diff --git a/src/cdk/drag-drop/directives/drag.spec.ts b/src/cdk/drag-drop/directives/drag.spec.ts
index b3248a464f06..9a085349d50f 100644
--- a/src/cdk/drag-drop/directives/drag.spec.ts
+++ b/src/cdk/drag-drop/directives/drag.spec.ts
@@ -475,6 +475,27 @@ describe('CdkDrag', () => {
 
     it('should be able to set an alternate drag root element', fakeAsync(() => {
       const fixture = createComponent(DraggableWithAlternateRoot);
+      fixture.componentInstance.rootElementSelector = '.alternate-root';
+      fixture.detectChanges();
+
+      const dragRoot = fixture.componentInstance.dragRoot.nativeElement;
+      const dragElement = fixture.componentInstance.dragElement.nativeElement;
+
+      expect(dragRoot.style.transform).toBeFalsy();
+      expect(dragElement.style.transform).toBeFalsy();
+
+      dragElementViaMouse(fixture, dragRoot, 50, 100);
+
+      expect(dragRoot.style.transform).toBe('translate3d(50px, 100px, 0px)');
+      expect(dragElement.style.transform).toBeFalsy();
+    }));
+
+    it('should handle the root element selector changing after init', fakeAsync(() => {
+      const fixture = createComponent(DraggableWithAlternateRoot);
+      fixture.detectChanges();
+      tick();
+
+      fixture.componentInstance.rootElementSelector = '.alternate-root';
       fixture.detectChanges();
 
       const dragRoot = fixture.componentInstance.dragRoot.nativeElement;
@@ -2999,7 +3020,7 @@ class ConnectedDropZonesViaGroupDirective extends ConnectedDropZones {
     <div #dragRoot class="alternate-root" style="width: 200px; height: 200px; background: hotpink">
       <div
         cdkDrag
-        cdkDragRootElement=".alternate-root"
+        [cdkDragRootElement]="rootElementSelector"
         #dragElement
         style="width: 100px; height: 100px; background: red;"></div>
     </div>
@@ -3009,6 +3030,7 @@ class DraggableWithAlternateRoot {
   @ViewChild('dragElement') dragElement: ElementRef<HTMLElement>;
   @ViewChild('dragRoot') dragRoot: ElementRef<HTMLElement>;
   @ViewChild(CdkDrag) dragInstance: CdkDrag;
+  rootElementSelector: string;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/cdk/drag-drop/directives/drag.ts b/src/cdk/drag-drop/directives/drag.ts
index b857318c78aa..bfbaf292e065 100644
--- a/src/cdk/drag-drop/directives/drag.ts
+++ b/src/cdk/drag-drop/directives/drag.ts
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ import {
   QueryList,
   SkipSelf,
   ViewContainerRef,
+  OnChanges,
+  SimpleChanges,
 } from '@angular/core';
 import {coerceBooleanProperty} from '@angular/cdk/coercion';
 import {Observable, Subscription, Observer} from 'rxjs';
@@ -70,7 +72,7 @@ export function CDK_DRAG_CONFIG_FACTORY(): DragRefConfig {
   },
   providers: [{provide: CDK_DRAG_PARENT, useExisting: CdkDrag}]
 })
-export class CdkDrag<T = any> implements AfterViewInit, OnDestroy {
+export class CdkDrag<T = any> implements AfterViewInit, OnChanges, OnDestroy {
   /** Subscription to the stream that initializes the root element. */
   private _rootElementInitSubscription = Subscription.EMPTY;
 
@@ -214,14 +216,7 @@ export class CdkDrag<T = any> implements AfterViewInit, OnDestroy {
     this._rootElementInitSubscription = this._ngZone.onStable.asObservable()
       .pipe(take(1))
       .subscribe(() => {
-        const rootElement = this._getRootElement();
-
-        if (rootElement.nodeType !== this._document.ELEMENT_NODE) {
-          throw Error(`cdkDrag must be attached to an element node. ` +
-                      `Currently attached to "${rootElement.nodeName}".`);
-        }
-
-        this._dragRef.withRootElement(rootElement);
+        this._updateRootElement();
         this._handles.changes
           .pipe(startWith(this._handles))
           .subscribe((handleList: QueryList<CdkDragHandle>) => {
@@ -230,18 +225,33 @@ export class CdkDrag<T = any> implements AfterViewInit, OnDestroy {
       });
   }
 
+  ngOnChanges(changes: SimpleChanges) {
+    const rootSelectorChange = changes.rootElementSelector;
+
+    // We don't have to react to the first change since it's being
+    // handled in `ngAfterViewInit` where it needs to be deferred.
+    if (rootSelectorChange && !rootSelectorChange.firstChange) {
+      this._updateRootElement();
+    }
+  }
+
   ngOnDestroy() {
     this._rootElementInitSubscription.unsubscribe();
     this._dragRef.dispose();
   }
 
-  /** Gets the root draggable element, based on the `rootElementSelector`. */
-  private _getRootElement(): HTMLElement {
+  /** Syncs the root element with the `DragRef`. */
+  private _updateRootElement() {
     const element = this.element.nativeElement;
     const rootElement = this.rootElementSelector ?
-        getClosestMatchingAncestor(element, this.rootElementSelector) : null;
+        getClosestMatchingAncestor(element, this.rootElementSelector) : element;
+
+    if (rootElement && rootElement.nodeType !== this._document.ELEMENT_NODE) {
+      throw Error(`cdkDrag must be attached to an element node. ` +
+                  `Currently attached to "${rootElement.nodeName}".`);
+    }
 
-    return rootElement || element;
+    this._dragRef.withRootElement(rootElement || element);
   }
 
   /** Gets the boundary element, based on the `boundaryElementSelector`. */
diff --git a/tools/public_api_guard/cdk/drag-drop.d.ts b/tools/public_api_guard/cdk/drag-drop.d.ts
index 6dc3498ec12f..53ab39df9819 100644
--- a/tools/public_api_guard/cdk/drag-drop.d.ts
+++ b/tools/public_api_guard/cdk/drag-drop.d.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ export declare const CDK_DROP_LIST: InjectionToken<CdkDropListContainer<any>>;
 
 export declare const CDK_DROP_LIST_CONTAINER: InjectionToken<CdkDropListContainer<any>>;
 
-export declare class CdkDrag<T = any> implements AfterViewInit, OnDestroy {
+export declare class CdkDrag<T = any> implements AfterViewInit, OnChanges, OnDestroy {
     _dragRef: DragRef<CdkDrag<T>>;
     _handles: QueryList<CdkDragHandle>;
     _placeholderTemplate: CdkDragPlaceholder;
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ export declare class CdkDrag<T = any> implements AfterViewInit, OnDestroy {
     getPlaceholderElement(): HTMLElement;
     getRootElement(): HTMLElement;
     ngAfterViewInit(): void;
+    ngOnChanges(changes: SimpleChanges): void;
     ngOnDestroy(): void;
     reset(): void;
 }