diff --git a/src/rules/noInferredEmptyObjectTypeRule.ts b/src/rules/noInferredEmptyObjectTypeRule.ts
index d0b21dc98ce..3c6dbb4166d 100644
--- a/src/rules/noInferredEmptyObjectTypeRule.ts
+++ b/src/rules/noInferredEmptyObjectTypeRule.ts
@@ -30,8 +30,9 @@ export class Rule extends Lint.Rules.TypedRule {
         options: null,
         optionExamples: [true],
         rationale: Lint.Utils.dedent`
-            When function or constructor may be called with a type parameter but one isn't supplied or inferrable,
-            TypeScript defaults to \`{}\`.
+            Prior to TypeScript 3.4, generic type parameters for functions and constructors are inferred as
+            \`{}\` (the empty object type) by default when no type parameter is explicitly supplied or when
+            the compiler cannot infer a more specific type.
             This is often undesirable as the call is meant to be of a more specific type.
         `,
         type: "functionality",
diff --git a/test/rules/no-inferred-empty-object-type/test.ts.lint b/test/rules/no-inferred-empty-object-type/test.ts.lint
index 120b965fbda..7da81a88a97 100644
--- a/test/rules/no-inferred-empty-object-type/test.ts.lint
+++ b/test/rules/no-inferred-empty-object-type/test.ts.lint
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+[typescript]: <=3.4.x
 let s: string;
 let n: number;
 let o: Object;