diff --git a/src/lib/core/a11y/focus-trap.html b/src/lib/core/a11y/focus-trap.html
index 577b68bfa8d1..077fc134b42a 100644
--- a/src/lib/core/a11y/focus-trap.html
+++ b/src/lib/core/a11y/focus-trap.html
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
-<div tabindex="0" (focus)="focusLastTabbableElement()"></div>
+<div *ngIf="!disabled" tabindex="0" (focus)="focusLastTabbableElement()"></div>
 <div #trappedContent><ng-content></ng-content></div>
-<div tabindex="0" (focus)="focusFirstTabbableElement()"></div>
+<div *ngIf="!disabled" tabindex="0" (focus)="focusFirstTabbableElement()"></div>
diff --git a/src/lib/core/a11y/focus-trap.ts b/src/lib/core/a11y/focus-trap.ts
index 56368bb41e8d..bda63179dcbe 100644
--- a/src/lib/core/a11y/focus-trap.ts
+++ b/src/lib/core/a11y/focus-trap.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
-import {Component, ViewEncapsulation, ViewChild, ElementRef} from '@angular/core';
+import {Component, ViewEncapsulation, ViewChild, ElementRef, Input, NgZone} from '@angular/core';
 import {InteractivityChecker} from './interactivity-checker';
+import {coerceBooleanProperty} from '../coersion/boolean-property';
 
 
 /**
@@ -19,7 +20,33 @@ import {InteractivityChecker} from './interactivity-checker';
 export class FocusTrap {
   @ViewChild('trappedContent') trappedContent: ElementRef;
 
-  constructor(private _checker: InteractivityChecker) { }
+  /** Whether the focus trap is active. */
+  @Input()
+  get disabled(): boolean { return this._disabled; }
+  set disabled(val: boolean) { this._disabled = coerceBooleanProperty(val); }
+  private _disabled: boolean = false;
+
+  constructor(private _checker: InteractivityChecker, private _ngZone: NgZone) { }
+
+  /**
+   * Waits for microtask queue to empty, then focuses the first tabbable element within the focus
+   * trap region.
+   */
+  focusFirstTabbableElementWhenReady() {
+    this._ngZone.onMicrotaskEmpty.first().subscribe(() => {
+      this.focusFirstTabbableElement();
+    });
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Waits for microtask queue to empty, then focuses the last tabbable element within the focus
+   * trap region.
+   */
+  focusLastTabbableElementWhenReady() {
+    this._ngZone.onMicrotaskEmpty.first().subscribe(() => {
+      this.focusLastTabbableElement();
+    });
+  }
 
   /** Focuses the first tabbable element within the focus trap region. */
   focusFirstTabbableElement() {
diff --git a/src/lib/core/a11y/index.ts b/src/lib/core/a11y/index.ts
index 0e285f77d60c..0be8e05abeb6 100644
--- a/src/lib/core/a11y/index.ts
+++ b/src/lib/core/a11y/index.ts
@@ -2,12 +2,13 @@ import {NgModule, ModuleWithProviders} from '@angular/core';
 import {FocusTrap} from './focus-trap';
 import {MdLiveAnnouncer} from './live-announcer';
 import {InteractivityChecker} from './interactivity-checker';
+import {CommonModule} from '@angular/common';
 import {PlatformModule} from '../platform/platform';
 
 export const A11Y_PROVIDERS = [MdLiveAnnouncer, InteractivityChecker];
 
 @NgModule({
-  imports: [PlatformModule],
+  imports: [CommonModule, PlatformModule],
   declarations: [FocusTrap],
   exports: [FocusTrap],
 })
diff --git a/src/lib/sidenav/sidenav.spec.ts b/src/lib/sidenav/sidenav.spec.ts
index 206519434115..ad24acffd9ee 100644
--- a/src/lib/sidenav/sidenav.spec.ts
+++ b/src/lib/sidenav/sidenav.spec.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ import {fakeAsync, async, tick, ComponentFixture, TestBed} from '@angular/core/t
 import {Component} from '@angular/core';
 import {By} from '@angular/platform-browser';
 import {MdSidenav, MdSidenavModule, MdSidenavToggleResult} from './sidenav';
+import {A11yModule} from '../core/a11y/index';
+import {PlatformModule} from '../core/platform/platform';
 
 
 function endSidenavTransition(fixture: ComponentFixture<any>) {
@@ -15,10 +17,9 @@ function endSidenavTransition(fixture: ComponentFixture<any>) {
 
 
 describe('MdSidenav', () => {
-
   beforeEach(async(() => {
     TestBed.configureTestingModule({
-      imports: [MdSidenavModule.forRoot()],
+      imports: [MdSidenavModule.forRoot(), A11yModule.forRoot(), PlatformModule.forRoot()],
       declarations: [
         BasicTestApp,
         SidenavLayoutTwoSidenavTestApp,
@@ -26,6 +27,7 @@ describe('MdSidenav', () => {
         SidenavSetToOpenedFalse,
         SidenavSetToOpenedTrue,
         SidenavDynamicAlign,
+        SidenavWitFocusableElements,
       ],
     });
 
@@ -236,7 +238,6 @@ describe('MdSidenav', () => {
   });
 
   describe('attributes', () => {
-
     it('should correctly parse opened="false"', () => {
       let fixture = TestBed.createComponent(SidenavSetToOpenedFalse);
       fixture.detectChanges();
@@ -290,6 +291,55 @@ describe('MdSidenav', () => {
     });
   });
 
+  describe('focus trapping behavior', () => {
+    let fixture: ComponentFixture<SidenavWitFocusableElements>;
+    let testComponent: SidenavWitFocusableElements;
+    let sidenav: MdSidenav;
+    let firstFocusableElement: HTMLElement;
+    let lastFocusableElement: HTMLElement;
+
+    beforeEach(() => {
+      fixture = TestBed.createComponent(SidenavWitFocusableElements);
+      testComponent = fixture.debugElement.componentInstance;
+      sidenav = fixture.debugElement.query(By.directive(MdSidenav)).componentInstance;
+      firstFocusableElement = fixture.debugElement.query(By.css('.link1')).nativeElement;
+      lastFocusableElement = fixture.debugElement.query(By.css('.link1')).nativeElement;
+      lastFocusableElement.focus();
+    });
+
+    it('should trap focus when opened in "over" mode', fakeAsync(() => {
+      testComponent.mode = 'over';
+      lastFocusableElement.focus();
+
+      sidenav.open();
+      endSidenavTransition(fixture);
+      tick();
+
+      expect(document.activeElement).toBe(firstFocusableElement);
+    }));
+
+    it('should trap focus when opened in "push" mode', fakeAsync(() => {
+      testComponent.mode = 'push';
+      lastFocusableElement.focus();
+
+      sidenav.open();
+      endSidenavTransition(fixture);
+      tick();
+
+      expect(document.activeElement).toBe(firstFocusableElement);
+    }));
+
+    it('should not trap focus when opened in "side" mode', fakeAsync(() => {
+      testComponent.mode = 'side';
+      lastFocusableElement.focus();
+
+      sidenav.open();
+      endSidenavTransition(fixture);
+      tick();
+
+      expect(document.activeElement).toBe(lastFocusableElement);
+    }));
+  });
 });
 
 
@@ -381,3 +431,16 @@ class SidenavDynamicAlign {
   sidenav1Align = 'start';
   sidenav2Align = 'end';
 }
+
+@Component({
+  template: `
+    <md-sidenav-layout>
+      <md-sidenav align="start" [mode]="mode">
+        <a class="link1" href="#">link1</a>
+      </md-sidenav>
+      <a class="link2" href="#">link2</a>
+    </md-sidenav-layout>`,
+})
+class SidenavWitFocusableElements {
+  mode: string = 'over';
+}
diff --git a/src/lib/sidenav/sidenav.ts b/src/lib/sidenav/sidenav.ts
index 8398f6892320..a3083de1bacf 100644
--- a/src/lib/sidenav/sidenav.ts
+++ b/src/lib/sidenav/sidenav.ts
@@ -13,17 +13,12 @@ import {
   EventEmitter,
   Renderer,
   ViewEncapsulation,
+  ViewChild
 } from '@angular/core';
 import {CommonModule} from '@angular/common';
-import {Dir, MdError, coerceBooleanProperty, DefaultStyleCompatibilityModeModule} from '../core';
-
-
-/** Exception thrown when two MdSidenav are matching the same side. */
-export class MdDuplicatedSidenavError extends MdError {
-  constructor(align: string) {
-    super(`A sidenav was already declared for 'align="${align}"'`);
-  }
-}
+import {Dir, coerceBooleanProperty, DefaultStyleCompatibilityModeModule} from '../core';
+import {A11yModule} from '../core/a11y/index';
+import {FocusTrap} from '../core/a11y/focus-trap';
 
 
 /** Sidenav toggle promise result. */
@@ -42,7 +37,7 @@ export class MdSidenavToggleResult {
 @Component({
   moduleId: module.id,
   selector: 'md-sidenav, mat-sidenav',
-  template: '<ng-content></ng-content>',
+  template: '<focus-trap [disabled]="isFocusTrapDisabled"><ng-content></ng-content></focus-trap>',
   host: {
     '(transitionend)': '_onTransitionEnd($event)',
     // must prevent the browser from aligning text based on value
@@ -61,6 +56,8 @@ export class MdSidenavToggleResult {
   encapsulation: ViewEncapsulation.None,
 })
 export class MdSidenav implements AfterContentInit {
+  @ViewChild(FocusTrap) _focusTrap: FocusTrap;
+
   /** Alignment of the sidenav (direction neutral); whether 'start' or 'end'. */
   private _align: 'start' | 'end' = 'start';
 
@@ -122,6 +119,11 @@ export class MdSidenav implements AfterContentInit {
    */
   private _resolveToggleAnimationPromise: (animationFinished: boolean) => void = null;
 
+  get isFocusTrapDisabled() {
+    // The focus trap is only enabled when the sidenav is open in any mode other than side.
+    return !this.opened || this.mode == 'side';
+  }
+
   /**
    * @param _elementRef The DOM element reference. Used for transition and width calculation.
    *     If not available we do not hook on transitions.
@@ -186,6 +188,10 @@ export class MdSidenav implements AfterContentInit {
       this.onCloseStart.emit();
     }
 
+    if (!this.isFocusTrapDisabled) {
+      this._focusTrap.focusFirstTabbableElementWhenReady();
+    }
+
     if (this._toggleAnimationPromise) {
       this._resolveToggleAnimationPromise(false);
     }
@@ -456,7 +462,7 @@ export class MdSidenavLayout implements AfterContentInit {
 
 
 @NgModule({
-  imports: [CommonModule, DefaultStyleCompatibilityModeModule],
+  imports: [CommonModule, DefaultStyleCompatibilityModeModule, A11yModule],
   exports: [MdSidenavLayout, MdSidenav, DefaultStyleCompatibilityModeModule],
   declarations: [MdSidenavLayout, MdSidenav],
 })