diff --git a/src/lib/input/input-container.spec.ts b/src/lib/input/input-container.spec.ts
index 584ea076fb65..f5693902a124 100644
--- a/src/lib/input/input-container.spec.ts
+++ b/src/lib/input/input-container.spec.ts
@@ -596,17 +596,21 @@ describe('MdInputContainer', function () {
     let fixture: ComponentFixture<MdInputContainerWithFormErrorMessages>;
     let testComponent: MdInputContainerWithFormErrorMessages;
     let containerEl: HTMLElement;
+    let inputEl: HTMLElement;
 
     beforeEach(() => {
       fixture = TestBed.createComponent(MdInputContainerWithFormErrorMessages);
       fixture.detectChanges();
       testComponent = fixture.componentInstance;
       containerEl = fixture.debugElement.query(By.css('md-input-container')).nativeElement;
+      inputEl = fixture.debugElement.query(By.css('input')).nativeElement;
     });
 
     it('should not show any errors if the user has not interacted', () => {
       expect(testComponent.formControl.untouched).toBe(true, 'Expected untouched form control');
       expect(containerEl.querySelectorAll('md-error').length).toBe(0, 'Expected no error messages');
+      expect(inputEl.getAttribute('aria-invalid'))
+          .toBe('false', 'Expected aria-invalid to be set to "false".');
     });
 
     it('should display an error message when the input is touched and invalid', async(() => {
@@ -621,6 +625,8 @@ describe('MdInputContainer', function () {
             .toContain('mat-input-invalid', 'Expected container to have the invalid CSS class.');
         expect(containerEl.querySelectorAll('md-error').length)
             .toBe(1, 'Expected one error message to have been rendered.');
+        expect(inputEl.getAttribute('aria-invalid'))
+            .toBe('true', 'Expected aria-invalid to be set to "true".');
       });
     }));
 
@@ -638,6 +644,8 @@ describe('MdInputContainer', function () {
             .toContain('mat-input-invalid', 'Expected container to have the invalid CSS class.');
         expect(containerEl.querySelectorAll('md-error').length)
             .toBe(1, 'Expected one error message to have been rendered.');
+        expect(inputEl.getAttribute('aria-invalid'))
+            .toBe('true', 'Expected aria-invalid to be set to "true".');
       });
     }));
 
@@ -650,9 +658,12 @@ describe('MdInputContainer', function () {
       groupFixture.detectChanges();
       component = groupFixture.componentInstance;
       containerEl = groupFixture.debugElement.query(By.css('md-input-container')).nativeElement;
+      inputEl = groupFixture.debugElement.query(By.css('input')).nativeElement;
 
       expect(component.formGroup.invalid).toBe(true, 'Expected form control to be invalid');
       expect(containerEl.querySelectorAll('md-error').length).toBe(0, 'Expected no error messages');
+      expect(inputEl.getAttribute('aria-invalid'))
+          .toBe('false', 'Expected aria-invalid to be set to "false".');
       expect(component.formGroupDirective.submitted)
           .toBe(false, 'Expected form not to have been submitted');
 
@@ -666,6 +677,8 @@ describe('MdInputContainer', function () {
             .toContain('mat-input-invalid', 'Expected container to have the invalid CSS class.');
         expect(containerEl.querySelectorAll('md-error').length)
             .toBe(1, 'Expected one error message to have been rendered.');
+        expect(inputEl.getAttribute('aria-invalid'))
+            .toBe('true', 'Expected aria-invalid to be set to "true".');
       });
     }));
 
diff --git a/src/lib/input/input-container.ts b/src/lib/input/input-container.ts
index c7ffb4d47f5d..ebacbaf5f3ef 100644
--- a/src/lib/input/input-container.ts
+++ b/src/lib/input/input-container.ts
@@ -112,6 +112,7 @@ export class MdSuffix {}
     '[disabled]': 'disabled',
     '[required]': 'required',
     '[attr.aria-describedby]': 'ariaDescribedby || null',
+    '[attr.aria-invalid]': '_isErrorState()',
     '(blur)': '_onBlur()',
     '(focus)': '_onFocus()',
     '(input)': '_onInput()',
@@ -209,7 +210,9 @@ export class MdInputDirective {
 
   constructor(private _elementRef: ElementRef,
               private _renderer: Renderer2,
-              @Optional() @Self() public _ngControl: NgControl) {
+              @Optional() @Self() public _ngControl: NgControl,
+              @Optional() private _parentForm: NgForm,
+              @Optional() private _parentFormGroup: FormGroupDirective) {
 
     // Force setter to be called in case id was not specified.
     this.id = this.id;
@@ -232,6 +235,17 @@ export class MdInputDirective {
     // FormsModule or ReactiveFormsModule, because Angular forms also listens to input events.
   }
 
+  /** Whether the input is in an error state. */
+  _isErrorState(): boolean {
+    const control = this._ngControl;
+    const isInvalid = control && control.invalid;
+    const isTouched = control && control.touched;
+    const isSubmitted = (this._parentFormGroup && this._parentFormGroup.submitted) ||
+        (this._parentForm && this._parentForm.submitted);
+
+    return !!(isInvalid && (isTouched || isSubmitted));
+  }
+
   /** Make sure the input is a supported type. */
   private _validateType() {
     if (MD_INPUT_INVALID_TYPES.indexOf(this._type) !== -1) {
@@ -274,7 +288,7 @@ export class MdInputDirective {
     // Remove align attribute to prevent it from interfering with layout.
     '[attr.align]': 'null',
     '[class.mat-input-container]': 'true',
-    '[class.mat-input-invalid]': '_isErrorState()',
+    '[class.mat-input-invalid]': '_mdInputChild._isErrorState()',
     '[class.mat-focused]': '_mdInputChild.focused',
     '[class.ng-untouched]': '_shouldForward("untouched")',
     '[class.ng-touched]': '_shouldForward("touched")',
@@ -352,9 +366,7 @@ export class MdInputContainer implements AfterViewInit, AfterContentInit, AfterC
 
   constructor(
     public _elementRef: ElementRef,
-    private _changeDetectorRef: ChangeDetectorRef,
-    @Optional() private _parentForm: NgForm,
-    @Optional() private _parentFormGroup: FormGroupDirective) { }
+    private _changeDetectorRef: ChangeDetectorRef) { }
 
   ngAfterContentInit() {
     this._validateInputChild();
@@ -388,20 +400,10 @@ export class MdInputContainer implements AfterViewInit, AfterContentInit, AfterC
   /** Focuses the underlying input. */
   _focusInput() { this._mdInputChild.focus(); }
 
-  /** Whether the input container is in an error state. */
-  _isErrorState(): boolean {
-    const control = this._mdInputChild._ngControl;
-    const isInvalid = control && control.invalid;
-    const isTouched = control && control.touched;
-    const isSubmitted = (this._parentFormGroup && this._parentFormGroup.submitted) ||
-        (this._parentForm && this._parentForm.submitted);
-
-    return !!(isInvalid && (isTouched || isSubmitted));
-  }
-
   /** Determines whether to display hints or errors. */
   _getDisplayedMessages(): 'error' | 'hint' {
-    return (this._errorChildren.length > 0 && this._isErrorState()) ? 'error' : 'hint';
+    let input = this._mdInputChild;
+    return (this._errorChildren.length > 0 && input._isErrorState()) ? 'error' : 'hint';
   }
 
   /**