diff --git a/src/components/tabs/tabs.ts b/src/components/tabs/tabs.ts
index 01f1e86859c..e17adbf58af 100644
--- a/src/components/tabs/tabs.ts
+++ b/src/components/tabs/tabs.ts
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ export class MdTabGroup {
    * ViewChildren references are ready.
    */
   private get _currentLabelWrapper(): HTMLElement {
-    return this._labelWrappers && this._labelWrappers.toArray()[this.selectedIndex]
+    return this._labelWrappers && this._labelWrappers.length
         ? this._labelWrappers.toArray()[this.selectedIndex].elementRef.nativeElement
         : null;
   }