diff --git a/src/coreclr/tools/Common/Compiler/CompilerTypeSystemContext.Validation.cs b/src/coreclr/tools/Common/Compiler/CompilerTypeSystemContext.Validation.cs
index 999e4b6d3c5829..ff4404eba19377 100644
--- a/src/coreclr/tools/Common/Compiler/CompilerTypeSystemContext.Validation.cs
+++ b/src/coreclr/tools/Common/Compiler/CompilerTypeSystemContext.Validation.cs
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 using System;
 using System.Collections.Generic;
 using Internal.TypeSystem;
+using Internal.TypeSystem.Ecma;
 
 using Debug = System.Diagnostics.Debug;
 
@@ -301,11 +302,20 @@ private static TypeDesc EnsureLoadableTypeUncached(TypeDesc type)
                 // Validate classes, structs, enums, interfaces, and delegates
                 Debug.Assert(type.IsDefType);
 
-                // Don't validate generic definitions
+                // Don't validate generic definitions much other than by checking for illegal recursion.
                 if (type.IsGenericDefinition)
                 {
+                    // Check for illegal recursion
+                    if (type is EcmaType ecmaType && ILCompiler.LazyGenericsSupport.CheckForECMAIllegalGenericRecursion(ecmaType))
+                    {
+                        ThrowHelper.ThrowTypeLoadException(ExceptionStringID.ClassLoadGeneral, type);
+                    }
                     return type;
                 }
+                else if (type.HasInstantiation)
+                {
+                    ((CompilerTypeSystemContext)type.Context).EnsureLoadableType(type.GetTypeDefinition());
+                }
 
                 // System.__Canon or System.__UniversalCanon
                 if (type.IsCanonicalDefinitionType(CanonicalFormKind.Any))
diff --git a/src/coreclr/tools/Common/Compiler/GenericCycleDetection/GraphBuilder.cs b/src/coreclr/tools/Common/Compiler/GenericCycleDetection/GraphBuilder.cs
index 04f7143767d9d7..dda635a8b8c271 100644
--- a/src/coreclr/tools/Common/Compiler/GenericCycleDetection/GraphBuilder.cs
+++ b/src/coreclr/tools/Common/Compiler/GenericCycleDetection/GraphBuilder.cs
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 // Licensed to the .NET Foundation under one or more agreements.
 // The .NET Foundation licenses this file to you under the MIT license.
 
+using System.Collections.Generic;
 using System.Reflection.Metadata;
 using System.Reflection.Metadata.Ecma335;
 
@@ -14,6 +15,146 @@ internal static partial class LazyGenericsSupport
     {
         private sealed partial class GraphBuilder
         {
+            // Generate the illegal recursion graph as specified in ECMA 335 II.9.2 Generics and recursive inheritance graphs
+            public GraphBuilder(EcmaType type)
+            {
+                _graph = new Graph<EcmaGenericParameter>();
+
+                if (type.HasInstantiation)
+                {
+                    HashSet<TypeDesc> types = new HashSet<TypeDesc>();
+                    List<TypeDesc> typesToProcess = new List<TypeDesc>();
+                    typesToProcess.Add(type);
+                    while (typesToProcess.Count > 0)
+                    {
+                        var processType = typesToProcess[typesToProcess.Count - 1];
+                        typesToProcess.RemoveAt(typesToProcess.Count - 1);
+
+                        if (processType.IsParameterizedType)
+                        {
+                            if (processType.GetParameterType() is InstantiatedType instantiatedType)
+                            {
+                                AddProcessType(instantiatedType.GetTypeDefinition());
+                                WalkFormals(instantiatedType, expanded: true);
+                            }
+                        }
+                        else if (processType.GetTypeDefinition() == processType)
+                        {
+                            if (processType.HasInstantiation && processType is EcmaType ecmaProcessType)
+                            {
+                                AddSpecializedType(ecmaProcessType.BaseType);
+                                foreach (var t in ecmaProcessType.ExplicitlyImplementedInterfaces)
+                                {
+                                    AddSpecializedType(t);
+                                }
+
+                                void AddSpecializedType(TypeDesc typeToSpecialize)
+                                {
+                                    if (typeToSpecialize != null)
+                                    {
+                                        var specializedType = typeToSpecialize.InstantiateSignature(processType.Instantiation, default(Instantiation));
+                                        AddProcessType(specializedType);
+                                    }
+                                }
+                            }
+                        }
+                        else if (processType is InstantiatedType instantiatedType)
+                        {
+                            AddProcessType(instantiatedType.GetTypeDefinition());
+                            WalkFormals(instantiatedType, expanded: false);
+                        }
+
+                        void WalkFormals(InstantiatedType instantiatedType, bool expanded)
+                        {
+                            for (int i = 0; i < instantiatedType.Instantiation.Length; i++)
+                            {
+                                var formal = instantiatedType.GetTypeDefinition().Instantiation[i] as GenericParameterDesc;
+                                if (instantiatedType.Instantiation[i] is GenericParameterDesc genParam)
+                                {
+                                    AddEdge(genParam, formal, expanded);
+                                }
+                                else
+                                {
+                                    foreach (var genParameter in GetGenericParameters(instantiatedType.Instantiation[i]))
+                                    {
+                                        AddEdge(genParameter, formal, true);
+                                    }
+                                }
+                            }
+                        }
+
+                        void AddProcessType(TypeDesc type)
+                        {
+                            if (type == null)
+                                return;
+
+                            if (types.Add(type))
+                            {
+                                typesToProcess.Add(type);
+                            }
+
+                            if (type is ParameterizedType paramType)
+                            {
+                                AddProcessType(paramType.GetParameterType());
+                            }
+
+                            foreach (var instType in type.Instantiation)
+                            {
+                                AddProcessType(instType);
+                            }
+                        }
+
+                        void AddEdge(GenericParameterDesc from, GenericParameterDesc to, bool flagged)
+                        {
+                            EcmaGenericParameter fromEcma = from as EcmaGenericParameter;
+                            EcmaGenericParameter toEcma = to as EcmaGenericParameter;
+                            if (fromEcma == null || toEcma == null)
+                                return;
+                            _graph.AddEdge(fromEcma, toEcma, flagged);
+                        }
+
+                        IEnumerable<GenericParameterDesc> GetGenericParameters(TypeDesc t)
+                        {
+                            if (t is GenericParameterDesc genParamDesc)
+                            {
+                                yield return genParamDesc;
+                            }
+                            else if (t is ParameterizedType paramType)
+                            {
+                                foreach (var genParamType in GetGenericParameters(paramType.GetParameterType()))
+                                {
+                                    yield return genParamType;
+                                }
+                            }
+                            else if (t.HasInstantiation)
+                            {
+                                foreach (var instType in t.Instantiation)
+                                {
+                                    foreach (var genParamType in GetGenericParameters(instType))
+                                    {
+                                        yield return genParamType;
+                                    }
+                                }
+                            }
+                            else if (t is FunctionPointerType fptrType)
+                            {
+                                foreach (var genParamType in GetGenericParameters(fptrType.Signature.ReturnType))
+                                {
+                                    yield return genParamType;
+                                }
+                                foreach (var parameterType in fptrType.Signature)
+                                {
+                                    foreach (var genParamType in GetGenericParameters(parameterType))
+                                    {
+                                        yield return genParamType;
+                                    }
+                                }
+                            }
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+
             public GraphBuilder(EcmaModule assembly)
             {
                 _graph = new Graph<EcmaGenericParameter>();
diff --git a/src/coreclr/tools/Common/Compiler/GenericCycleDetection/ModuleCycleInfo.cs b/src/coreclr/tools/Common/Compiler/GenericCycleDetection/ModuleCycleInfo.cs
index b5a81581c58a05..5d0a4f36cc1d04 100644
--- a/src/coreclr/tools/Common/Compiler/GenericCycleDetection/ModuleCycleInfo.cs
+++ b/src/coreclr/tools/Common/Compiler/GenericCycleDetection/ModuleCycleInfo.cs
@@ -72,6 +72,22 @@ protected override ModuleCycleInfo CreateValueFromKey(EcmaModule key)
             }
         }
 
+        internal static bool CheckForECMAIllegalGenericRecursion(EcmaType type)
+        {
+            GraphBuilder gb = new GraphBuilder(type);
+            Graph<EcmaGenericParameter> graph = gb.Graph;
+
+            var flaggedCycleData = graph.ComputeVerticesInvolvedInAFlaggedCycle();
+
+            foreach (var _ in flaggedCycleData)
+            {
+                // If the list isn't empty, there is an illegal generic recursion
+                return true;
+            }
+
+            return false;
+        }
+
         internal sealed class GenericCycleDetector
         {
             private readonly CycleInfoHashtable _hashtable = new CycleInfoHashtable();