diff --git a/tslang/lib/TypeScript/MLIRGenAccessCall.cpp b/tslang/lib/TypeScript/MLIRGenAccessCall.cpp
index 32cd64219..308a8e149 100644
--- a/tslang/lib/TypeScript/MLIRGenAccessCall.cpp
+++ b/tslang/lib/TypeScript/MLIRGenAccessCall.cpp
@@ -1892,6 +1892,11 @@ namespace mlirgen
             return 3;
         }
 
+        // an optional parameter (`count: int = 0`) takes what it holds as well as that: scored as
+        // optional<si32>, an int fitted only by conversion, and `new Array<int>(10)` went to
+        // `(...args: T[])` declared after `(count: int)`
+        paramType = mth.stripOptionalType(paramType);
+
         auto literalType = dyn_cast<mlir_ts::LiteralType>(argType);
         auto baseType = literalType ? literalType.getElementType() : argType;
         // `number` is a C `double`, as f64 is
diff --git a/tslang/test/tester/tests/00class_constructor_overloads.ts b/tslang/test/tester/tests/00class_constructor_overloads.ts
index 5630689c0..83d3d914d 100644
--- a/tslang/test/tester/tests/00class_constructor_overloads.ts
+++ b/tslang/test/tester/tests/00class_constructor_overloads.ts
@@ -39,7 +39,27 @@ class B {
     }
 }
 
+// an optional parameter fits as the type it holds: `(count: int = 0)` takes an int as well as the
+// rest parameter's elements do, and declared first it wins (it was scored as optional<int>, by
+// conversion, and `new C<int>(10)` went to `(...args: T[])`)
+class C<T> {
+    n = 0;
+
+    constructor(count: int = 0) {
+        this.n = count;
+    }
+
+    constructor(...args: T[]) {
+        this.n = -args.length;
+    }
+}
+
 function main() {
+    const c1 = new C<int>(10);
+    const c3 = new C<int>(1, 2, 3);
+    assert(c1.n == 10);
+    assert(c3.n == -3);
+
     const a0 = new A<int>();
     const a1 = new A<int>(10);
     const a2 = new A<int>([1, 2]);