diff --git a/pkg/kernel/lib/ast.dart b/pkg/kernel/lib/ast.dart
index af89d14..47f4628 100644
--- a/pkg/kernel/lib/ast.dart
+++ b/pkg/kernel/lib/ast.dart
@@ -13378,6 +13378,11 @@
 final List<NamedType> emptyListOfNamedType =
     List.filled(0, dummyNamedType, growable: false);
 
+/// Almost const <TypeParameter>[], but not const in an attempt to avoid
+/// polymorphism. See https://dart-review.googlesource.com/c/sdk/+/185828.
+final List<TypeParameter> emptyListOfTypeParameter =
+    List.filled(0, dummyTypeParameter, growable: false);
+
 /// Non-nullable [DartType] dummy value.
 ///
 /// This is used as the removal sentinel in [RemovingTransformer] and can be
diff --git a/pkg/kernel/lib/binary/ast_from_binary.dart b/pkg/kernel/lib/binary/ast_from_binary.dart
index 4f9b333..911ea5a 100644
--- a/pkg/kernel/lib/binary/ast_from_binary.dart
+++ b/pkg/kernel/lib/binary/ast_from_binary.dart
@@ -2944,7 +2944,14 @@
   List<TypeParameter> readAndPushTypeParameterList(
       [List<TypeParameter> list, TreeNode parent]) {
     int length = readUInt30();
-    if (length == 0) return list ?? <TypeParameter>[];
+    if (length == 0) {
+      if (list != null) return list;
+      if (useGrowableLists) {
+        return <TypeParameter>[];
+      } else {
+        return emptyListOfTypeParameter;
+      }
+    }
     if (list == null) {
       list = new List<TypeParameter>.generate(
           length, (_) => new TypeParameter(null, null)..parent = parent,
diff --git a/tests/language/constants_2018/constant_type_literal_test.dart b/tests/language/constants_2018/constant_type_literal_test.dart
index 924bcab..99a26db 100644
--- a/tests/language/constants_2018/constant_type_literal_test.dart
+++ b/tests/language/constants_2018/constant_type_literal_test.dart
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 import "dart:core" as core;
 // No reloading support for deferred loading.
 // See https://github.com/dart-lang/sdk/issues/33118.
-import "dart:core" deferred as dcore show int //# 01: compile-time error
+import "dart:core" deferred as dcore show int; //# 01: compile-time error
 
 // Declares F function type alias, M mixin and C class.
 import "constant_type_literal_types.dart";
diff --git a/tools/VERSION b/tools/VERSION
index 8ef5f55..2f4288c 100644
--- a/tools/VERSION
+++ b/tools/VERSION
@@ -27,5 +27,5 @@
 MAJOR 2
 MINOR 13
 PATCH 0
-PRERELEASE 78
+PRERELEASE 79
 PRERELEASE_PATCH 0
\ No newline at end of file