diff --git a/src/services/shims.ts b/src/services/shims.ts
index e0f7cc6dc7694..a233f99d03fd6 100644
--- a/src/services/shims.ts
+++ b/src/services/shims.ts
@@ -231,6 +231,7 @@ namespace ts {
         isValidBraceCompletionAtPosition(fileName: string, position: number, openingBrace: number): string;
 
         getEmitOutput(fileName: string): string;
+        getEmitOutputObject(fileName: string): EmitOutput;
     }
 
     export interface ClassifierShim extends Shim {
@@ -518,9 +519,13 @@ namespace ts {
     }
 
     function forwardJSONCall(logger: Logger, actionDescription: string, action: () => any, logPerformance: boolean): string {
+        return <string>forwardCall(logger, actionDescription, /*returnJson*/ true, action, logPerformance);
+    }
+
+    function forwardCall<T>(logger: Logger, actionDescription: string, returnJson: boolean, action: () => T, logPerformance: boolean): T | string {
         try {
             const result = simpleForwardCall(logger, actionDescription, action, logPerformance);
-            return JSON.stringify({ result });
+            return returnJson ? JSON.stringify({ result }) : result;
         }
         catch (err) {
             if (err instanceof OperationCanceledException) {
@@ -532,6 +537,7 @@ namespace ts {
         }
     }
 
+
     class ShimBase implements Shim {
         constructor(private factory: ShimFactory) {
             factory.registerShim(this);
@@ -918,6 +924,15 @@ namespace ts {
                 () => this.languageService.getEmitOutput(fileName)
             );
         }
+
+        public getEmitOutputObject(fileName: string): any {
+            return forwardCall(
+                this.logger,
+                `getEmitOutput('${fileName}')`,
+                /*returnJson*/ false,
+                () => this.languageService.getEmitOutput(fileName),
+                this.logPerformance);
+        }
     }
 
     function convertClassifications(classifications: Classifications): { spans: string, endOfLineState: EndOfLineState } {