diff --git a/compiler/cli/cli-common/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/cli/common/arguments/CommonCompilerArguments.kt b/compiler/cli/cli-common/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/cli/common/arguments/CommonCompilerArguments.kt
index 90c915098b4..95a81d8cee4 100644
--- a/compiler/cli/cli-common/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/cli/common/arguments/CommonCompilerArguments.kt
+++ b/compiler/cli/cli-common/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/cli/common/arguments/CommonCompilerArguments.kt
@@ -210,6 +210,7 @@ abstract class CommonCompilerArguments : CommonToolArguments() {
 
             if (newInference) {
                 put(LanguageFeature.NewInference, LanguageFeature.State.ENABLED)
+                put(LanguageFeature.SamConversionForKotlinFunctions, LanguageFeature.State.ENABLED)
             }
 
             if (legacySmartCastAfterTry) {
@@ -247,13 +248,22 @@ abstract class CommonCompilerArguments : CommonToolArguments() {
     private fun HashMap<LanguageFeature, LanguageFeature.State>.configureLanguageFeaturesFromInternalArgs(collector: MessageCollector) {
         val featuresThatForcePreReleaseBinaries = mutableListOf<LanguageFeature>()
 
+        var samConversionsExplicitlyPassed = false
         for ((feature, state) in internalArguments.filterIsInstance<ManualLanguageFeatureSetting>()) {
+            if (feature == LanguageFeature.SamConversionForKotlinFunctions) {
+                samConversionsExplicitlyPassed = true
+            }
+
             put(feature, state)
             if (state == LanguageFeature.State.ENABLED && feature.forcesPreReleaseBinariesIfEnabled()) {
                 featuresThatForcePreReleaseBinaries += feature
             }
         }
 
+        if (!samConversionsExplicitlyPassed && this[LanguageFeature.NewInference] == LanguageFeature.State.ENABLED) {
+            put(LanguageFeature.SamConversionForKotlinFunctions, LanguageFeature.State.ENABLED)
+        }
+
         if (featuresThatForcePreReleaseBinaries.isNotEmpty()) {
             collector.report(
                 CompilerMessageSeverity.STRONG_WARNING,
diff --git a/compiler/testData/cli/jvm/explicitlyDisableSamConversionsWithOldFlag.args b/compiler/testData/cli/jvm/explicitlyDisableSamConversionsWithOldFlag.args
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e6bebb65ac8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/compiler/testData/cli/jvm/explicitlyDisableSamConversionsWithOldFlag.args
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+$TESTDATA_DIR$/newInferenceImpliesSamConversions.kt
+-d
+$TEMP_DIR$
+-Xnew-inference
+-XXLanguage\:-SamConversionForKotlinFunctions
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/compiler/testData/cli/jvm/explicitlyDisableSamConversionsWithOldFlag.out b/compiler/testData/cli/jvm/explicitlyDisableSamConversionsWithOldFlag.out
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..49e7526b6f2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/compiler/testData/cli/jvm/explicitlyDisableSamConversionsWithOldFlag.out
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+warning: ATTENTION!
+This build uses unsafe internal compiler arguments:
+
+-XXLanguage:-SamConversionForKotlinFunctions
+
+This mode is not recommended for production use,
+as no stability/compatibility guarantees are given on
+compiler or generated code. Use it at your own risk!
+
+compiler/testData/cli/jvm/newInferenceImpliesSamConversions.kt:4:9: error: type mismatch: inferred type is () -> TypeVariable(_L) but Runnable was expected
+    foo { }
+        ^
+COMPILATION_ERROR
diff --git a/compiler/testData/cli/jvm/explicitlyDisabledSamConversions.args b/compiler/testData/cli/jvm/explicitlyDisabledSamConversions.args
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..247291cbc00
--- /dev/null
+++ b/compiler/testData/cli/jvm/explicitlyDisabledSamConversions.args
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+$TESTDATA_DIR$/newInferenceImpliesSamConversions.kt
+-d
+$TEMP_DIR$
+-XXLanguage\:+NewInference
+-XXLanguage\:-SamConversionForKotlinFunctions
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/compiler/testData/cli/jvm/explicitlyDisabledSamConversions.out b/compiler/testData/cli/jvm/explicitlyDisabledSamConversions.out
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..16570a77068
--- /dev/null
+++ b/compiler/testData/cli/jvm/explicitlyDisabledSamConversions.out
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+warning: ATTENTION!
+This build uses unsafe internal compiler arguments:
+
+-XXLanguage:+NewInference
+-XXLanguage:-SamConversionForKotlinFunctions
+
+This mode is not recommended for production use,
+as no stability/compatibility guarantees are given on
+compiler or generated code. Use it at your own risk!
+
+compiler/testData/cli/jvm/newInferenceImpliesSamConversions.kt:4:9: error: type mismatch: inferred type is () -> TypeVariable(_L) but Runnable was expected
+    foo { }
+        ^
+COMPILATION_ERROR
diff --git a/compiler/testData/cli/jvm/newInferenceImpliesSamConversions.args b/compiler/testData/cli/jvm/newInferenceImpliesSamConversions.args
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..1bfbf9ba61f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/compiler/testData/cli/jvm/newInferenceImpliesSamConversions.args
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+$TESTDATA_DIR$/newInferenceImpliesSamConversions.kt
+-d
+$TEMP_DIR$
+-XXLanguage\:+NewInference
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/compiler/testData/cli/jvm/newInferenceImpliesSamConversions.kt b/compiler/testData/cli/jvm/newInferenceImpliesSamConversions.kt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..d06a14e83ad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/compiler/testData/cli/jvm/newInferenceImpliesSamConversions.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+fun foo(r: Runnable) {}
+
+fun test() {
+    foo { }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/compiler/testData/cli/jvm/newInferenceImpliesSamConversions.out b/compiler/testData/cli/jvm/newInferenceImpliesSamConversions.out
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..ab51f06e1c5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/compiler/testData/cli/jvm/newInferenceImpliesSamConversions.out
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+warning: ATTENTION!
+This build uses unsafe internal compiler arguments:
+
+-XXLanguage:+NewInference
+
+This mode is not recommended for production use,
+as no stability/compatibility guarantees are given on
+compiler or generated code. Use it at your own risk!
+
+compiler/testData/cli/jvm/newInferenceImpliesSamConversions.kt:1:9: warning: parameter 'r' is never used
+fun foo(r: Runnable) {}
+        ^
+OK
diff --git a/compiler/testData/cli/jvm/newInferenceWithOldFlagImpliesSamConversions.args b/compiler/testData/cli/jvm/newInferenceWithOldFlagImpliesSamConversions.args
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..996624d1a53
--- /dev/null
+++ b/compiler/testData/cli/jvm/newInferenceWithOldFlagImpliesSamConversions.args
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+$TESTDATA_DIR$/newInferenceImpliesSamConversions.kt
+-d
+$TEMP_DIR$
+-Xnew-inference
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/compiler/testData/cli/jvm/newInferenceWithOldFlagImpliesSamConversions.out b/compiler/testData/cli/jvm/newInferenceWithOldFlagImpliesSamConversions.out
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..45e1b102f14
--- /dev/null
+++ b/compiler/testData/cli/jvm/newInferenceWithOldFlagImpliesSamConversions.out
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+compiler/testData/cli/jvm/newInferenceImpliesSamConversions.kt:1:9: warning: parameter 'r' is never used
+fun foo(r: Runnable) {}
+        ^
+OK
diff --git a/compiler/tests/org/jetbrains/kotlin/cli/CliTestGenerated.java b/compiler/tests/org/jetbrains/kotlin/cli/CliTestGenerated.java
index b042da313df..bc1e2cd9fc5 100644
--- a/compiler/tests/org/jetbrains/kotlin/cli/CliTestGenerated.java
+++ b/compiler/tests/org/jetbrains/kotlin/cli/CliTestGenerated.java
@@ -206,6 +206,16 @@ public class CliTestGenerated extends AbstractCliTest {
             runTest("compiler/testData/cli/jvm/experimentalUnresolved.args");
         }
 
+        @TestMetadata("explicitlyDisableSamConversionsWithOldFlag.args")
+        public void testExplicitlyDisableSamConversionsWithOldFlag() throws Exception {
+            runTest("compiler/testData/cli/jvm/explicitlyDisableSamConversionsWithOldFlag.args");
+        }
+
+        @TestMetadata("explicitlyDisabledSamConversions.args")
+        public void testExplicitlyDisabledSamConversions() throws Exception {
+            runTest("compiler/testData/cli/jvm/explicitlyDisabledSamConversions.args");
+        }
+
         @TestMetadata("extraArgumentPassedInObsoleteForm.args")
         public void testExtraArgumentPassedInObsoleteForm() throws Exception {
             runTest("compiler/testData/cli/jvm/extraArgumentPassedInObsoleteForm.args");
@@ -416,6 +426,16 @@ public class CliTestGenerated extends AbstractCliTest {
             runTest("compiler/testData/cli/jvm/multipleTextRangesInDiagnosticsOrder.args");
         }
 
+        @TestMetadata("newInferenceImpliesSamConversions.args")
+        public void testNewInferenceImpliesSamConversions() throws Exception {
+            runTest("compiler/testData/cli/jvm/newInferenceImpliesSamConversions.args");
+        }
+
+        @TestMetadata("newInferenceWithOldFlagImpliesSamConversions.args")
+        public void testNewInferenceWithOldFlagImpliesSamConversions() throws Exception {
+            runTest("compiler/testData/cli/jvm/newInferenceWithOldFlagImpliesSamConversions.args");
+        }
+
         @TestMetadata("noReflect.args")
         public void testNoReflect() throws Exception {
             runTest("compiler/testData/cli/jvm/noReflect.args");