diff --git a/src/demo-app/dialog/dialog-demo.ts b/src/demo-app/dialog/dialog-demo.ts
index f0e5875d17bb..e3bd57ef0c87 100644
--- a/src/demo-app/dialog/dialog-demo.ts
+++ b/src/demo-app/dialog/dialog-demo.ts
@@ -72,7 +72,11 @@ export class DialogDemo {
   selector: 'demo-jazz-dialog',
   template: `
   <p>It's Jazz!</p>
-  <p><label>How much? <input #howMuch></label></p>
+
+  <md-input-container>
+    <input mdInput placeholder="How much?" #howMuch>
+  </md-input-container>
+
   <p> {{ data.message }} </p>
   <button type="button" (click)="dialogRef.close(howMuch.value)">Close dialog</button>
   <button (click)="togglePosition()">Change dimensions</button>`
diff --git a/src/lib/core/a11y/focus-trap.ts b/src/lib/core/a11y/focus-trap.ts
index 1d853ae21ed1..2906e7fc362c 100644
--- a/src/lib/core/a11y/focus-trap.ts
+++ b/src/lib/core/a11y/focus-trap.ts
@@ -81,24 +81,28 @@ export class FocusTrap {
     });
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Waits for the zone to stabilize, then either focuses the first element that the
+   * user specified, or the first tabbable element..
+   */
   focusInitialElementWhenReady() {
-    this._ngZone.onMicrotaskEmpty.first().subscribe(() => this.focusInitialElement());
+    this._executeOnStable(() => this.focusInitialElement());
   }
 
   /**
-   * Waits for microtask queue to empty, then focuses
+   * Waits for the zone to stabilize, then focuses
    * the first tabbable element within the focus trap region.
    */
   focusFirstTabbableElementWhenReady() {
-    this._ngZone.onMicrotaskEmpty.first().subscribe(() => this.focusFirstTabbableElement());
+    this._executeOnStable(() => this.focusFirstTabbableElement());
   }
 
   /**
-   * Waits for microtask queue to empty, then focuses
+   * Waits for the zone to stabilize, then focuses
    * the last tabbable element within the focus trap region.
    */
   focusLastTabbableElementWhenReady() {
-    this._ngZone.onMicrotaskEmpty.first().subscribe(() => this.focusLastTabbableElement());
+    this._executeOnStable(() => this.focusLastTabbableElement());
   }
 
   /**
@@ -107,18 +111,16 @@ export class FocusTrap {
    * @returns The boundary element.
    */
   private _getRegionBoundary(bound: 'start' | 'end'): HTMLElement | null {
-    let markers = [
-      ...Array.prototype.slice.call(this._element.querySelectorAll(`[cdk-focus-region-${bound}]`)),
-      // Deprecated version of selector, for temporary backwards comparability:
-      ...Array.prototype.slice.call(this._element.querySelectorAll(`[cdk-focus-${bound}]`)),
-    ];
-
-    markers.forEach((el: HTMLElement) => {
-      if (el.hasAttribute(`cdk-focus-${bound}`)) {
+    // Contains the deprecated version of selector, for temporary backwards comparability.
+    let markers = this._element.querySelectorAll(`[cdk-focus-region-${bound}], ` +
+                                                 `[cdk-focus-${bound}]`) as NodeListOf<HTMLElement>;
+
+    for (let i = 0; i < markers.length; i++) {
+      if (markers[i].hasAttribute(`cdk-focus-${bound}`)) {
         console.warn(`Found use of deprecated attribute 'cdk-focus-${bound}',` +
-                     ` use 'cdk-focus-region-${bound}' instead.`, el);
+                     ` use 'cdk-focus-region-${bound}' instead.`, markers[i]);
       }
-    });
+    }
 
     if (bound == 'start') {
       return markers.length ? markers[0] : this._getFirstTabbableElement(this._element);
@@ -206,6 +208,15 @@ export class FocusTrap {
     anchor.classList.add('cdk-focus-trap-anchor');
     return anchor;
   }
+
+  /** Executes a function when the zone is stable. */
+  private _executeOnStable(fn: () => any): void {
+    if (this._ngZone.isStable) {
+      fn();
+    } else {
+      this._ngZone.onStable.first().subscribe(fn);
+    }
+  }
 }