diff --git a/src/lib/select/select.spec.ts b/src/lib/select/select.spec.ts
index a428799717e9..999aea097733 100644
--- a/src/lib/select/select.spec.ts
+++ b/src/lib/select/select.spec.ts
@@ -43,7 +43,8 @@ describe('MdSelect', () => {
         ThrowsErrorOnInit,
         BasicSelectOnPush,
         BasicSelectOnPushPreselected,
-        SelectWithPlainTabindex
+        SelectWithPlainTabindex,
+        BasicSelectNoPlaceholder
       ],
       providers: [
         {provide: OverlayContainer, useFactory: () => {
@@ -150,11 +151,27 @@ describe('MdSelect', () => {
       fixture.whenStable().then(() => {
         trigger.click();
         fixture.detectChanges();
+
         const pane = overlayContainerElement.querySelector('.cdk-overlay-pane') as HTMLElement;
         expect(pane.style.minWidth).toBe('200px');
       });
     }));
 
+    it('should set the width of the overlay if there is no placeholder', async(() => {
+      let noPlaceholder = TestBed.createComponent(BasicSelectNoPlaceholder);
+
+      noPlaceholder.detectChanges();
+      trigger = noPlaceholder.debugElement.query(By.css('.mat-select-trigger')).nativeElement;
+
+      noPlaceholder.whenStable().then(() => {
+        trigger.click();
+        noPlaceholder.detectChanges();
+
+        const pane = overlayContainerElement.querySelector('.cdk-overlay-pane') as HTMLElement;
+        expect(parseInt(pane.style.minWidth)).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+      });
+    }));
+
     it('should not attempt to open a select that does not have any options', () => {
       fixture.componentInstance.foods = [];
       fixture.detectChanges();
@@ -1893,6 +1910,16 @@ class MultiSelect {
 })
 class SelectWithPlainTabindex { }
 
+@Component({
+  selector: 'basic-select-no-placeholder',
+  template: `
+    <md-select>
+      <md-option value="value">There are no other options</md-option>
+    </md-select>
+  `
+})
+class BasicSelectNoPlaceholder { }
+
 
 class FakeViewportRuler {
   getViewportRect() {
diff --git a/src/lib/select/select.ts b/src/lib/select/select.ts
index 32915f501b2c..ad31d020c69d 100644
--- a/src/lib/select/select.ts
+++ b/src/lib/select/select.ts
@@ -308,6 +308,11 @@ export class MdSelect implements AfterContentInit, ControlValueAccessor, OnDestr
     this._selectionModel = new SelectionModel<MdOption>(this.multiple, null, false);
     this._initKeyManager();
 
+    // If there is no placeholder, the setter won't fire so we need to trigger it from here.
+    if (!this._placeholder) {
+      this._triggerWidth = this._getWidth();
+    }
+
     this._changeSubscription = this.options.changes.startWith(null).subscribe(() => {
       this._resetOptions();