Incorrect union type inference for conjunction with strictNullChecks disabled

TypeScript Version: 3.4.5

Search Terms: union type inference conjunction strictNullChecks

Code

function fn(x: number) {
  return x && 'a'
}

Expected behavior:
Return type of fn should be 0 | 'a'

Actual behavior:
Return type of fn is '' | 'a' if strictNullChecks is disabled

This is causing me an issue with this specific bit of code, where I'm checking window so my code runs both on the browser and on the client:

function fn(x: number): OrientationType | undefined {
  return window && (window.outerWidth > window.outerHeight ? 'landscape-primary' : 'portrait-primary')
}

I can replace the conjunction with a conditional expression, and I know that if strictNullChecks is disabled I should have a fallback for the return value but I'm posting here for the sake of trying to understand if this is working as intended. It also feels weird that my example compiles with strictNullChecks enabled but doesn't compile when it's disabled.

Playground Link: https://www.typescriptlang.org/play/#src=function%20fn(x%3A%20number)%3A%20OrientationType%20%7C%20undefined%20%7B%0D%0A%20%20return%20window%20%26%26%20(window.outerWidth%20%3E%20window.outerHeight%20%3F%20'landscape-primary'%20%3A%20'portrait-primary')%0D%0A%7D

Related Issues:

Beginne damit, die Beispiele im verknüpften TypeScript Playground mit deaktiviertem und aktiviertem strictNullChecks zu reproduzieren. Verfolge, wie der Typprüfer den Konjunktionsausdruck in fn(x: number) ableitet. Als erledigt gilt die Aufgabe, wenn die deaktivierte Einstellung den erwarteten Rückgabetyp 0 | 'a' erzeugt, ohne die aktivierte Einstellung oder das window-Beispiel zu beeinträchtigen.