diff --git a/src/cdk/a11y/aria-describer/aria-describer.spec.ts b/src/cdk/a11y/aria-describer/aria-describer.spec.ts
index 22e7dbea12c9..cec3d189d63f 100644
--- a/src/cdk/a11y/aria-describer/aria-describer.spec.ts
+++ b/src/cdk/a11y/aria-describer/aria-describer.spec.ts
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ describe('AriaDescriber', () => {
     fixture = TestBed.createComponent(TestApp);
     component = fixture.componentInstance;
     ariaDescriber = component.ariaDescriber;
+    fixture.detectChanges();
   });
 
   afterEach(() => {
diff --git a/src/cdk/portal/portal.spec.ts b/src/cdk/portal/portal.spec.ts
index 34606e7f9738..6b42ed759f81 100644
--- a/src/cdk/portal/portal.spec.ts
+++ b/src/cdk/portal/portal.spec.ts
@@ -563,8 +563,8 @@ class ArbitraryViewContainerRefComponent {
 })
 class PortalTestApp {
   @ViewChildren(CdkPortal) portals: QueryList<CdkPortal>;
-  @ViewChild(CdkPortalOutlet) portalOutlet: CdkPortalOutlet;
-  @ViewChild('templateRef', { read: TemplateRef }) templateRef: TemplateRef<any>;
+  @ViewChild(CdkPortalOutlet, {static: true}) portalOutlet: CdkPortalOutlet;
+  @ViewChild('templateRef', { read: TemplateRef , static: true}) templateRef: TemplateRef<any>;
 
   selectedPortal: Portal<any>|undefined;
   fruit: string = 'Banana';
@@ -600,7 +600,7 @@ class PortalTestApp {
   `,
 })
 class UnboundPortalTestApp {
-  @ViewChild(CdkPortalOutlet) portalOutlet: CdkPortalOutlet;
+  @ViewChild(CdkPortalOutlet, {static: true}) portalOutlet: CdkPortalOutlet;
 }
 
 // Create a real (non-test) NgModule as a workaround for
diff --git a/src/cdk/text-field/autofill.spec.ts b/src/cdk/text-field/autofill.spec.ts
index 8b24ae5f524a..5879d374fcdf 100644
--- a/src/cdk/text-field/autofill.spec.ts
+++ b/src/cdk/text-field/autofill.spec.ts
@@ -217,9 +217,9 @@ describe('cdkAutofill', () => {
 })
 class Inputs {
   // Cast to `any` so we can stub out some methods in the tests.
-  @ViewChild('input1') input1: ElementRef<any>;
-  @ViewChild('input2') input2: ElementRef<any>;
-  @ViewChild('input3') input3: ElementRef<any>;
+  @ViewChild('input1', {static: true}) input1: ElementRef<any>;
+  @ViewChild('input2', {static: true}) input2: ElementRef<any>;
+  @ViewChild('input3', {static: true}) input3: ElementRef<any>;
 }
 
 @Component({
diff --git a/src/lib/autocomplete/autocomplete.spec.ts b/src/lib/autocomplete/autocomplete.spec.ts
index c23c3a069651..84d7a3551bc7 100644
--- a/src/lib/autocomplete/autocomplete.spec.ts
+++ b/src/lib/autocomplete/autocomplete.spec.ts
@@ -2352,7 +2352,7 @@ class SimpleAutocomplete implements OnDestroy {
   openedSpy = jasmine.createSpy('autocomplete opened spy');
   closedSpy = jasmine.createSpy('autocomplete closed spy');
 
-  @ViewChild(MatAutocompleteTrigger) trigger: MatAutocompleteTrigger;
+  @ViewChild(MatAutocompleteTrigger, {static: true}) trigger: MatAutocompleteTrigger;
   @ViewChild(MatAutocomplete) panel: MatAutocomplete;
   @ViewChild(MatFormField) formField: MatFormField;
   @ViewChildren(MatOption) options: QueryList<MatOption>;
diff --git a/src/lib/bottom-sheet/bottom-sheet-container.ts b/src/lib/bottom-sheet/bottom-sheet-container.ts
index 22848aa70b5e..ee815a814b7f 100644
--- a/src/lib/bottom-sheet/bottom-sheet-container.ts
+++ b/src/lib/bottom-sheet/bottom-sheet-container.ts
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ export class MatBottomSheetContainer extends BasePortalOutlet implements OnDestr
   private _breakpointSubscription: Subscription;
 
   /** The portal outlet inside of this container into which the content will be loaded. */
-  @ViewChild(CdkPortalOutlet) _portalOutlet: CdkPortalOutlet;
+  @ViewChild(CdkPortalOutlet, {static: true}) _portalOutlet: CdkPortalOutlet;
 
   /** The state of the bottom sheet animations. */
   _animationState: 'void' | 'visible' | 'hidden' = 'void';
diff --git a/src/lib/sidenav/drawer.spec.ts b/src/lib/sidenav/drawer.spec.ts
index c8b57197475f..a45e8710a999 100644
--- a/src/lib/sidenav/drawer.spec.ts
+++ b/src/lib/sidenav/drawer.spec.ts
@@ -282,6 +282,8 @@ describe('MatDrawer', () => {
       let fixture = TestBed.createComponent(BasicTestApp);
       let drawer: MatDrawer = fixture.debugElement
           .query(By.directive(MatDrawer)).componentInstance;
+      fixture.detectChanges();
+
       let openButton = fixture.componentInstance.openButton.nativeElement;
       let closeButton = fixture.componentInstance.closeButton.nativeElement;