diff --git a/goldens/public-api/common/http/http.d.ts b/goldens/public-api/common/http/http.d.ts
index 5dfb3aeee715..1cfffc08be85 100644
--- a/goldens/public-api/common/http/http.d.ts
+++ b/goldens/public-api/common/http/http.d.ts
@@ -1725,7 +1725,7 @@ export declare interface HttpUserEvent<T> {
 }
 
 export declare class HttpXhrBackend implements HttpBackend {
-    constructor(xhrFactory: XhrFactory);
+    constructor(xhrFactory: XhrFactory, jsonParser: JsonParser);
     handle(req: HttpRequest<any>): Observable<HttpEvent<any>>;
 }
 
@@ -1733,6 +1733,12 @@ export declare abstract class HttpXsrfTokenExtractor {
     abstract getToken(): string | null;
 }
 
+export declare const JSON_PARSER: InjectionToken<JsonParser>;
+
+export interface JsonParser {
+    parse(text: string, reviver?: (key: any, value: any) => any): any;
+}
+
 export declare class JsonpClientBackend implements HttpBackend {
     constructor(callbackMap: ɵangular_packages_common_http_http_b, document: any);
     handle(req: HttpRequest<never>): Observable<HttpEvent<any>>;
diff --git a/packages/common/http/public_api.ts b/packages/common/http/public_api.ts
index 8a434169d7bd..2bcf779a3d97 100644
--- a/packages/common/http/public_api.ts
+++ b/packages/common/http/public_api.ts
@@ -15,5 +15,5 @@ export {HttpClientJsonpModule, HttpClientModule, HttpClientXsrfModule, HttpInter
 export {HttpParameterCodec, HttpParams, HttpParamsOptions, HttpUrlEncodingCodec} from './src/params';
 export {HttpRequest} from './src/request';
 export {HttpDownloadProgressEvent, HttpErrorResponse, HttpEvent, HttpEventType, HttpHeaderResponse, HttpProgressEvent, HttpResponse, HttpResponseBase, HttpSentEvent, HttpUploadProgressEvent, HttpUserEvent} from './src/response';
-export {HttpXhrBackend, XhrFactory} from './src/xhr';
+export {HttpXhrBackend, JSON_PARSER, JsonParser, XhrFactory} from './src/xhr';
 export {HttpXsrfTokenExtractor} from './src/xsrf';
diff --git a/packages/common/http/src/module.ts b/packages/common/http/src/module.ts
index def8022515ec..fde90351cb0c 100644
--- a/packages/common/http/src/module.ts
+++ b/packages/common/http/src/module.ts
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ import {HTTP_INTERCEPTORS, HttpInterceptor, HttpInterceptorHandler, NoopIntercep
 import {JsonpCallbackContext, JsonpClientBackend, JsonpInterceptor} from './jsonp';
 import {HttpRequest} from './request';
 import {HttpEvent} from './response';
-import {BrowserXhr, HttpXhrBackend, XhrFactory} from './xhr';
+import {BrowserXhr, HttpXhrBackend, JSON_PARSER, JsonParser, XhrFactory} from './xhr';
 import {HttpXsrfCookieExtractor, HttpXsrfInterceptor, HttpXsrfTokenExtractor, XSRF_COOKIE_NAME, XSRF_HEADER_NAME} from './xsrf';
 
 /**
@@ -131,6 +131,10 @@ export class HttpClientXsrfModule {
   }
 }
 
+export function _JSON(): JsonParser {
+  return JSON;
+}
+
 /**
  * Configures the [dependency injector](guide/glossary#injector) for `HttpClient`
  * with supporting services for XSRF. Automatically imported by `HttpClientModule`.
@@ -161,6 +165,7 @@ export class HttpClientXsrfModule {
     {provide: HttpBackend, useExisting: HttpXhrBackend},
     BrowserXhr,
     {provide: XhrFactory, useExisting: BrowserXhr},
+    {provide: JSON_PARSER, useFactory: _JSON, deps: []},
   ],
 })
 export class HttpClientModule {
diff --git a/packages/common/http/src/xhr.ts b/packages/common/http/src/xhr.ts
index 2618e8417ab1..ca81d69a6f01 100644
--- a/packages/common/http/src/xhr.ts
+++ b/packages/common/http/src/xhr.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
  * found in the LICENSE file at https://angular.io/license
  */
 
-import {Injectable} from '@angular/core';
+import {Inject, Injectable, InjectionToken} from '@angular/core';
 import {Observable, Observer} from 'rxjs';
 
 import {HttpBackend} from './backend';
@@ -16,6 +16,13 @@ import {HttpDownloadProgressEvent, HttpErrorResponse, HttpEvent, HttpEventType,
 
 const XSSI_PREFIX = /^\)\]\}',?\n/;
 
+/**
+ * Utility for parsing JSON text to JavaScript object
+ */
+export interface JsonParser { parse(text: string, reviver?: (key: any, value: any) => any): any; }
+
+export const JSON_PARSER = new InjectionToken<JsonParser>('JsonParser');
+
 /**
  * Determine an appropriate URL for the response, by checking either
  * XMLHttpRequest.responseURL or the X-Request-URL header.
@@ -70,7 +77,8 @@ interface PartialResponse {
  */
 @Injectable()
 export class HttpXhrBackend implements HttpBackend {
-  constructor(private xhrFactory: XhrFactory) {}
+  constructor(private xhrFactory: XhrFactory, @Inject(JSON_PARSER) private jsonParser: JsonParser) {
+  }
 
   /**
    * Processes a request and returns a stream of response events.
@@ -192,7 +200,7 @@ export class HttpXhrBackend implements HttpBackend {
           body = body.replace(XSSI_PREFIX, '');
           try {
             // Attempt the parse. If it fails, a parse error should be delivered to the user.
-            body = body !== '' ? JSON.parse(body) : null;
+            body = body !== '' ? this.jsonParser.parse(body) : null;
           } catch (error) {
             // Since the JSON.parse failed, it's reasonable to assume this might not have been a
             // JSON response. Restore the original body (including any XSSI prefix) to deliver
diff --git a/packages/common/http/test/xhr_spec.ts b/packages/common/http/test/xhr_spec.ts
index ae37b9e5d47d..74d3f0afff91 100644
--- a/packages/common/http/test/xhr_spec.ts
+++ b/packages/common/http/test/xhr_spec.ts
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 
 import {HttpRequest} from '@angular/common/http/src/request';
 import {HttpDownloadProgressEvent, HttpErrorResponse, HttpEvent, HttpEventType, HttpHeaderResponse, HttpResponse, HttpResponseBase, HttpUploadProgressEvent} from '@angular/common/http/src/response';
-import {HttpXhrBackend} from '@angular/common/http/src/xhr';
+import {HttpXhrBackend, JsonParser} from '@angular/common/http/src/xhr';
 import {ddescribe, describe, fit, it} from '@angular/core/testing/src/testing_internal';
 import {Observable} from 'rxjs';
 import {toArray} from 'rxjs/operators';
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ const XSSI_PREFIX = ')]}\'\n';
     let backend: HttpXhrBackend = null!;
     beforeEach(() => {
       factory = new MockXhrFactory();
-      backend = new HttpXhrBackend(factory);
+      backend = new HttpXhrBackend(factory, JSON);
     });
     it('emits status immediately', () => {
       const events = trackEvents(backend.handle(TEST_POST));
@@ -94,6 +94,19 @@ const XSSI_PREFIX = ')]}\'\n';
       const res = events[1] as HttpResponse<{data: string}>;
       expect(res.body!.data).toBe('some data');
     });
+    it('supports custom json parser', () => {
+      const parser: JsonParser = {
+        parse() {
+          return 'JSON_RESULT';
+        }
+      };
+      backend = new HttpXhrBackend(factory, parser);
+      const events = trackEvents(backend.handle(TEST_POST.clone({responseType: 'json'})));
+      factory.mock.mockFlush(200, 'OK', JSON.stringify({data: 'NOT USED'}));
+      expect(events.length).toBe(2);
+      const res = events[1] as HttpResponse<string>;
+      expect(res.body).toBe('JSON_RESULT');
+    });
     it('handles a blank json response', () => {
       const events = trackEvents(backend.handle(TEST_POST.clone({responseType: 'json'})));
       factory.mock.mockFlush(200, 'OK', '');