diff --git a/src/components/checkbox/checkbox.spec.ts b/src/components/checkbox/checkbox.spec.ts
index 3abe395b2356..f25d382c0323 100644
--- a/src/components/checkbox/checkbox.spec.ts
+++ b/src/components/checkbox/checkbox.spec.ts
@@ -289,9 +289,9 @@ export function main() {
         expect(el.nativeElement.className).toContain('md-checkbox-disabled');
       });
 
-      it('sets the tabindex to -1 on the host element', function() {
+      it('removes the tabindex attribute from the host element', function() {
         let el = fixture.debugElement.query(By.css('.md-checkbox'));
-        expect(el.nativeElement.getAttribute('tabindex')).toEqual('-1');
+        expect(el.nativeElement.hasAttribute('tabindex')).toBe(false);
       });
 
       it('sets "aria-disabled" to "true" on the host element', function() {
@@ -307,7 +307,7 @@ export function main() {
           tabindexController.isDisabled = true;
           fixture.detectChanges();
           let el = fixture.debugElement.query(By.css('.md-checkbox'));
-          expect(el.nativeElement.getAttribute('tabindex')).toEqual('-1');
+          expect(el.nativeElement.hasAttribute('tabindex')).toBe(false);
 
           tabindexController.isDisabled = false;
           fixture.detectChanges();
@@ -334,9 +334,9 @@ export function main() {
           }).then(done).catch(done);
         });
 
-        it('keeps the tabindex at -1', function() {
+        it('keeps the tabindex removed from the host', function() {
           let el = fixture.debugElement.query(By.css('.md-checkbox'));
-          expect(el.nativeElement.getAttribute('tabindex')).toEqual('-1');
+          expect(el.nativeElement.hasAttribute('tabindex')).toBe(false);
         });
 
         it('uses the newly changed tabindex when re-enabled', function() {
@@ -394,6 +394,48 @@ export function main() {
       });
     });
 
+    describe('when the checkbox is focused', function() {
+      var fixture: ComponentFixture;
+      var controller: CheckboxController;
+      var el: DebugElement;
+
+      function dispatchUIEventOnEl(evtName: string) {
+        var evt: Event;
+        if (BROWSER_SUPPORTS_EVENT_CONSTRUCTORS) {
+          evt = new Event(evtName);
+        } else {
+          evt = document.createEvent('Event');
+          evt.initEvent(evtName, true, true);
+        }
+        el.nativeElement.dispatchEvent(evt);
+        fixture.detectChanges();
+      }
+
+      beforeEach(function(done: () => void) {
+        builder.createAsync(CheckboxController).then(function(f) {
+          fixture = f;
+          controller = fixture.componentInstance;
+
+          fixture.detectChanges();
+          el = fixture.debugElement.query(By.css('.md-checkbox'));
+        }).then(done).catch(done);
+      });
+
+      it('blocks spacebar keydown events from performing their default behavior', function() {
+        dispatchUIEventOnEl('focus');
+
+        var evt = keydown(el, ' ', fixture);
+        expect(evt.preventDefault).toHaveBeenCalled();
+      });
+
+      it('does not block other keyboard events from performing their default behavior', function() {
+        dispatchUIEventOnEl('focus');
+
+        var evt = keydown(el, 'Tab', fixture);
+        expect(evt.preventDefault).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      });
+    });
+
     describe('when a spacebar press occurs on the checkbox', function() {
       var fixture: ComponentFixture;
       var controller: CheckboxController;
@@ -597,27 +639,36 @@ function click(el: DebugElement, fixture: ComponentFixture) {
 }
 
 // TODO(traviskaufman): Reinvestigate implementation of this method once tests in Dart begin to run.
-function keyup(el: DebugElement, key: string, fixture: ComponentFixture) {
+function keyEvent(name: string, el: DebugElement, key: string, fixture: ComponentFixture): Event {
   var kbdEvent: Event;
   if (BROWSER_SUPPORTS_EVENT_CONSTRUCTORS) {
-    kbdEvent = new KeyboardEvent('keyup');
+    kbdEvent = new KeyboardEvent(name);
   } else {
-    kbdEvent = document.createEvent('Events');
-    kbdEvent.initEvent('keyup', true, true);
+    kbdEvent = document.createEvent('Event');
+    kbdEvent.initEvent(name, true, true);
   }
   // Hack DOM Level 3 Events "key" prop into keyboard event.
   Object.defineProperty(kbdEvent, 'key', {
-    value: ' ',
+    value: key,
     enumerable: false,
     writable: false,
     configurable: true
   });
+  spyOn(kbdEvent, 'preventDefault').and.callThrough();
   spyOn(kbdEvent, 'stopPropagation').and.callThrough();
   el.nativeElement.dispatchEvent(kbdEvent);
   fixture.detectChanges();
   return kbdEvent;
 }
 
+function keydown(el: DebugElement, key: string, fixture: ComponentFixture): Event {
+  return keyEvent('keydown', el, key, fixture);
+}
+
+function keyup(el: DebugElement, key: string, fixture: ComponentFixture): Event {
+  return keyEvent('keyup', el, key, fixture);
+}
+
 @Component({
   selector: 'checkbox-controller',
   template: `
diff --git a/src/components/checkbox/checkbox.ts b/src/components/checkbox/checkbox.ts
index 0c8c06e6d100..0ddead691e23 100644
--- a/src/components/checkbox/checkbox.ts
+++ b/src/components/checkbox/checkbox.ts
@@ -68,12 +68,13 @@ enum TransitionCheckState {
     '[class.md-checkbox-checked]': 'checked',
     '[class.md-checkbox-disabled]': 'disabled',
     '[class.md-checkbox-align-end]': 'align == "end"',
-    '[tabindex]': 'disabled ? -1 : tabindex',
+    '[attr.tabindex]': 'disabled ? null : tabindex',
     '[attr.aria-label]': 'ariaLabel',
     '[attr.aria-labelledby]': 'labelId',
     '[attr.aria-checked]': 'getAriaChecked()',
     '[attr.aria-disabled]': 'disabled',
     '(click)': 'onInteractionEvent($event)',
+    '(keydown.space)': 'onSpaceDown($event)',
     '(keyup.space)': 'onInteractionEvent($event)',
     '(blur)': 'onTouched()'
   },
@@ -102,7 +103,7 @@ export class MdCheckbox implements ControlValueAccessor {
 
   /**
    * The tabindex attribute for the checkbox. Note that when the checkbox is disabled, the attribute
-   * on the host element will be set to -1, regardless of the actual tabindex value.
+   * on the host element will be removed. It will be placed back when the checkbox is re-enabled.
    */
   @Input() tabindex: number = 0;
 
@@ -192,6 +193,14 @@ export class MdCheckbox implements ControlValueAccessor {
     this.toggle();
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Event handler used for (keydown.space) events. Used to prevent spacebar events from bubbling
+   * when the component is focused, which prevents side effects like page scrolling from happening.
+   */
+  onSpaceDown(evt: Event) {
+    evt.preventDefault();
+  }
+
   /** Implemented as part of ControlValueAccessor. */
   writeValue(value: any) {
     this.checked = !!value;