diff --git a/src/lib/tabs/tab-body.ts b/src/lib/tabs/tab-body.ts
index ec3a42bb9feb..1057dda318bf 100644
--- a/src/lib/tabs/tab-body.ts
+++ b/src/lib/tabs/tab-body.ts
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import {
   Optional,
   AfterViewChecked,
   ViewEncapsulation,
+  ChangeDetectionStrategy,
 } from '@angular/core';
 import {
   trigger,
@@ -59,6 +60,7 @@ export type MdTabBodyOriginState = 'left' | 'right';
   templateUrl: 'tab-body.html',
   styleUrls: ['tab-body.css'],
   encapsulation: ViewEncapsulation.None,
+  changeDetection: ChangeDetectionStrategy.OnPush,
   host: {
     'class': 'mat-tab-body',
   },
diff --git a/src/lib/tabs/tab-group.ts b/src/lib/tabs/tab-group.ts
index 1e1b6d07ceef..c9e53728ffcf 100644
--- a/src/lib/tabs/tab-group.ts
+++ b/src/lib/tabs/tab-group.ts
@@ -16,11 +16,19 @@ import {
   ContentChildren,
   ElementRef,
   Renderer2,
+  ChangeDetectionStrategy,
+  ChangeDetectorRef,
+  AfterViewChecked,
+  AfterContentInit,
+  AfterContentChecked,
+  OnDestroy,
 } from '@angular/core';
 import {coerceBooleanProperty} from '../core';
 import {Observable} from 'rxjs/Observable';
+import {Subscription} from 'rxjs/Subscription';
 import {MdTab} from './tab';
 import {map} from '../core/rxjs/index';
+import {merge} from 'rxjs/observable/merge';
 
 
 /** Used to generate unique ID's for each tab component */
@@ -45,13 +53,16 @@ export type MdTabHeaderPosition = 'above' | 'below';
   selector: 'md-tab-group, mat-tab-group',
   templateUrl: 'tab-group.html',
   styleUrls: ['tab-group.css'],
+  changeDetection: ChangeDetectionStrategy.OnPush,
   host: {
     'class': 'mat-tab-group',
     '[class.mat-tab-group-dynamic-height]': 'dynamicHeight',
     '[class.mat-tab-group-inverted-header]': 'headerPosition === "below"',
   }
 })
-export class MdTabGroup {
+export class MdTabGroup implements AfterContentInit, AfterContentChecked,
+  AfterViewChecked, OnDestroy {
+
   @ContentChildren(MdTab) _tabs: QueryList<MdTab>;
 
   @ViewChild('tabBodyWrapper') _tabBodyWrapper: ElementRef;
@@ -65,6 +76,12 @@ export class MdTabGroup {
   /** Snapshot of the height of the tab body wrapper before another tab is activated. */
   private _tabBodyWrapperHeight: number = 0;
 
+  /** Subscription to tabs being added/removed. */
+  private _tabsSubscription: Subscription;
+
+  /** Subscription to changes in the tab labels. */
+  private _tabLabelSubscription: Subscription;
+
   /** Whether the tab group should grow to the size of the active tab. */
   @Input()
   get dynamicHeight(): boolean { return this._dynamicHeight; }
@@ -82,17 +99,14 @@ export class MdTabGroup {
   set disableRipple(value) { this._disableRipple = coerceBooleanProperty(value); }
   private _disableRipple: boolean = false;
 
-
-  private _selectedIndex: number | null = null;
-
   /** The index of the active tab. */
   @Input()
   set selectedIndex(value: number | null) { this._indexToSelect = value; }
   get selectedIndex(): number | null { return this._selectedIndex; }
+  private _selectedIndex: number | null = null;
 
   /** Position of the tab header. */
-  @Input()
-  headerPosition: MdTabHeaderPosition = 'above';
+  @Input() headerPosition: MdTabHeaderPosition = 'above';
 
   /** Output to enable support for two-way binding on `[(selectedIndex)]` */
   @Output() get selectedIndexChange(): Observable<number> {
@@ -107,7 +121,7 @@ export class MdTabGroup {
 
   private _groupId: number;
 
-  constructor(private _renderer: Renderer2) {
+  constructor(private _renderer: Renderer2, private _changeDetectorRef: ChangeDetectorRef) {
     this._groupId = nextId++;
   }
 
@@ -141,7 +155,31 @@ export class MdTabGroup {
       }
     });
 
-    this._selectedIndex = indexToSelect;
+    if (this._selectedIndex !== indexToSelect) {
+      this._selectedIndex = indexToSelect;
+      this._changeDetectorRef.markForCheck();
+    }
+  }
+
+  ngAfterContentInit() {
+    this._subscribeToTabLabels();
+
+    // Subscribe to changes in the amount of tabs, in order to be
+    // able to re-render the content as new tabs are added or removed.
+    this._tabsSubscription = this._tabs.changes.subscribe(() => {
+      this._subscribeToTabLabels();
+      this._changeDetectorRef.markForCheck();
+    });
+  }
+
+  ngOnDestroy() {
+    if (this._tabsSubscription) {
+      this._tabsSubscription.unsubscribe();
+    }
+
+    if (this._tabLabelSubscription) {
+      this._tabLabelSubscription.unsubscribe();
+    }
   }
 
   /**
@@ -165,6 +203,22 @@ export class MdTabGroup {
     return event;
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Subscribes to changes in the tab labels. This is needed, because the @Input for the label is
+   * on the MdTab component, whereas the data binding is inside the MdTabGroup. In order for the
+   * binding to be updated, we need to subscribe to changes in it and trigger change detection
+   * manually.
+   */
+  private _subscribeToTabLabels() {
+    if (this._tabLabelSubscription) {
+      this._tabLabelSubscription.unsubscribe();
+    }
+
+    this._tabLabelSubscription = merge(...this._tabs.map(tab => tab._labelChange)).subscribe(() => {
+      this._changeDetectorRef.markForCheck();
+    });
+  }
+
   /** Returns a unique id for each tab label element */
   _getTabLabelId(i: number): string {
     return `md-tab-label-${this._groupId}-${i}`;
diff --git a/src/lib/tabs/tab-header.ts b/src/lib/tabs/tab-header.ts
index f7c323c857c7..3de08afdf9ef 100644
--- a/src/lib/tabs/tab-header.ts
+++ b/src/lib/tabs/tab-header.ts
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ import {
   OnDestroy,
   NgZone,
   Renderer2,
+  ChangeDetectionStrategy,
+  ChangeDetectorRef,
 } from '@angular/core';
 import {
   RIGHT_ARROW,
@@ -66,6 +68,7 @@ const EXAGGERATED_OVERSCROLL = 60;
   templateUrl: 'tab-header.html',
   styleUrls: ['tab-header.css'],
   encapsulation: ViewEncapsulation.None,
+  changeDetection: ChangeDetectionStrategy.OnPush,
   host: {
     'class': 'mat-tab-header',
     '[class.mat-tab-header-pagination-controls-enabled]': '_showPaginationControls',
@@ -74,7 +77,6 @@ const EXAGGERATED_OVERSCROLL = 60;
 })
 export class MdTabHeader implements AfterContentChecked, AfterContentInit, OnDestroy {
   @ContentChildren(MdTabLabelWrapper) _labelWrappers: QueryList<MdTabLabelWrapper>;
-
   @ViewChild(MdInkBar) _inkBar: MdInkBar;
   @ViewChild('tabListContainer') _tabListContainer: ElementRef;
   @ViewChild('tabList') _tabList: ElementRef;
@@ -137,6 +139,7 @@ export class MdTabHeader implements AfterContentChecked, AfterContentInit, OnDes
     private _elementRef: ElementRef,
     private _ngZone: NgZone,
     private _renderer: Renderer2,
+    private _changeDetectorRef: ChangeDetectorRef,
     @Optional() private _dir: Directionality) { }
 
   ngAfterContentChecked(): void {
@@ -144,6 +147,7 @@ export class MdTabHeader implements AfterContentChecked, AfterContentInit, OnDes
     if (this._tabLabelCount != this._labelWrappers.length) {
       this._updatePagination();
       this._tabLabelCount = this._labelWrappers.length;
+      this._changeDetectorRef.markForCheck();
     }
 
     // If the selected index has changed, scroll to the label and check if the scrolling controls
@@ -153,6 +157,7 @@ export class MdTabHeader implements AfterContentChecked, AfterContentInit, OnDes
       this._checkScrollingControls();
       this._alignInkBarToSelectedTab();
       this._selectedIndexChanged = false;
+      this._changeDetectorRef.markForCheck();
     }
 
     // If the scroll distance has been changed (tab selected, focused, scroll controls activated),
@@ -160,6 +165,7 @@ export class MdTabHeader implements AfterContentChecked, AfterContentInit, OnDes
     if (this._scrollDistanceChanged) {
       this._updateTabScrollPosition();
       this._scrollDistanceChanged = false;
+      this._changeDetectorRef.markForCheck();
     }
   }
 
@@ -207,6 +213,7 @@ export class MdTabHeader implements AfterContentChecked, AfterContentInit, OnDes
   _onContentChanges() {
     this._updatePagination();
     this._alignInkBarToSelectedTab();
+    this._changeDetectorRef.markForCheck();
   }
 
   /**
@@ -224,7 +231,6 @@ export class MdTabHeader implements AfterContentChecked, AfterContentInit, OnDes
 
     this._focusIndex = value;
     this.indexFocused.emit(value);
-
     this._setTabFocus(value);
   }
 
@@ -259,6 +265,7 @@ export class MdTabHeader implements AfterContentChecked, AfterContentInit, OnDes
       // should be the full width minus the offset width.
       const containerEl = this._tabListContainer.nativeElement;
       const dir = this._getLayoutDirection();
+
       if (dir == 'ltr') {
         containerEl.scrollLeft = 0;
       } else {
@@ -274,6 +281,7 @@ export class MdTabHeader implements AfterContentChecked, AfterContentInit, OnDes
   _moveFocus(offset: number) {
     if (this._labelWrappers) {
       const tabs: MdTabLabelWrapper[] = this._labelWrappers.toArray();
+
       for (let i = this.focusIndex + offset; i < tabs.length && i >= 0; i += offset) {
         if (this._isValidIndex(i)) {
           this.focusIndex = i;
@@ -314,7 +322,6 @@ export class MdTabHeader implements AfterContentChecked, AfterContentInit, OnDes
     // Mark that the scroll distance has changed so that after the view is checked, the CSS
     // transformation can move the header.
     this._scrollDistanceChanged = true;
-
     this._checkScrollingControls();
   }
   get scrollDistance(): number { return this._scrollDistance; }
@@ -341,9 +348,7 @@ export class MdTabHeader implements AfterContentChecked, AfterContentInit, OnDes
    * should be called sparingly.
    */
   _scrollToLabel(labelIndex: number) {
-    const selectedLabel = this._labelWrappers
-        ? this._labelWrappers.toArray()[labelIndex]
-        :  null;
+    const selectedLabel = this._labelWrappers ? this._labelWrappers.toArray()[labelIndex] : null;
 
     if (!selectedLabel) { return; }
 
@@ -386,6 +391,8 @@ export class MdTabHeader implements AfterContentChecked, AfterContentInit, OnDes
     if (!this._showPaginationControls) {
       this.scrollDistance = 0;
     }
+
+    this._changeDetectorRef.markForCheck();
   }
 
   /**
@@ -401,6 +408,7 @@ export class MdTabHeader implements AfterContentChecked, AfterContentInit, OnDes
     // Check if the pagination arrows should be activated.
     this._disableScrollBefore = this.scrollDistance == 0;
     this._disableScrollAfter = this.scrollDistance == this._getMaxScrollDistance();
+    this._changeDetectorRef.markForCheck();
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/src/lib/tabs/tab-nav-bar/tab-nav-bar.ts b/src/lib/tabs/tab-nav-bar/tab-nav-bar.ts
index b0a3f56c3afe..b292b7bf67ef 100644
--- a/src/lib/tabs/tab-nav-bar/tab-nav-bar.ts
+++ b/src/lib/tabs/tab-nav-bar/tab-nav-bar.ts
@@ -18,7 +18,9 @@ import {
   OnDestroy,
   Optional,
   ViewChild,
-  ViewEncapsulation
+  ViewEncapsulation,
+  ChangeDetectionStrategy,
+  ChangeDetectorRef,
 } from '@angular/core';
 import {MdInkBar} from '../ink-bar';
 import {CanDisable, mixinDisabled} from '../../core/common-behaviors/disabled';
@@ -43,6 +45,7 @@ import {fromEvent} from 'rxjs/observable/fromEvent';
   styleUrls: ['tab-nav-bar.css'],
   host: {'class': 'mat-tab-nav-bar'},
   encapsulation: ViewEncapsulation.None,
+  changeDetection: ChangeDetectionStrategy.OnPush,
 })
 export class MdTabNav implements AfterContentInit, OnDestroy {
   /** Subject that emits when the component has been destroyed. */
@@ -56,12 +59,19 @@ export class MdTabNav implements AfterContentInit, OnDestroy {
   /** Subscription for window.resize event **/
   private _resizeSubscription: Subscription;
 
-  constructor(@Optional() private _dir: Directionality, private _ngZone: NgZone) { }
+  constructor(
+    @Optional() private _dir: Directionality,
+    private _ngZone: NgZone,
+    private _changeDetectorRef: ChangeDetectorRef) { }
 
   /** Notifies the component that the active link has been changed. */
   updateActiveLink(element: ElementRef) {
     this._activeLinkChanged = this._activeLinkElement != element;
     this._activeLinkElement = element;
+
+    if (this._activeLinkChanged) {
+      this._changeDetectorRef.markForCheck();
+    }
   }
 
   ngAfterContentInit(): void {
diff --git a/src/lib/tabs/tab.ts b/src/lib/tabs/tab.ts
index b0ef3b7c1cb2..b207f9736ba0 100644
--- a/src/lib/tabs/tab.ts
+++ b/src/lib/tabs/tab.ts
@@ -9,10 +9,11 @@
 import {TemplatePortal} from '../core/portal/portal';
 import {
   ViewContainerRef, Input, TemplateRef, ViewChild, OnInit, ContentChild,
-  Component
+  Component, ChangeDetectionStrategy, OnDestroy, OnChanges, SimpleChanges,
 } from '@angular/core';
 import {CanDisable, mixinDisabled} from '../core/common-behaviors/disabled';
 import {MdTabLabel} from './tab-label';
+import {Subject} from 'rxjs/Subject';
 
 // Boilerplate for applying mixins to MdTab.
 /** @docs-private */
@@ -23,9 +24,10 @@ export const _MdTabMixinBase = mixinDisabled(MdTabBase);
   moduleId: module.id,
   selector: 'md-tab, mat-tab',
   templateUrl: 'tab.html',
-  inputs: ['disabled']
+  inputs: ['disabled'],
+  changeDetection: ChangeDetectionStrategy.OnPush,
 })
-export class MdTab extends _MdTabMixinBase implements OnInit, CanDisable {
+export class MdTab extends _MdTabMixinBase implements OnInit, CanDisable, OnChanges, OnDestroy {
   /** Content for the tab label given by <ng-template md-tab-label>. */
   @ContentChild(MdTabLabel) templateLabel: MdTabLabel;
 
@@ -39,6 +41,9 @@ export class MdTab extends _MdTabMixinBase implements OnInit, CanDisable {
   private _contentPortal: TemplatePortal | null = null;
   get content(): TemplatePortal | null { return this._contentPortal; }
 
+  /** Emits whenever the label changes. */
+  _labelChange = new Subject<void>();
+
   /**
    * The relatively indexed position where 0 represents the center, negative is left, and positive
    * represents the right.
@@ -55,6 +60,16 @@ export class MdTab extends _MdTabMixinBase implements OnInit, CanDisable {
     super();
   }
 
+  ngOnChanges(changes: SimpleChanges) {
+    if (changes.hasOwnProperty('textLabel')) {
+      this._labelChange.next();
+    }
+  }
+
+  ngOnDestroy() {
+    this._labelChange.complete();
+  }
+
   ngOnInit() {
     this._contentPortal = new TemplatePortal(this._content, this._viewContainerRef);
   }