diff --git a/src/cdk/portal/dom-portal-outlet.ts b/src/cdk/portal/dom-portal-outlet.ts
index 9c889f539689..78ed0f3df2d8 100644
--- a/src/cdk/portal/dom-portal-outlet.ts
+++ b/src/cdk/portal/dom-portal-outlet.ts
@@ -115,17 +115,23 @@ export class DomPortalOutlet extends BasePortalOutlet {
       throw Error('Cannot attach DOM portal without _document constructor parameter');
     }
 
+    const element = portal.element;
+    if (!element.parentNode) {
+      throw Error('DOM portal content must be attached to a parent node.');
+    }
+
     // Anchor used to save the element's previous position so
     // that we can restore it when the portal is detached.
-    let anchorNode = this._document.createComment('dom-portal');
-    let element = portal.element;
+    const anchorNode = this._document.createComment('dom-portal');
 
-    element.parentNode!.insertBefore(anchorNode, element);
+    element.parentNode.insertBefore(anchorNode, element);
     this.outletElement.appendChild(element);
 
     super.setDisposeFn(() => {
       // We can't use `replaceWith` here because IE doesn't support it.
-      anchorNode.parentNode!.replaceChild(element, anchorNode);
+      if (anchorNode.parentNode) {
+        anchorNode.parentNode.replaceChild(element, anchorNode);
+      }
     });
   }
 
diff --git a/src/cdk/portal/portal-directives.ts b/src/cdk/portal/portal-directives.ts
index b1279458321e..2a45fed54306 100644
--- a/src/cdk/portal/portal-directives.ts
+++ b/src/cdk/portal/portal-directives.ts
@@ -202,17 +202,23 @@ export class CdkPortalOutlet extends BasePortalOutlet implements OnInit, OnDestr
       throw Error('Cannot attach DOM portal without _document constructor parameter');
     }
 
+    const element = portal.element;
+    if (!element.parentNode) {
+      throw Error('DOM portal content must be attached to a parent node.');
+    }
+
     // Anchor used to save the element's previous position so
     // that we can restore it when the portal is detached.
     const anchorNode = this._document.createComment('dom-portal');
-    const element = portal.element;
 
     portal.setAttachedHost(this);
-    element.parentNode!.insertBefore(anchorNode, element);
+    element.parentNode.insertBefore(anchorNode, element);
     this._getRootNode().appendChild(element);
 
     super.setDisposeFn(() => {
-      anchorNode.parentNode!.replaceChild(element, anchorNode);
+      if (anchorNode.parentNode) {
+        anchorNode.parentNode!.replaceChild(element, anchorNode);
+      }
     });
   }
 
diff --git a/src/cdk/portal/portal.spec.ts b/src/cdk/portal/portal.spec.ts
index f094218b4e9f..c9a1db266945 100644
--- a/src/cdk/portal/portal.spec.ts
+++ b/src/cdk/portal/portal.spec.ts
@@ -107,6 +107,33 @@ describe('Portals', () => {
           .toBe(false, 'Expected content to be removed from outlet on detach.');
     });
 
+    it('should throw when trying to load an element without a parent into a DOM portal', () => {
+      const testAppComponent = fixture.componentInstance;
+      const element = document.createElement('div');
+      const domPortal = new DomPortal(element);
+
+      expect(() => {
+        testAppComponent.selectedPortal = domPortal;
+        fixture.detectChanges();
+      }).toThrowError('DOM portal content must be attached to a parent node.');
+    });
+
+    it('should not throw when restoring if the outlet element was cleared', () => {
+      const testAppComponent = fixture.componentInstance;
+      const parent = fixture.nativeElement.querySelector('.dom-portal-parent');
+      const domPortal = new DomPortal(testAppComponent.domPortalContent);
+
+      testAppComponent.selectedPortal = domPortal;
+      fixture.detectChanges();
+
+      parent.innerHTML = '';
+
+      expect(() => {
+        testAppComponent.selectedPortal = undefined;
+        fixture.detectChanges();
+      }).not.toThrow();
+    });
+
     it('should project template context bindings in the portal', () => {
       let testAppComponent = fixture.componentInstance;
       let hostContainer = fixture.nativeElement.querySelector('.portal-container');
@@ -558,6 +585,29 @@ describe('Portals', () => {
       expect(someDomElement.textContent!.trim()).toBe('');
     });
 
+    it('should throw when trying to load an element without a parent into a DOM portal', () => {
+      const fixture = TestBed.createComponent(PortalTestApp);
+      fixture.detectChanges();
+      const element = document.createElement('div');
+      const portal = new DomPortal(element);
+
+      expect(() => {
+        portal.attach(host);
+        fixture.detectChanges();
+      }).toThrowError('DOM portal content must be attached to a parent node.');
+    });
+
+    it('should not throw when restoring if the outlet element was cleared', () => {
+      const fixture = TestBed.createComponent(PortalTestApp);
+      fixture.detectChanges();
+      const portal = new DomPortal(fixture.componentInstance.domPortalContent);
+
+      portal.attach(host);
+      host.outletElement.innerHTML = '';
+
+      expect(() => host.detach()).not.toThrow();
+    });
+
   });
 });
 
@@ -618,8 +668,10 @@ class ArbitraryViewContainerRefComponent {
 
   <ng-template #templateRef let-data> {{fruit}} - {{ data?.status }}!</ng-template>
 
-  <div #domPortalContent>
-    <p class="dom-portal-inner-content">Hello there</p>
+  <div class="dom-portal-parent">
+    <div #domPortalContent>
+      <p class="dom-portal-inner-content">Hello there</p>
+    </div>
   </div>
   `,
 })