diff --git a/src/lib/checkbox/checkbox.html b/src/lib/checkbox/checkbox.html
index 209ceb8b8605..8c979eff04ef 100644
--- a/src/lib/checkbox/checkbox.html
+++ b/src/lib/checkbox/checkbox.html
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@
            [indeterminate]="indeterminate"
            [attr.aria-label]="ariaLabel"
            [attr.aria-labelledby]="ariaLabelledby"
-           (focus)="_onInputFocus()"
            (blur)="_onInputBlur()"
            (change)="_onInteractionEvent($event)"
            (click)="_onInputClick($event)">
diff --git a/src/lib/checkbox/checkbox.spec.ts b/src/lib/checkbox/checkbox.spec.ts
index 857c44348208..a6342eaa76e1 100644
--- a/src/lib/checkbox/checkbox.spec.ts
+++ b/src/lib/checkbox/checkbox.spec.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,11 @@
-import {async, fakeAsync, flushMicrotasks, ComponentFixture, TestBed} from '@angular/core/testing';
+import {
+  async,
+  fakeAsync,
+  flushMicrotasks,
+  ComponentFixture,
+  TestBed,
+  tick,
+} from '@angular/core/testing';
 import {NgControl, FormsModule, ReactiveFormsModule, FormControl} from '@angular/forms';
 import {Component, DebugElement} from '@angular/core';
 import {By} from '@angular/platform-browser';
@@ -6,10 +13,22 @@ import {MdCheckbox, MdCheckboxChange, MdCheckboxModule} from './checkbox';
 import {ViewportRuler} from '../core/overlay/position/viewport-ruler';
 import {FakeViewportRuler} from '../core/overlay/position/fake-viewport-ruler';
 import {dispatchFakeEvent} from '../core/testing/dispatch-events';
+import {FocusOriginMonitor, FocusOrigin} from '../core';
+import {RIPPLE_FADE_IN_DURATION, RIPPLE_FADE_OUT_DURATION} from '../core/ripple/ripple-renderer';
+import {Subject} from 'rxjs/Subject';
 
 
 describe('MdCheckbox', () => {
   let fixture: ComponentFixture<any>;
+  let fakeFocusOriginMonitorSubject: Subject<FocusOrigin> = new Subject();
+  let fakeFocusOriginMonitor = {
+    monitor: () => fakeFocusOriginMonitorSubject.asObservable(),
+    unmonitor: () => {},
+    focusVia: (element: HTMLElement, renderer: any, focusOrigin: FocusOrigin) => {
+      element.focus();
+      fakeFocusOriginMonitorSubject.next(focusOrigin);
+    }
+  };
 
   beforeEach(async(() => {
     TestBed.configureTestingModule({
@@ -27,6 +46,7 @@ describe('MdCheckbox', () => {
       ],
       providers: [
         {provide: ViewportRuler, useClass: FakeViewportRuler},
+        {provide: FocusOriginMonitor, useValue: fakeFocusOriginMonitor}
       ]
     });
 
@@ -321,6 +341,23 @@ describe('MdCheckbox', () => {
       expect(inputElement.value).toBe('basic_checkbox');
     });
 
+    it('should show a ripple when focused by a keyboard action', fakeAsync(() => {
+      expect(fixture.nativeElement.querySelectorAll('.mat-ripple-element').length)
+          .toBe(0, 'Expected no ripples on load.');
+
+      fakeFocusOriginMonitorSubject.next('keyboard');
+      tick(RIPPLE_FADE_IN_DURATION);
+
+      expect(fixture.nativeElement.querySelectorAll('.mat-ripple-element').length)
+          .toBe(1, 'Expected ripple after element is focused.');
+
+      dispatchFakeEvent(checkboxInstance._inputElement.nativeElement, 'blur');
+      tick(RIPPLE_FADE_OUT_DURATION);
+
+      expect(fixture.nativeElement.querySelectorAll('.mat-ripple-element').length)
+          .toBe(0, 'Expected no ripple after element is blurred.');
+    }));
+
     describe('ripple elements', () => {
 
       it('should show ripples on label mousedown', () => {
diff --git a/src/lib/checkbox/checkbox.ts b/src/lib/checkbox/checkbox.ts
index 429666335b65..a935e2d2ef14 100644
--- a/src/lib/checkbox/checkbox.ts
+++ b/src/lib/checkbox/checkbox.ts
@@ -12,11 +12,20 @@ import {
     NgModule,
     ModuleWithProviders,
     ViewChild,
+    AfterViewInit,
+    OnDestroy,
 } from '@angular/core';
 import {CommonModule} from '@angular/common';
 import {NG_VALUE_ACCESSOR, ControlValueAccessor} from '@angular/forms';
 import {coerceBooleanProperty} from '../core/coercion/boolean-property';
-import {MdRippleModule, CompatibilityModule} from '../core';
+import {Subscription} from 'rxjs/Subscription';
+import {
+  CompatibilityModule,
+  MdRippleModule,
+  MdRipple,
+  RippleRef,
+  FocusOriginMonitor,
+} from '../core';
 
 
 /** Monotonically increasing integer used to auto-generate unique ids for checkbox components. */
@@ -73,13 +82,12 @@ export class MdCheckboxChange {
     '[class.mat-checkbox-checked]': 'checked',
     '[class.mat-checkbox-disabled]': 'disabled',
     '[class.mat-checkbox-label-before]': 'labelPosition == "before"',
-    '[class.mat-checkbox-focused]': '_hasFocus',
   },
   providers: [MD_CHECKBOX_CONTROL_VALUE_ACCESSOR],
   encapsulation: ViewEncapsulation.None,
   changeDetection: ChangeDetectionStrategy.OnPush
 })
-export class MdCheckbox implements ControlValueAccessor {
+export class MdCheckbox implements ControlValueAccessor, AfterViewInit, OnDestroy {
   /**
    * Attached to the aria-label attribute of the host element. In most cases, arial-labelledby will
    * take precedence so this may be omitted.
@@ -157,6 +165,8 @@ export class MdCheckbox implements ControlValueAccessor {
   /** The native `<input type="checkbox"> element */
   @ViewChild('input') _inputElement: ElementRef;
 
+  @ViewChild(MdRipple) _ripple: MdRipple;
+
   /**
    * Called when the checkbox is blurred. Needed to properly implement ControlValueAccessor.
    * @docs-private
@@ -175,14 +185,38 @@ export class MdCheckbox implements ControlValueAccessor {
 
   private _controlValueAccessorChangeFn: (value: any) => void = (value) => {};
 
-  _hasFocus: boolean = false;
+  /** Reference to the focused state ripple. */
+  private _focusedRipple: RippleRef;
+
+  /** Reference to the focus origin monitor subscription. */
+  private _focusedSubscription: Subscription;
 
   constructor(private _renderer: Renderer,
               private _elementRef: ElementRef,
-              private _changeDetectorRef: ChangeDetectorRef) {
+              private _changeDetectorRef: ChangeDetectorRef,
+              private _focusOriginMonitor: FocusOriginMonitor) {
     this.color = 'accent';
   }
 
+  ngAfterViewInit() {
+    this._focusedSubscription = this._focusOriginMonitor
+      .monitor(this._inputElement.nativeElement, this._renderer, false)
+      .subscribe(focusOrigin => {
+        if (!this._focusedRipple && focusOrigin === 'keyboard') {
+          this._focusedRipple = this._ripple.launch(0, 0, { persistent: true, centered: true });
+        }
+      });
+  }
+
+  ngOnDestroy() {
+    this._focusOriginMonitor.unmonitor(this._inputElement.nativeElement);
+
+    if (this._focusedSubscription) {
+      this._focusedSubscription.unsubscribe();
+      this._focusedSubscription = null;
+    }
+  }
+
   /**
    * Whether the checkbox is checked. Note that setting `checked` will immediately set
    * `indeterminate` to false.
@@ -315,14 +349,9 @@ export class MdCheckbox implements ControlValueAccessor {
     this.change.emit(event);
   }
 
-  /** Informs the component when the input has focus so that we can style accordingly */
-  _onInputFocus() {
-    this._hasFocus = true;
-  }
-
   /** Informs the component when we lose focus in order to style accordingly */
   _onInputBlur() {
-    this._hasFocus = false;
+    this._removeFocusedRipple();
     this.onTouched();
   }
 
@@ -348,6 +377,8 @@ export class MdCheckbox implements ControlValueAccessor {
     // Preventing bubbling for the second event will solve that issue.
     event.stopPropagation();
 
+    this._removeFocusedRipple();
+
     if (!this.disabled) {
       this.toggle();
       this._transitionCheckState(
@@ -362,8 +393,7 @@ export class MdCheckbox implements ControlValueAccessor {
 
   /** Focuses the checkbox. */
   focus(): void {
-    this._renderer.invokeElementMethod(this._inputElement.nativeElement, 'focus');
-    this._onInputFocus();
+    this._focusOriginMonitor.focusVia(this._inputElement.nativeElement, this._renderer, 'keyboard');
   }
 
   _onInteractionEvent(event: Event) {
@@ -405,6 +435,13 @@ export class MdCheckbox implements ControlValueAccessor {
     return `mat-checkbox-anim-${animSuffix}`;
   }
 
+  /** Fades out the focused state ripple. */
+  private _removeFocusedRipple(): void {
+    if (this._focusedRipple) {
+      this._focusedRipple.fadeOut();
+      this._focusedRipple = null;
+    }
+  }
 }
 
 
@@ -412,6 +449,7 @@ export class MdCheckbox implements ControlValueAccessor {
   imports: [CommonModule, MdRippleModule, CompatibilityModule],
   exports: [MdCheckbox, CompatibilityModule],
   declarations: [MdCheckbox],
+  providers: [FocusOriginMonitor]
 })
 export class MdCheckboxModule {
   /** @deprecated */