diff --git a/src/compiler/checker.ts b/src/compiler/checker.ts
index 8f7a54089bc..67e85aed170 100644
--- a/src/compiler/checker.ts
+++ b/src/compiler/checker.ts
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ namespace ts {
         const strictNullChecks = getStrictOptionValue(compilerOptions, "strictNullChecks");
         const strictFunctionTypes = getStrictOptionValue(compilerOptions, "strictFunctionTypes");
         const strictPropertyInitialization = getStrictOptionValue(compilerOptions, "strictPropertyInitialization");
+        const strictAny = getStrictOptionValue(compilerOptions, "strictAny");
         const noImplicitAny = getStrictOptionValue(compilerOptions, "noImplicitAny");
         const noImplicitThis = getStrictOptionValue(compilerOptions, "noImplicitThis");
         const keyofStringsOnly = !!compilerOptions.keyofStringsOnly;
@@ -7464,7 +7465,8 @@ namespace ts {
             if (signature.hasRestParameter) {
                 const type = getTypeOfSymbol(lastOrUndefined(signature.parameters));
                 if (getObjectFlags(type) & ObjectFlags.Reference && (<TypeReference>type).target === globalArrayType) {
-                    return (<TypeReference>type).typeArguments[0];
+                    const t = (<TypeReference>type).typeArguments[0];
+                    return strictAny && t.flags & TypeFlags.Any ? unknownType : t;
                 }
             }
             return anyType;
@@ -10248,7 +10250,7 @@ namespace ts {
             if (s & TypeFlags.Object && t & TypeFlags.NonPrimitive) return true;
             if (s & TypeFlags.UniqueESSymbol || t & TypeFlags.UniqueESSymbol) return false;
             if (relation === assignableRelation || relation === definitelyAssignableRelation || relation === comparableRelation) {
-                if (s & TypeFlags.Any) return true;
+                if (s & TypeFlags.Any && (!strictAny || source === unknownType || t & TypeFlags.Object && isEmptyObjectType(target))) return true;
                 // Type number or any numeric literal type is assignable to any numeric enum type or any
                 // numeric enum literal type. This rule exists for backwards compatibility reasons because
                 // bit-flag enum types sometimes look like literal enum types with numeric literal values.
@@ -19935,7 +19937,7 @@ namespace ts {
             if (!(isTypeComparableTo(leftType, stringType) || isTypeAssignableToKind(leftType, TypeFlags.NumberLike | TypeFlags.ESSymbolLike))) {
                 error(left, Diagnostics.The_left_hand_side_of_an_in_expression_must_be_of_type_any_string_number_or_symbol);
             }
-            if (!isTypeAssignableToKind(rightType, TypeFlags.NonPrimitive | TypeFlags.InstantiableNonPrimitive)) {
+            if (!(rightType.flags & TypeFlags.Any || isTypeAssignableToKind(rightType, TypeFlags.NonPrimitive | TypeFlags.InstantiableNonPrimitive))) {
                 error(right, Diagnostics.The_right_hand_side_of_an_in_expression_must_be_of_type_any_an_object_type_or_a_type_parameter);
             }
             return booleanType;
@@ -23410,7 +23412,7 @@ namespace ts {
 
             // unknownType is returned i.e. if node.expression is identifier whose name cannot be resolved
             // in this case error about missing name is already reported - do not report extra one
-            if (rightType === neverType || !isTypeAssignableToKind(rightType, TypeFlags.NonPrimitive | TypeFlags.InstantiableNonPrimitive)) {
+            if (rightType === neverType || !(rightType.flags & TypeFlags.Any || isTypeAssignableToKind(rightType, TypeFlags.NonPrimitive | TypeFlags.InstantiableNonPrimitive))) {
                 error(node.expression, Diagnostics.The_right_hand_side_of_a_for_in_statement_must_be_of_type_any_an_object_type_or_a_type_parameter_but_here_has_type_0, typeToString(rightType));
             }
 
diff --git a/src/compiler/commandLineParser.ts b/src/compiler/commandLineParser.ts
index 8b963409ab6..cf55d3414d0 100644
--- a/src/compiler/commandLineParser.ts
+++ b/src/compiler/commandLineParser.ts
@@ -290,6 +290,13 @@ namespace ts {
             category: Diagnostics.Strict_Type_Checking_Options,
             description: Diagnostics.Raise_error_on_expressions_and_declarations_with_an_implied_any_type,
         },
+        {
+            name: "strictAny",
+            type: "boolean",
+            showInSimplifiedHelpView: true,
+            category: Diagnostics.Strict_Type_Checking_Options,
+            description: Diagnostics.Enable_strict_checking_of_any_type
+        },
         {
             name: "strictNullChecks",
             type: "boolean",
diff --git a/src/compiler/core.ts b/src/compiler/core.ts
index 4dd0fd0358a..e809b99630a 100644
--- a/src/compiler/core.ts
+++ b/src/compiler/core.ts
@@ -2008,7 +2008,7 @@ namespace ts {
         return !!(compilerOptions.declaration || compilerOptions.composite);
     }
 
-    export type StrictOptionName = "noImplicitAny" | "noImplicitThis" | "strictNullChecks" | "strictFunctionTypes" | "strictPropertyInitialization" | "alwaysStrict";
+    export type StrictOptionName = "noImplicitAny" | "noImplicitThis" | "strictNullChecks" | "strictFunctionTypes" | "strictPropertyInitialization" | "alwaysStrict" | "strictAny";
 
     export function getStrictOptionValue(compilerOptions: CompilerOptions, flag: StrictOptionName): boolean {
         return compilerOptions[flag] === undefined ? compilerOptions.strict : compilerOptions[flag];
diff --git a/src/compiler/diagnosticMessages.json b/src/compiler/diagnosticMessages.json
index 761e89ae645..1a997e118f9 100644
--- a/src/compiler/diagnosticMessages.json
+++ b/src/compiler/diagnosticMessages.json
@@ -3561,6 +3561,10 @@
         "code": 6199,
         "reportsUnnecessary": true
     },
+    "Enable strict checking of 'any' type.": {
+        "category": "Message",
+        "code": 6200
+    },
 
     "Projects to reference": {
         "category": "Message",
diff --git a/src/compiler/types.ts b/src/compiler/types.ts
index 19e526ba056..6875c06f604 100644
--- a/src/compiler/types.ts
+++ b/src/compiler/types.ts
@@ -4341,6 +4341,7 @@ namespace ts {
         sourceMap?: boolean;
         sourceRoot?: string;
         strict?: boolean;
+        strictAny?: boolean;  // Always combine with strict property
         strictFunctionTypes?: boolean;  // Always combine with strict property
         strictNullChecks?: boolean;  // Always combine with strict property
         strictPropertyInitialization?: boolean;  // Always combine with strict property