diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 4a99aaf2237fd..27b14739d8b10 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ matrix:
 branches:
   only:
   - master
+  - release-2.5
 
 install:
   - npm uninstall typescript --no-save
diff --git a/src/compiler/checker.ts b/src/compiler/checker.ts
index 15fd97ca5ba8d..89e718e48cc59 100644
--- a/src/compiler/checker.ts
+++ b/src/compiler/checker.ts
@@ -791,12 +791,17 @@ namespace ts {
             // 2. inside a function
             // 3. inside an instance property initializer, a reference to a non-instance property
             // 4. inside a static property initializer, a reference to a static method in the same class
+            // 5. inside a TS export= declaration (since we will move the export statement during emit to avoid TDZ)
             // or if usage is in a type context:
             // 1. inside a type query (typeof in type position)
-            if (usage.parent.kind === SyntaxKind.ExportSpecifier) {
+            if (usage.parent.kind === SyntaxKind.ExportSpecifier || (usage.parent.kind === SyntaxKind.ExportAssignment && (usage.parent as ExportAssignment).isExportEquals)) {
                 // export specifiers do not use the variable, they only make it available for use
                 return true;
             }
+            // When resolving symbols for exports, the `usage` location passed in can be the export site directly
+            if (usage.kind === SyntaxKind.ExportAssignment && (usage as ExportAssignment).isExportEquals) {
+                return true;
+            }
 
             const container = getEnclosingBlockScopeContainer(declaration);
             return isInTypeQuery(usage) || isUsedInFunctionOrInstanceProperty(usage, declaration, container);
diff --git a/tests/baselines/reference/exportAssignmentOfGenericType1.errors.txt b/tests/baselines/reference/exportAssignmentOfGenericType1.errors.txt
deleted file mode 100644
index e484d4096bb78..0000000000000
--- a/tests/baselines/reference/exportAssignmentOfGenericType1.errors.txt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,17 +0,0 @@
-tests/cases/compiler/exportAssignmentOfGenericType1_0.ts(1,10): error TS2449: Class 'T' used before its declaration.
-
-
-==== tests/cases/compiler/exportAssignmentOfGenericType1_1.ts (0 errors) ====
-    ///<reference path='exportAssignmentOfGenericType1_0.ts'/>
-    import q = require("exportAssignmentOfGenericType1_0");
-    
-    class M extends q<string> { }
-    var m: M;
-    var r: string = m.foo;
-    
-==== tests/cases/compiler/exportAssignmentOfGenericType1_0.ts (1 errors) ====
-    export = T;
-             ~
-!!! error TS2449: Class 'T' used before its declaration.
-    class T<X> { foo: X; }
-    
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/baselines/reference/exportImport.errors.txt b/tests/baselines/reference/exportImport.errors.txt
deleted file mode 100644
index 4f397d54a557d..0000000000000
--- a/tests/baselines/reference/exportImport.errors.txt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,21 +0,0 @@
-tests/cases/compiler/w1.ts(1,1): error TS2449: Class 'Widget1' used before its declaration.
-tests/cases/compiler/w1.ts(1,10): error TS2449: Class 'Widget1' used before its declaration.
-
-
-==== tests/cases/compiler/consumer.ts (0 errors) ====
-    import e = require('./exporter');
-    
-    export function w(): e.w { // Should be OK
-        return new e.w();
-    }
-==== tests/cases/compiler/w1.ts (2 errors) ====
-    export = Widget1
-    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-!!! error TS2449: Class 'Widget1' used before its declaration.
-             ~~~~~~~
-!!! error TS2449: Class 'Widget1' used before its declaration.
-    class Widget1 { name = 'one'; }
-    
-==== tests/cases/compiler/exporter.ts (0 errors) ====
-    export import w = require('./w1');
-    
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/baselines/reference/privacyCheckExternalModuleExportAssignmentOfGenericClass.errors.txt b/tests/baselines/reference/privacyCheckExternalModuleExportAssignmentOfGenericClass.errors.txt
deleted file mode 100644
index 2945950068a42..0000000000000
--- a/tests/baselines/reference/privacyCheckExternalModuleExportAssignmentOfGenericClass.errors.txt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,20 +0,0 @@
-tests/cases/compiler/privacyCheckExternalModuleExportAssignmentOfGenericClass_0.ts(1,1): error TS2449: Class 'Foo' used before its declaration.
-tests/cases/compiler/privacyCheckExternalModuleExportAssignmentOfGenericClass_0.ts(1,10): error TS2449: Class 'Foo' used before its declaration.
-
-
-==== tests/cases/compiler/privacyCheckExternalModuleExportAssignmentOfGenericClass_1.ts (0 errors) ====
-    import Foo = require("./privacyCheckExternalModuleExportAssignmentOfGenericClass_0");
-    export = Bar;
-    interface Bar {
-        foo: Foo<number>;
-    }
-==== tests/cases/compiler/privacyCheckExternalModuleExportAssignmentOfGenericClass_0.ts (2 errors) ====
-    export = Foo;
-    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-!!! error TS2449: Class 'Foo' used before its declaration.
-             ~~~
-!!! error TS2449: Class 'Foo' used before its declaration.
-    class Foo<A> {
-        constructor(public a: A) { }
-    }
-    
\ No newline at end of file