diff --git a/packages/core/src/render3/util/view_traversal_utils.ts b/packages/core/src/render3/util/view_traversal_utils.ts
index 64bf2ba85d2..b52e34de4e7 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/render3/util/view_traversal_utils.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/render3/util/view_traversal_utils.ts
@@ -74,5 +74,5 @@ function getNearestLContainer(viewOrContainer: LContainer|LView|null) {
   while (viewOrContainer !== null && !isLContainer(viewOrContainer)) {
     viewOrContainer = viewOrContainer[NEXT];
   }
-  return viewOrContainer;
+  return viewOrContainer as LContainer | null;
 }