diff --git a/README.markdown b/README.markdown
index a6834d21a..21a53dd14 100644
--- a/README.markdown
+++ b/README.markdown
@@ -432,7 +432,7 @@ Generated code will be placed in the Gradle build directory.
 
 - With `--ts_proto_opt=outputSchema=true`, meta typings will be generated that can later be used in other code generators.
 
-- With `--ts_proto_opt=outputTypeAnnotations=true`, each message will be given a `$type` field containing its fully-qualified name. You can use `--ts_proto_opt=outputTypeAnnotations=static-only` to omit it from the `interface` declaration.
+- With `--ts_proto_opt=outputTypeAnnotations=true`, each message will be given a `$type` field containing its fully-qualified name. You can use `--ts_proto_opt=outputTypeAnnotations=static-only` to omit it from the `interface` declaration, or `--ts_proto_opt=outputTypeAnnotations=optional` to make it an optional property on the `interface` definition. The latter option may be useful if you want to use the `$type` field for runtime type checking on responses from a server.
 
 - With `--ts_proto_opt=outputTypeRegistry=true`, the type registry will be generated that can be used to resolve message types by fully-qualified name. Also, each message will be given a `$type` field containing its fully-qualified name.
 
diff --git a/integration/optional-type-definitions/parameters.txt b/integration/optional-type-definitions/parameters.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c2e04e81c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/integration/optional-type-definitions/parameters.txt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+outputTypeAnnotations=optional
diff --git a/integration/optional-type-definitions/simple.bin b/integration/optional-type-definitions/simple.bin
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..02c48b052
Binary files /dev/null and b/integration/optional-type-definitions/simple.bin differ
diff --git a/integration/optional-type-definitions/simple.proto b/integration/optional-type-definitions/simple.proto
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3d8dbdf88
--- /dev/null
+++ b/integration/optional-type-definitions/simple.proto
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+// Adding a comment to the syntax will become the first
+// comment in the output source file.
+syntax = "proto3";
+
+package simple;
+
+// This comment is separated by a blank non-comment line, and will detach from
+// the following comment on the message Simple.
+
+/** Example comment on the Simple message */
+message Simple {
+  // Name field
+  string name = 1 [deprecated = true];
+  /** Age field */
+  int32 age = 2 [deprecated = true];
+  Child child = 3 [deprecated = true]; // This comment will also attach;
+  string test_field = 4 [deprecated = true];
+  string test_not_deprecated = 5 [deprecated = false];
+}
+
+message Child {
+  string name = 1;
+}
diff --git a/integration/optional-type-definitions/simple.ts b/integration/optional-type-definitions/simple.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9e5c489be
--- /dev/null
+++ b/integration/optional-type-definitions/simple.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,239 @@
+/* eslint-disable */
+import * as _m0 from "protobufjs/minimal";
+
+export const protobufPackage = "simple";
+
+/**
+ * Adding a comment to the syntax will become the first
+ * comment in the output source file.
+ */
+
+/** Example comment on the Simple message */
+export interface Simple {
+  $type?: "simple.Simple";
+  /**
+   * Name field
+   *
+   * @deprecated
+   */
+  name: string;
+  /**
+   * Age field
+   *
+   * @deprecated
+   */
+  age: number;
+  /**
+   * This comment will also attach;
+   *
+   * @deprecated
+   */
+  child:
+    | Child
+    | undefined;
+  /** @deprecated */
+  testField: string;
+  testNotDeprecated: string;
+}
+
+export interface Child {
+  $type?: "simple.Child";
+  name: string;
+}
+
+function createBaseSimple(): Simple {
+  return { $type: "simple.Simple", name: "", age: 0, child: undefined, testField: "", testNotDeprecated: "" };
+}
+
+export const Simple = {
+  $type: "simple.Simple" as const,
+
+  encode(message: Simple, writer: _m0.Writer = _m0.Writer.create()): _m0.Writer {
+    if (message.name !== "") {
+      writer.uint32(10).string(message.name);
+    }
+    if (message.age !== 0) {
+      writer.uint32(16).int32(message.age);
+    }
+    if (message.child !== undefined) {
+      Child.encode(message.child, writer.uint32(26).fork()).ldelim();
+    }
+    if (message.testField !== "") {
+      writer.uint32(34).string(message.testField);
+    }
+    if (message.testNotDeprecated !== "") {
+      writer.uint32(42).string(message.testNotDeprecated);
+    }
+    return writer;
+  },
+
+  decode(input: _m0.Reader | Uint8Array, length?: number): Simple {
+    const reader = input instanceof _m0.Reader ? input : _m0.Reader.create(input);
+    let end = length === undefined ? reader.len : reader.pos + length;
+    const message = createBaseSimple();
+    while (reader.pos < end) {
+      const tag = reader.uint32();
+      switch (tag >>> 3) {
+        case 1:
+          if (tag !== 10) {
+            break;
+          }
+
+          message.name = reader.string();
+          continue;
+        case 2:
+          if (tag !== 16) {
+            break;
+          }
+
+          message.age = reader.int32();
+          continue;
+        case 3:
+          if (tag !== 26) {
+            break;
+          }
+
+          message.child = Child.decode(reader, reader.uint32());
+          continue;
+        case 4:
+          if (tag !== 34) {
+            break;
+          }
+
+          message.testField = reader.string();
+          continue;
+        case 5:
+          if (tag !== 42) {
+            break;
+          }
+
+          message.testNotDeprecated = reader.string();
+          continue;
+      }
+      if ((tag & 7) === 4 || tag === 0) {
+        break;
+      }
+      reader.skipType(tag & 7);
+    }
+    return message;
+  },
+
+  fromJSON(object: any): Simple {
+    return {
+      $type: Simple.$type,
+      name: isSet(object.name) ? globalThis.String(object.name) : "",
+      age: isSet(object.age) ? globalThis.Number(object.age) : 0,
+      child: isSet(object.child) ? Child.fromJSON(object.child) : undefined,
+      testField: isSet(object.testField) ? globalThis.String(object.testField) : "",
+      testNotDeprecated: isSet(object.testNotDeprecated) ? globalThis.String(object.testNotDeprecated) : "",
+    };
+  },
+
+  toJSON(message: Simple): unknown {
+    const obj: any = {};
+    if (message.name !== "") {
+      obj.name = message.name;
+    }
+    if (message.age !== 0) {
+      obj.age = Math.round(message.age);
+    }
+    if (message.child !== undefined) {
+      obj.child = Child.toJSON(message.child);
+    }
+    if (message.testField !== "") {
+      obj.testField = message.testField;
+    }
+    if (message.testNotDeprecated !== "") {
+      obj.testNotDeprecated = message.testNotDeprecated;
+    }
+    return obj;
+  },
+
+  create<I extends Exact<DeepPartial<Simple>, I>>(base?: I): Simple {
+    return Simple.fromPartial(base ?? ({} as any));
+  },
+  fromPartial<I extends Exact<DeepPartial<Simple>, I>>(object: I): Simple {
+    const message = createBaseSimple();
+    message.name = object.name ?? "";
+    message.age = object.age ?? 0;
+    message.child = (object.child !== undefined && object.child !== null) ? Child.fromPartial(object.child) : undefined;
+    message.testField = object.testField ?? "";
+    message.testNotDeprecated = object.testNotDeprecated ?? "";
+    return message;
+  },
+};
+
+function createBaseChild(): Child {
+  return { $type: "simple.Child", name: "" };
+}
+
+export const Child = {
+  $type: "simple.Child" as const,
+
+  encode(message: Child, writer: _m0.Writer = _m0.Writer.create()): _m0.Writer {
+    if (message.name !== "") {
+      writer.uint32(10).string(message.name);
+    }
+    return writer;
+  },
+
+  decode(input: _m0.Reader | Uint8Array, length?: number): Child {
+    const reader = input instanceof _m0.Reader ? input : _m0.Reader.create(input);
+    let end = length === undefined ? reader.len : reader.pos + length;
+    const message = createBaseChild();
+    while (reader.pos < end) {
+      const tag = reader.uint32();
+      switch (tag >>> 3) {
+        case 1:
+          if (tag !== 10) {
+            break;
+          }
+
+          message.name = reader.string();
+          continue;
+      }
+      if ((tag & 7) === 4 || tag === 0) {
+        break;
+      }
+      reader.skipType(tag & 7);
+    }
+    return message;
+  },
+
+  fromJSON(object: any): Child {
+    return { $type: Child.$type, name: isSet(object.name) ? globalThis.String(object.name) : "" };
+  },
+
+  toJSON(message: Child): unknown {
+    const obj: any = {};
+    if (message.name !== "") {
+      obj.name = message.name;
+    }
+    return obj;
+  },
+
+  create<I extends Exact<DeepPartial<Child>, I>>(base?: I): Child {
+    return Child.fromPartial(base ?? ({} as any));
+  },
+  fromPartial<I extends Exact<DeepPartial<Child>, I>>(object: I): Child {
+    const message = createBaseChild();
+    message.name = object.name ?? "";
+    return message;
+  },
+};
+
+type Builtin = Date | Function | Uint8Array | string | number | boolean | undefined;
+
+export type DeepPartial<T> = T extends Builtin ? T
+  : T extends globalThis.Array<infer U> ? globalThis.Array<DeepPartial<U>>
+  : T extends ReadonlyArray<infer U> ? ReadonlyArray<DeepPartial<U>>
+  : T extends {} ? { [K in Exclude<keyof T, "$type">]?: DeepPartial<T[K]> }
+  : Partial<T>;
+
+type KeysOfUnion<T> = T extends T ? keyof T : never;
+export type Exact<P, I extends P> = P extends Builtin ? P
+  : P & { [K in keyof P]: Exact<P[K], I[K]> } & { [K in Exclude<keyof I, KeysOfUnion<P> | "$type">]: never };
+
+function isSet(value: any): boolean {
+  return value !== null && value !== undefined;
+}
diff --git a/src/main.ts b/src/main.ts
index cd333e1f0..85cbd16f9 100644
--- a/src/main.ts
+++ b/src/main.ts
@@ -956,7 +956,7 @@ function generateInterfaceDeclaration(
   chunks.push(code`export interface ${def(fullName)} {`);
 
   if (addTypeToMessages(options)) {
-    chunks.push(code`$type: '${fullTypeName}',`);
+    chunks.push(code`$type${options.outputTypeAnnotations === "optional" ? "?" : ""}: '${fullTypeName}',`);
   }
 
   // When oneof=unions, we generate a single property with an ADT per `oneof` clause.
diff --git a/src/options.ts b/src/options.ts
index 11d849d3c..1bf426bbd 100644
--- a/src/options.ts
+++ b/src/options.ts
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ export type Options = {
   outputEncodeMethods: true | false | "encode-only" | "decode-only" | "encode-no-creation";
   outputJsonMethods: true | false | "to-only" | "from-only";
   outputPartialMethods: boolean;
-  outputTypeAnnotations: boolean | "static-only";
+  outputTypeAnnotations: boolean | "static-only" | "optional";
   outputTypeRegistry: boolean;
   stringEnums: boolean;
   constEnums: boolean;