptElementKind.alias
+                                  | typeof ScriptElementKind.callSignatureElement
+                                  | typeof ScriptElementKind.classElement
+                                  | typeof ScriptElementKind.constElement
+                                  | typeof ScriptElementKind.constructorImplementationElement
+                                  | typeof ScriptElementKind.constructSignatureElement
+                                  | typeof ScriptElementKind.enumElement
+                                  | typeof ScriptElementKind.functionElement
+                                  | typeof ScriptElementKind.indexSignatureElement
+                                  | typeof ScriptElementKind.interfaceElement
+                                  | typeof ScriptElementKind.keyword
+                                  | typeof ScriptElementKind.label
+                                  | typeof ScriptElementKind.letElement
+                                  | typeof ScriptElementKind.localClassElement
+                                  | typeof ScriptElementKind.localFunctionElement
+                                  | typeof ScriptElementKind.localVariableElement
+                                  | typeof ScriptElementKind.memberFunctionElement
+                                  | typeof ScriptElementKind.memberGetAccessorElement
+                                  | typeof ScriptElementKind.memberSetAccessorElement
+                                  | typeof ScriptElementKind.memberVariableElement
+                                  | typeof ScriptElementKind.moduleElement
+                                  | typeof ScriptElementKind.parameterElement
+                                  | typeof ScriptElementKind.primitiveType
+                                  | typeof ScriptElementKind.scriptElement
+                                  | typeof ScriptElementKind.typeElement
+                                  | typeof ScriptElementKind.typeParameterElement
+                                  | typeof ScriptElementKind.unknown
+                                  | typeof ScriptElementKind.variableElement
+                                  | typeof ScriptElementKind.warning;
+
     export module ScriptElementKindModifier {
         export const none = "";
         export const publicMemberModifier = "public";
@@ -3967,7 +3997,7 @@ namespace ts {
         }
 
         // TODO(drosen): use contextual SemanticMeaning.
-        function getSymbolKind(symbol: Symbol, location: Node): string {
+        function getSymbolKind(symbol: Symbol, location: Node): ScriptElementKind {
             let flags = symbol.getFlags();
 
             if (flags & SymbolFlags.Class) return getDeclarationOfKind(symbol, SyntaxKind.ClassExpression) ?
@@ -3988,7 +4018,7 @@ namespace ts {
             return result;
         }
 
-        function getSymbolKindOfConstructorPropertyMethodAccessorFunctionOrVar(symbol: Symbol, flags: SymbolFlags, location: Node) {
+        function getSymbolKindOfConstructorPropertyMethodAccessorFunctionOrVar(symbol: Symbol, flags: SymbolFlags, location: Node): ScriptElementKind {
             let typeChecker = program.getTypeChecker();
 
             if (typeChecker.isUndefinedSymbol(symbol)) {
diff --git a/tests/baselines/reference/constDeclarations-es5.types b/tests/baselines/reference/constDeclarations-es5.types
index a897c3f9cd0f1..db15974391824 100644
--- a/tests/baselines/reference/constDeclarations-es5.types
+++ b/tests/baselines/reference/constDeclarations-es5.types
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ const z9 = 0, z10 :string = "", z11 = null;
 >z9 : number
 >0 : number
 >z10 : string
->"" : string
+>"" : ""
 >z11 : any
 >null : null
 
diff --git a/tests/baselines/reference/constDeclarations-scopes2.types b/tests/baselines/reference/constDeclarations-scopes2.types
index a6bbdee7612ac..56813956af7d6 100644
--- a/tests/baselines/reference/constDeclarations-scopes2.types
+++ b/tests/baselines/reference/constDeclarations-scopes2.types
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@
 
 // global
 const c = "string";
->c : string
->"string" : string
+>c : "string"
+>"string" : "string"
 
 var n: number;
 >n : number
diff --git a/tests/baselines/reference/constDeclarations.types b/tests/baselines/reference/constDeclarations.types
index efdc534ef1ca0..e93699fe5fb10 100644
--- a/tests/baselines/reference/constDeclarations.types
+++ b/tests/baselines/reference/constDeclarations.types
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ const c3 = 0, c4 :string = "", c5 = null;
 >c3 : number
 >0 : number
 >c4 : string
->"" : string
+>"" : ""
 >c5 : any
 >null : null
 
diff --git a/tests/baselines/reference/constDeclarations2.types b/tests/baselines/reference/constDeclarations2.types
index f8184b8f8e033..572db987d107a 100644
--- a/tests/baselines/reference/constDeclarations2.types
+++ b/tests/baselines/reference/constDeclarations2.types
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ module M {
 >c3 : number
 >0 : number
 >c4 : string
->"" : string
+>"" : ""
 >c5 : any
 >null : null
 }
diff --git a/tests/baselines/reference/downlevelLetConst13.types b/tests/baselines/reference/downlevelLetConst13.types
index 0453d3a6ad376..fa6a99c4d2335 100644
--- a/tests/baselines/reference/downlevelLetConst13.types
+++ b/tests/baselines/reference/downlevelLetConst13.types
@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@ export let foo = 10;
 >10 : number
 
 export const bar = "123"
->bar : string
->"123" : string
+>bar : "123"
+>"123" : "123"
 
 export let [bar1] = [1];
 >bar1 : number
diff --git a/tests/baselines/reference/downlevelLetConst15.types b/tests/baselines/reference/downlevelLetConst15.types
index 72b29e3fe6680..e6c76a404afe0 100644
--- a/tests/baselines/reference/downlevelLetConst15.types
+++ b/tests/baselines/reference/downlevelLetConst15.types
@@ -108,8 +108,8 @@ var y = true;
 >true : boolean
 {
     const y = "";
->y : string
->"" : string
+>y : ""
+>"" : ""
 
     const [z6] = [true]
 >z6 : boolean
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ var y = true;
     use(y);
 >use(y) : any
 >use : (a: any) => any
->y : string
+>y : ""
 
     use(z6);
 >use(z6) : any
@@ -166,8 +166,8 @@ var z5 = 1;
 >1 : number
 {
     const z = "";
->z : string
->"" : string
+>z : ""
+>"" : ""
 
     const [z5] = [5];
 >z5 : number
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ var z5 = 1;
     use(z);
 >use(z) : any
 >use : (a: any) => any
->z : string
+>z : ""
 }
 use(y);
 >use(y) : any
diff --git a/tests/baselines/reference/es6ModuleConst.types b/tests/baselines/reference/es6ModuleConst.types
index 99b9f7c298046..b83e39e61ad1f 100644
--- a/tests/baselines/reference/es6ModuleConst.types
+++ b/tests/baselines/reference/es6ModuleConst.types
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 === tests/cases/compiler/es6ModuleConst.ts ===
 export const a = "hello";
->a : string
->"hello" : string
+>a : "hello"
+>"hello" : "hello"
 
 export const x: string = a, y = x;
 >x : string
->a : string
+>a : "hello"
 >y : string
 >x : string
 
@@ -23,49 +23,49 @@ export module m1 {
 >m1 : typeof m1
 
     export const k = a;
->k : string
->a : string
+>k : "hello"
+>a : "hello"
 
     export const l: string = b, m = k;
 >l : string
 >b : string
->m : string
->k : string
+>m : "hello"
+>k : "hello"
 
     const n = m1.k;
->n : string
->m1.k : string
+>n : "hello"
+>m1.k : "hello"
 >m1 : typeof m1
->k : string
+>k : "hello"
 
     const o: string = n, p = k;
 >o : string
->n : string
->p : string
->k : string
+>n : "hello"
+>p : "hello"
+>k : "hello"
 }
 module m2 {
 >m2 : typeof m2
 
     export const k = a;
->k : string
->a : string
+>k : "hello"
+>a : "hello"
 
     export const l: string = b, m = k;
 >l : string
 >b : string
->m : string
->k : string
+>m : "hello"
+>k : "hello"
 
     const n = m1.k;
->n : string
->m1.k : string
+>n : "hello"
+>m1.k : "hello"
 >m1 : typeof m1
->k : string
+>k : "hello"
 
     const o: string = n, p = k;
 >o : string
->n : string
->p : string
->k : string
+>n : "hello"
+>p : "hello"
+>k : "hello"
 }
diff --git a/tests/baselines/reference/stringLiteralValueInConstDecl01.errors.txt b/tests/baselines/reference/stringLiteralValueInConstDecl01.errors.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..c8d7d4daf5294
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/baselines/reference/stringLiteralValueInConstDecl01.errors.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+tests/cases/compiler/stringLiteralValueInConstDecl01.ts(4,1): error TS2322: Type '"bar"' is not assignable to type '"foo"'.
+
+
+==== tests/cases/compiler/stringLiteralValueInConstDecl01.ts (1 errors) ====
+    
+    const foo = "foo";
+    var bar = foo;
+    bar = "bar";
+    ~~~
+!!! error TS2322: Type '"bar"' is not assignable to type '"foo"'.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/baselines/reference/stringLiteralValueInConstDecl01.js b/tests/baselines/reference/stringLiteralValueInConstDecl01.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..5fa31f1681fb9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/baselines/reference/stringLiteralValueInConstDecl01.js
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+//// [stringLiteralValueInConstDecl01.ts]
+
+const foo = "foo";
+var bar = foo;
+bar = "bar";
+
+//// [stringLiteralValueInConstDecl01.js]
+var foo = "foo";
+var bar = foo;
+bar = "bar";
diff --git a/tests/baselines/reference/stringLiteralValueInConstDecl02.errors.txt b/tests/baselines/reference/stringLiteralValueInConstDecl02.errors.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..ec1b685a80e3f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/baselines/reference/stringLiteralValueInConstDecl02.errors.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+error TS1204: Cannot compile modules into 'es2015' when targeting 'ES5' or lower.
+tests/cases/compiler/stringLiteralValueInConstDecl02.ts(7,17): error TS2354: No best common type exists among return expressions.
+
+
+!!! error TS1204: Cannot compile modules into 'es2015' when targeting 'ES5' or lower.
+==== tests/cases/compiler/stringLiteralValueInConstDecl02.ts (1 errors) ====
+    
+    const foo = "foo";
+    const bar = "bar";
+    
+    declare function randBool(): boolean;
+    
+    export function fooOrBar1() {
+                    ~~~~~~~~~
+!!! error TS2354: No best common type exists among return expressions.
+        if (randBool()) {
+            return foo;
+        }
+        else {
+            return bar;
+        }
+    }
+    
+    export function fooOrBar2() {
+        return randBool() ? foo : bar;
+    }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/baselines/reference/stringLiteralValueInConstDecl02.js b/tests/baselines/reference/stringLiteralValueInConstDecl02.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..3397ec5f3a679
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/baselines/reference/stringLiteralValueInConstDecl02.js
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+//// [stringLiteralValueInConstDecl02.ts]
+
+const foo = "foo";
+const bar = "bar";
+
+declare function randBool(): boolean;
+
+export function fooOrBar1() {
+    if (randBool()) {
+        return foo;
+    }
+    else {
+        return bar;
+    }
+}
+
+export function fooOrBar2() {
+    return randBool() ? foo : bar;
+}
+
+//// [stringLiteralValueInConstDecl02.js]
+var foo = "foo";
+var bar = "bar";
+export function fooOrBar1() {
+    if (randBool()) {
+        return foo;
+    }
+    else {
+        return bar;
+    }
+}
+export function fooOrBar2() {
+    return randBool() ? foo : bar;
+}
diff --git a/tests/baselines/reference/stringLiteralValueInDestructuredConstDecl01.js b/tests/baselines/reference/stringLiteralValueInDestructuredConstDecl01.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..5f596ac8f2795
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/baselines/reference/stringLiteralValueInDestructuredConstDecl01.js
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+//// [stringLiteralValueInDestructuredConstDecl01.ts]
+
+const {a: {b = "foo"}} = {
+    a: {
+    }
+};
+
+var foo1: "foo" = b;
+
+
+//// [stringLiteralValueInDestructuredConstDecl01.js]
+var _a = {
+    a: {}
+}.a.b, b = _a === void 0 ? "foo" : _a;
+var foo1 = b;
diff --git a/tests/baselines/reference/stringLiteralValueInDestructuredConstDecl01.symbols b/tests/baselines/reference/stringLiteralValueInDestructuredConstDecl01.symbols
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..f1800706cd46b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/baselines/reference/stringLiteralValueInDestructuredConstDecl01.symbols
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+=== tests/cases/compiler/stringLiteralValueInDestructuredConstDecl01.ts ===
+
+const {a: {b = "foo"}} = {
+>a : Symbol(a, Decl(stringLiteralValueInDestructuredConstDecl01.ts, 1, 26))
+>b : Symbol(b, Decl(stringLiteralValueInDestructuredConstDecl01.ts, 1, 11))
+
+    a: {
+>a : Symbol(a, Decl(stringLiteralValueInDestructuredConstDecl01.ts, 1, 26))
+    }
+};
+
+var foo1: "foo" = b;
+>foo1 : Symbol(foo1, Decl(stringLiteralValueInDestructuredConstDecl01.ts, 6, 3))
+>b : Symbol(b, Decl(stringLiteralValueInDestructuredConstDecl01.ts, 1, 11))
+
diff --git a/tests/baselines/reference/stringLiteralValueInDestructuredConstDecl01.types b/tests/baselines/reference/stringLiteralValueInDestructuredConstDecl01.types
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..b65a2f8ff8fd7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/baselines/reference/stringLiteralValueInDestructuredConstDecl01.types
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+=== tests/cases/compiler/stringLiteralValueInDestructuredConstDecl01.ts ===
+
+const {a: {b = "foo"}} = {
+>a : any
+>b : "foo"
+>"foo" : "foo"
+>{    a: {    }} : { a: { b?: "foo"; }; }
+
+    a: {
+>a : { b?: "foo"; }
+>{    } : { b?: "foo"; }
+    }
+};
+
+var foo1: "foo" = b;
+>foo1 : "foo"
+>b : "foo"
+
diff --git a/tests/baselines/reference/stringLiteralValueInDestructuredConstDecl02.errors.txt b/tests/baselines/reference/stringLiteralValueInDestructuredConstDecl02.errors.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..c1f00fa74e687
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/baselines/reference/stringLiteralValueInDestructuredConstDecl02.errors.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+tests/cases/compiler/stringLiteralValueInDestructuredConstDecl02.ts(8,5): error TS2322: Type 'string' is not assignable to type '"foo"'.
+
+
+==== tests/cases/compiler/stringLiteralValueInDestructuredConstDecl02.ts (1 errors) ====
+    
+    const {x: {y}} = {
+        x: {
+            y: "foo"
+        } 
+    };
+    
+    var foo2: "foo" = y;
+        ~~~~
+!!! error TS2322: Type 'string' is not assignable to type '"foo"'.
+    
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/baselines/reference/stringLiteralValueInDestructuredConstDecl02.js b/tests/baselines/reference/stringLiteralValueInDestructuredConstDecl02.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..5690db21b2dc6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/baselines/reference/stringLiteralValueInDestructuredConstDecl02.js
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+//// [stringLiteralValueInDestructuredConstDecl02.ts]
+
+const {x: {y}} = {
+    x: {
+        y: "foo"
+    } 
+};
+
+var foo2: "foo" = y;
+
+
+//// [stringLiteralValueInDestructuredConstDecl02.js]
+var y = {
+    x: {
+        y: "foo"
+    }
+}.x.y;
+var foo2 = y;
diff --git a/tests/cases/compiler/stringLiteralValueInConstDecl01.ts b/tests/cases/compiler/stringLiteralValueInConstDecl01.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..4d99ac64acbc8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/cases/compiler/stringLiteralValueInConstDecl01.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+// @noImplicitAny: true
+
+const foo = "foo";
+var bar = foo;
+bar = "bar";
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/cases/compiler/stringLiteralValueInConstDecl02.ts b/tests/cases/compiler/stringLiteralValueInConstDecl02.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..8d74d251c9fae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/cases/compiler/stringLiteralValueInConstDecl02.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+// @noImplicitAny: true
+// @module: es2015
+
+const foo = "foo";
+const bar = "bar";
+
+declare function randBool(): boolean;
+
+export function fooOrBar1() {
+    if (randBool()) {
+        return foo;
+    }
+    else {
+        return bar;
+    }
+}
+
+export function fooOrBar2() {
+    return randBool() ? foo : bar;
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/cases/compiler/stringLiteralValueInDestructuredConstDecl01.ts b/tests/cases/compiler/stringLiteralValueInDestructuredConstDecl01.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..022966356480f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/cases/compiler/stringLiteralValueInDestructuredConstDecl01.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+// @noImplicitAny: true
+
+const {a: {b = "foo"}} = {
+    a: {
+    }
+};
+
+var foo1: "foo" = b;
diff --git a/tests/cases/compiler/stringLiteralValueInDestructuredConstDecl02.ts b/tests/cases/compiler/stringLiteralValueInDestructuredConstDecl02.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..31c02ec7e795f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/cases/compiler/stringLiteralValueInDestructuredConstDecl02.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+// @noImplicitAny: true
+
+const {x: {y}} = {
+    x: {
+        y: "foo"
+    } 
+};
+
+var foo2: "foo" = y;
diff --git a/tests/cases/fourslash/completionEntryForConst.ts b/tests/cases/fourslash/completionEntryForConst.ts
index 42de1c20b523e..3e49648f3a3e9 100644
--- a/tests/cases/fourslash/completionEntryForConst.ts
+++ b/tests/cases/fourslash/completionEntryForConst.ts
@@ -4,4 +4,4 @@
 /////**/
 
 goTo.marker();
-verify.completionListContains("c", "const c: string", /*documentation*/ undefined, "const");
\ No newline at end of file
+verify.completionListContains("c", 'const c: "s"', /*documentation*/ undefined, "const");
\ No newline at end of file