diff --git a/src/material-experimental/mdc-progress-bar/progress-bar.scss b/src/material-experimental/mdc-progress-bar/progress-bar.scss
index cc147d464f91..ba79e7866de4 100644
--- a/src/material-experimental/mdc-progress-bar/progress-bar.scss
+++ b/src/material-experimental/mdc-progress-bar/progress-bar.scss
@@ -7,6 +7,14 @@
   // Explicitly set to `block` since the browser defaults custom elements to `inline`.
   display: block;
 
+  &._mat-animation-noopable {
+    .mdc-linear-progress__primary-bar {
+      // There's a `transitionend` event that depends on this element. Add a very short
+      // transition when animations are disabled so that the event can still fire.
+      transition: transform 1ms;
+    }
+  }
+
   &:not(._mat-animation-noopable) {
     @include mdc-linear-progress-core-styles($query: animation);
   }
diff --git a/src/material-experimental/mdc-progress-bar/progress-bar.spec.ts b/src/material-experimental/mdc-progress-bar/progress-bar.spec.ts
index 5c934d8ccf3e..f406da0bc8c1 100644
--- a/src/material-experimental/mdc-progress-bar/progress-bar.spec.ts
+++ b/src/material-experimental/mdc-progress-bar/progress-bar.spec.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,7 @@
-import {TestBed, async, ComponentFixture} from '@angular/core/testing';
+import {TestBed, ComponentFixture} from '@angular/core/testing';
 import {Component, DebugElement, Type} from '@angular/core';
 import {By} from '@angular/platform-browser';
 import {dispatchFakeEvent} from '@angular/cdk/testing/private';
-import {NoopAnimationsModule} from '@angular/platform-browser/animations';
 import {MatProgressBarModule} from './index';
 import {MatProgressBar} from './progress-bar';
 
@@ -213,33 +212,6 @@ describe('MDC-based MatProgressBar', () => {
     });
   });
 
-  describe('With NoopAnimations', () => {
-    let progressComponent: MatProgressBar;
-    let primaryValueBar: DebugElement;
-    let fixture: ComponentFixture<BasicProgressBar>;
-
-    beforeEach(async(() => {
-      fixture = createComponent(BasicProgressBar, [MatProgressBarModule, NoopAnimationsModule]);
-      const progressElement = fixture.debugElement.query(By.css('mat-progress-bar'))!;
-      progressComponent = progressElement.componentInstance;
-      primaryValueBar = progressElement.query(By.css('.mdc-linear-progress__primary-bar'))!;
-    }));
-
-    it('should not bind transition end listener', () => {
-      spyOn(primaryValueBar.nativeElement, 'addEventListener');
-      fixture.detectChanges();
-
-      expect(primaryValueBar.nativeElement.addEventListener).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
-    });
-
-    it('should trigger the animationEnd output on value set', () => {
-      fixture.detectChanges();
-      spyOn(progressComponent.animationEnd, 'next');
-
-      progressComponent.value = 40;
-      expect(progressComponent.animationEnd.next).toHaveBeenCalledWith({ value: 40 });
-    });
-  });
 });
 
 @Component({template: '<mat-progress-bar></mat-progress-bar>'})
diff --git a/src/material-experimental/mdc-progress-bar/progress-bar.ts b/src/material-experimental/mdc-progress-bar/progress-bar.ts
index 6bc576e39579..2de11a0eaff5 100644
--- a/src/material-experimental/mdc-progress-bar/progress-bar.ts
+++ b/src/material-experimental/mdc-progress-bar/progress-bar.ts
@@ -100,11 +100,6 @@ export class MatProgressBar extends _MatProgressBarMixinBase implements AfterVie
   set value(v: number) {
     this._value = clamp(v || 0);
     this._syncFoundation();
-
-    // When noop animation is set to true, trigger animationEnd directly.
-    if (this._isNoopAnimation) {
-      this._emitAnimationEnd();
-    }
   }
   private _value = 0;
 
@@ -162,16 +157,18 @@ export class MatProgressBar extends _MatProgressBarMixinBase implements AfterVie
     this._foundation.init();
     this._syncFoundation();
 
-    if (!this._isNoopAnimation) {
-      // Run outside angular so change detection didn't get triggered on every transition end
-      // instead only on the animation that we care about (primary value bar's transitionend)
-      this._ngZone.runOutsideAngular((() => {
-        this._animationEndSubscription =
-            (fromEvent(this._primaryBar, 'transitionend') as Observable<TransitionEvent>)
-              .pipe(filter(((e: TransitionEvent) => e.target === this._primaryBar)))
-              .subscribe(() => this._ngZone.run(() => this._emitAnimationEnd()));
-      }));
-    }
+    // Run outside angular so change detection didn't get triggered on every transition end
+    // instead only on the animation that we care about (primary value bar's transitionend)
+    this._ngZone.runOutsideAngular((() => {
+      this._animationEndSubscription =
+          (fromEvent(this._primaryBar, 'transitionend') as Observable<TransitionEvent>)
+            .pipe(filter(((e: TransitionEvent) => e.target === this._primaryBar)))
+            .subscribe(() => {
+              if (this.mode === 'determinate' || this.mode === 'buffer') {
+                this._ngZone.run(() => this.animationEnd.next({value: this.value}));
+              }
+            });
+    }));
   }
 
   ngOnDestroy() {
@@ -182,13 +179,6 @@ export class MatProgressBar extends _MatProgressBarMixinBase implements AfterVie
     this._dirChangeSubscription.unsubscribe();
   }
 
-  /** Emit an animationEnd event if in determinate or buffer mode. */
-  private _emitAnimationEnd(): void {
-    if (this.mode === 'determinate' || this.mode === 'buffer') {
-      this.animationEnd.next({value: this.value});
-    }
-  }
-
   /** Syncs the state of the progress bar with the MDC foundation. */
   private _syncFoundation() {
     const foundation = this._foundation;