diff --git a/packages/cli/src/api/compile.ts b/packages/cli/src/api/compile.ts
index de37bfde0..a4babd72d 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/api/compile.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/api/compile.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import * as t from "@babel/types"
-import generate from "@babel/generator"
+import generate, { GeneratorOptions } from "@babel/generator"
 import { parse } from "messageformat-parser"
 import * as R from "ramda"
 
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ export type CreateCompileCatalogOptions = {
   strict?: boolean
   namespace?: CompiledCatalogNamespace
   pseudoLocale?: string
-  compilerBabelOptions?: Record<string, unknown>
+  compilerBabelOptions?: GeneratorOptions
 }
 
 export function createCompiledCatalog(
diff --git a/packages/conf/index.d.ts b/packages/conf/index.d.ts
index 02606c5cd..0b49e5112 100644
--- a/packages/conf/index.d.ts
+++ b/packages/conf/index.d.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import type { GeneratorOptions } from "@babel/core";
+
 export declare type CatalogFormat = "lingui" | "minimal" | "po" | "csv" | "po-gettext";
 export type CatalogFormatOptions = {
     origins?: boolean;
@@ -24,7 +26,7 @@ export declare type LinguiConfig = {
     catalogs: CatalogConfig[];
     compileNamespace: string;
     extractBabelOptions: Record<string, unknown>;
-    compilerBabelOptions: Record<string, unknown>;
+    compilerBabelOptions: GeneratorOptions;
     fallbackLocales: FallbackLocales;
     format: CatalogFormat;
     prevFormat: CatalogFormat;
@@ -52,7 +54,7 @@ export declare const configValidation: {
             plugins: string[];
             presets: string[];
         };
-        compilerBabelOptions: Record<string, unknown>;
+        compilerBabelOptions: GeneratorOptions;
         catalogs: CatalogConfig[];
         compileNamespace: string;
         fallbackLocales: FallbackLocales;
diff --git a/packages/conf/src/__snapshots__/index.test.ts.snap b/packages/conf/src/__snapshots__/index.test.ts.snap
index 08b1bd90f..56fcc5244 100644
--- a/packages/conf/src/__snapshots__/index.test.ts.snap
+++ b/packages/conf/src/__snapshots__/index.test.ts.snap
@@ -110,7 +110,12 @@ Object {
   ],
   catalogsMergePath: ,
   compileNamespace: cjs,
-  compilerBabelOptions: Object {},
+  compilerBabelOptions: Object {
+    jsescOption: Object {
+      minimal: true,
+    },
+    minified: true,
+  },
   extractBabelOptions: Object {
     plugins: Array [],
     presets: Array [],
diff --git a/packages/conf/src/index.ts b/packages/conf/src/index.ts
index 152147eab..29af12712 100644
--- a/packages/conf/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/conf/src/index.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import type { GeneratorOptions } from "@babel/core"
 import path from "path"
 import fs from "fs"
 import chalk from "chalk"
@@ -34,7 +35,7 @@ export type LinguiConfig = {
   catalogs: CatalogConfig[]
   compileNamespace: string
   extractBabelOptions: Record<string, unknown>
-  compilerBabelOptions: Record<string, unknown>
+  compilerBabelOptions: GeneratorOptions
   fallbackLocales?: FallbackLocales
   format: CatalogFormat
   formatOptions: CatalogFormatOptions
@@ -66,7 +67,12 @@ export const defaultConfig: LinguiConfig = {
   ],
   catalogsMergePath: "",
   compileNamespace: "cjs",
-  compilerBabelOptions: {},
+  compilerBabelOptions: {
+    minified: true,
+    jsescOption: {
+      minimal: true,
+    }
+  },
   extractBabelOptions: { plugins: [], presets: [] },
   fallbackLocales: {},
   format: "po",
@@ -266,7 +272,7 @@ export function replaceRootDir(
     } else if (typeof value === "string") {
       return replace(value)
     } else if (Array.isArray(value)) {
-      return value.map((item) => replaceDeep(item, rootDir)) as any
+      return (value as any).map((item) => replaceDeep(item, rootDir))
     } else if (typeof value === "object") {
       Object.keys(value).forEach((key) => {
         const newKey = replaceDeep(key, rootDir)