diff --git a/src/lib/core/overlay/overlay-ref.ts b/src/lib/core/overlay/overlay-ref.ts
index 4ebaa2d2745e..22d18db624c3 100644
--- a/src/lib/core/overlay/overlay-ref.ts
+++ b/src/lib/core/overlay/overlay-ref.ts
@@ -92,7 +92,9 @@ export class OverlayRef implements PortalHost {
 
     // Add class to fade-in the backdrop after one frame.
     requestAnimationFrame(() => {
-      this._backdropElement.classList.add('md-overlay-backdrop-showing');
+      if (this._backdropElement) {
+        this._backdropElement.classList.add('md-overlay-backdrop-showing');
+      }
     });
   }
 
@@ -101,10 +103,11 @@ export class OverlayRef implements PortalHost {
     let backdropToDetach = this._backdropElement;
 
     if (backdropToDetach) {
-      backdropToDetach.classList.remove('md-overlay-backdrop-showing');
-      backdropToDetach.classList.remove(this._state.backdropClass);
-      backdropToDetach.addEventListener('transitionend', () => {
-        backdropToDetach.parentNode.removeChild(backdropToDetach);
+      let finishDetach = () => {
+        // It may not be attached to anything in certain cases (e.g. unit tests).
+        if (backdropToDetach && backdropToDetach.parentNode) {
+          backdropToDetach.parentNode.removeChild(backdropToDetach);
+        }
 
         // It is possible that a new portal has been attached to this overlay since we started
         // removing the backdrop. If that is the case, only clear the backdrop reference if it
@@ -112,7 +115,16 @@ export class OverlayRef implements PortalHost {
         if (this._backdropElement == backdropToDetach) {
           this._backdropElement = null;
         }
-      });
+      };
+
+      backdropToDetach.classList.remove('md-overlay-backdrop-showing');
+      backdropToDetach.classList.remove(this._state.backdropClass);
+      backdropToDetach.addEventListener('transitionend', finishDetach);
+
+      // If the backdrop doesn't have a transition, the `transitionend` event won't fire.
+      // In this case we make it unclickable and we try to remove it after a delay.
+      backdropToDetach.style.pointerEvents = 'none';
+      setTimeout(finishDetach, 500);
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/lib/core/overlay/overlay.spec.ts b/src/lib/core/overlay/overlay.spec.ts
index b0b63402c4d5..05c0dc39d2b6 100644
--- a/src/lib/core/overlay/overlay.spec.ts
+++ b/src/lib/core/overlay/overlay.spec.ts
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ describe('Overlay', () => {
       overlayRef.attach(componentPortal);
 
       viewContainerFixture.detectChanges();
-      let backdrop = <HTMLElement> overlayContainerElement.querySelector('.md-overlay-backdrop');
+      let backdrop = overlayContainerElement.querySelector('.md-overlay-backdrop') as HTMLElement;
       expect(backdrop).toBeTruthy();
       expect(backdrop.classList).not.toContain('md-overlay-backdrop-showing');
 
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ describe('Overlay', () => {
       overlayRef.attach(componentPortal);
       viewContainerFixture.detectChanges();
 
-      let backdrop = <HTMLElement> overlayContainerElement.querySelector('.md-overlay-backdrop');
+      let backdrop = overlayContainerElement.querySelector('.md-overlay-backdrop') as HTMLElement;
       expect(backdrop.classList).toContain('md-overlay-dark-backdrop');
     });
 
@@ -199,10 +199,24 @@ describe('Overlay', () => {
       overlayRef.attach(componentPortal);
       viewContainerFixture.detectChanges();
 
-      let backdrop = <HTMLElement> overlayContainerElement.querySelector('.md-overlay-backdrop');
+      let backdrop = overlayContainerElement.querySelector('.md-overlay-backdrop') as HTMLElement;
       expect(backdrop.classList).toContain('md-overlay-transparent-backdrop');
     });
 
+    it('should disable the pointer events of a backdrop that is being removed', () => {
+      let overlayRef = overlay.create(config);
+      overlayRef.attach(componentPortal);
+
+      viewContainerFixture.detectChanges();
+      let backdrop = overlayContainerElement.querySelector('.md-overlay-backdrop') as HTMLElement;
+
+      expect(backdrop.style.pointerEvents).toBeFalsy();
+
+      overlayRef.detach();
+
+      expect(backdrop.style.pointerEvents).toBe('none');
+    });
+
   });
 });
 
diff --git a/src/lib/dialog/dialog.spec.ts b/src/lib/dialog/dialog.spec.ts
index d5d32f5d1994..26b5b7855fd6 100644
--- a/src/lib/dialog/dialog.spec.ts
+++ b/src/lib/dialog/dialog.spec.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import {
   flushMicrotasks,
   ComponentFixture,
   TestBed,
+  tick,
 } from '@angular/core/testing';
 import {By} from '@angular/platform-browser';
 import {NgModule, Component, Directive, ViewChild, ViewContainerRef} from '@angular/core';
@@ -207,6 +208,7 @@ describe('MdDialog', () => {
           .not.toBe('dialog-trigger', 'Expected the focus to change when dialog was opened.');
 
       dialogRef.close();
+      tick(500);
       viewContainerFixture.detectChanges();
       flushMicrotasks();