diff --git a/src/material-experimental/mdc-table/table.spec.ts b/src/material-experimental/mdc-table/table.spec.ts
index 08d9f00adcee..471562196177 100644
--- a/src/material-experimental/mdc-table/table.spec.ts
+++ b/src/material-experimental/mdc-table/table.spec.ts
@@ -591,6 +591,45 @@ describe('MDC-based MatTable', () => {
         ['Footer A', 'Footer B', 'Footer C'],
       ]);
     });
+
+    it('should fall back to empty table if invalid data is passed in', () => {
+      component.underlyingDataSource.addData();
+      fixture.detectChanges();
+      expectTableToMatchContent(tableElement, [
+        ['Column A', 'Column B', 'Column C'],
+        ['a_1', 'b_1', 'c_1'],
+        ['a_2', 'b_2', 'c_2'],
+        ['a_3', 'b_3', 'c_3'],
+        ['a_4', 'b_4', 'c_4'],
+        ['Footer A', 'Footer B', 'Footer C'],
+      ]);
+
+      dataSource.data = null!;
+      fixture.detectChanges();
+      expectTableToMatchContent(tableElement, [
+        ['Column A', 'Column B', 'Column C'],
+        ['Footer A', 'Footer B', 'Footer C'],
+      ]);
+
+      component.underlyingDataSource.addData();
+      fixture.detectChanges();
+      expectTableToMatchContent(tableElement, [
+        ['Column A', 'Column B', 'Column C'],
+        ['a_1', 'b_1', 'c_1'],
+        ['a_2', 'b_2', 'c_2'],
+        ['a_3', 'b_3', 'c_3'],
+        ['a_4', 'b_4', 'c_4'],
+        ['a_5', 'b_5', 'c_5'],
+        ['Footer A', 'Footer B', 'Footer C'],
+      ]);
+
+      dataSource.data = {} as any;
+      fixture.detectChanges();
+      expectTableToMatchContent(tableElement, [
+        ['Column A', 'Column B', 'Column C'],
+        ['Footer A', 'Footer B', 'Footer C'],
+      ]);
+    });
   });
 });
 
diff --git a/src/material/table/table-data-source.ts b/src/material/table/table-data-source.ts
index 22d01b86e661..119968bab0ac 100644
--- a/src/material/table/table-data-source.ts
+++ b/src/material/table/table-data-source.ts
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ export class _MatTableDataSource<
     return this._data.value;
   }
   set data(data: T[]) {
+    data = Array.isArray(data) ? data : [];
     this._data.next(data);
     // Normally the `filteredData` is updated by the re-render
     // subscription, but that won't happen if it's inactive.
diff --git a/src/material/table/table.spec.ts b/src/material/table/table.spec.ts
index e47337e73a68..0b5d0cb14069 100644
--- a/src/material/table/table.spec.ts
+++ b/src/material/table/table.spec.ts
@@ -576,6 +576,45 @@ describe('MatTable', () => {
         ['Footer A', 'Footer B', 'Footer C'],
       ]);
     });
+
+    it('should fall back to empty table if invalid data is passed in', () => {
+      component.underlyingDataSource.addData();
+      fixture.detectChanges();
+      expectTableToMatchContent(tableElement, [
+        ['Column A', 'Column B', 'Column C'],
+        ['a_1', 'b_1', 'c_1'],
+        ['a_2', 'b_2', 'c_2'],
+        ['a_3', 'b_3', 'c_3'],
+        ['a_4', 'b_4', 'c_4'],
+        ['Footer A', 'Footer B', 'Footer C'],
+      ]);
+
+      dataSource.data = null!;
+      fixture.detectChanges();
+      expectTableToMatchContent(tableElement, [
+        ['Column A', 'Column B', 'Column C'],
+        ['Footer A', 'Footer B', 'Footer C'],
+      ]);
+
+      component.underlyingDataSource.addData();
+      fixture.detectChanges();
+      expectTableToMatchContent(tableElement, [
+        ['Column A', 'Column B', 'Column C'],
+        ['a_1', 'b_1', 'c_1'],
+        ['a_2', 'b_2', 'c_2'],
+        ['a_3', 'b_3', 'c_3'],
+        ['a_4', 'b_4', 'c_4'],
+        ['a_5', 'b_5', 'c_5'],
+        ['Footer A', 'Footer B', 'Footer C'],
+      ]);
+
+      dataSource.data = {} as any;
+      fixture.detectChanges();
+      expectTableToMatchContent(tableElement, [
+        ['Column A', 'Column B', 'Column C'],
+        ['Footer A', 'Footer B', 'Footer C'],
+      ]);
+    });
   });
 });