diff --git a/src/lib/select/select.html b/src/lib/select/select.html
index fca93137357..7782c219234 100644
--- a/src/lib/select/select.html
+++ b/src/lib/select/select.html
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
   (detach)="close()">
 
   <div
-    class="mat-select-panel {{ 'mat-' + color }}"
+    class="mat-select-panel {{ _getPanelTheme() }}"
     [ngClass]="panelClass"
     [@transformPanel]="multiple ? 'showing-multiple' : 'showing'"
     (@transformPanel.done)="_onPanelDone()"
diff --git a/src/lib/select/select.spec.ts b/src/lib/select/select.spec.ts
index 5285279db83..e6fc6bbe910 100644
--- a/src/lib/select/select.spec.ts
+++ b/src/lib/select/select.spec.ts
@@ -2275,6 +2275,19 @@ describe('MatSelect', () => {
 
       expect(() => fixture.componentInstance.select.triggerValue).not.toThrow();
     });
+
+    it('should allow the user to customize the label', () => {
+      const fixture = TestBed.createComponent(SelectWithCustomTrigger);
+      fixture.detectChanges();
+
+      fixture.componentInstance.control.setValue('pizza-1');
+      fixture.detectChanges();
+
+      const label = fixture.debugElement.query(By.css('.mat-select-value')).nativeElement;
+
+      expect(label.textContent).toContain('azziP',
+          'Expected the displayed text to be "Pizza" in reverse.');
+    });
   });
 
   describe('change event', () => {
@@ -2622,30 +2635,21 @@ describe('MatSelect', () => {
 
   describe('theming', () => {
     let fixture: ComponentFixture<BasicSelectWithTheming>;
-    let testInstance: BasicSelectWithTheming;
-    let selectElement: HTMLElement;
 
     beforeEach(async(() => {
       fixture = TestBed.createComponent(BasicSelectWithTheming);
-      testInstance = fixture.componentInstance;
       fixture.detectChanges();
-
-      selectElement = fixture.debugElement.query(By.css('.mat-select')).nativeElement;
     }));
 
-    it('should allow the user to customize the label', () => {
-      fixture.destroy();
+    it('should transfer the theme to the select panel', () => {
+      fixture.componentInstance.theme = 'warn';
+      fixture.detectChanges();
 
-      const labelFixture = TestBed.createComponent(SelectWithCustomTrigger);
-      labelFixture.detectChanges();
+      fixture.componentInstance.select.open();
+      fixture.detectChanges();
 
-      labelFixture.componentInstance.control.setValue('pizza-1');
-      labelFixture.detectChanges();
-
-      const label = labelFixture.debugElement.query(By.css('.mat-select-value')).nativeElement;
-
-      expect(label.textContent).toContain('azziP',
-          'Expected the displayed text to be "Pizza" in reverse.');
+      const panel = overlayContainerElement.querySelector('.mat-select-panel')! as HTMLElement;
+      expect(panel.classList).toContain('mat-warn');
     });
   });
 
diff --git a/src/lib/select/select.ts b/src/lib/select/select.ts
index 7869b73dc54..7e5dfacbb07 100644
--- a/src/lib/select/select.ts
+++ b/src/lib/select/select.ts
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ import {
   mixinDisabled,
   mixinTabIndex,
 } from '@angular/material/core';
-import {MatFormFieldControl} from '@angular/material/form-field';
+import {MatFormField, MatFormFieldControl} from '@angular/material/form-field';
 import {Observable} from 'rxjs/Observable';
 import {merge} from 'rxjs/observable/merge';
 import {Subject} from 'rxjs/Subject';
@@ -410,6 +410,7 @@ export class MatSelect extends _MatSelectMixinBase implements AfterContentInit,
     @Optional() private _dir: Directionality,
     @Optional() private _parentForm: NgForm,
     @Optional() private _parentFormGroup: FormGroupDirective,
+    @Optional() private _parentFormField: MatFormField,
     @Self() @Optional() public ngControl: NgControl,
     @Attribute('tabindex') tabIndex: string,
     @Inject(MAT_SELECT_SCROLL_STRATEGY) private _scrollStrategyFactory) {
@@ -641,6 +642,11 @@ export class MatSelect extends _MatSelectMixinBase implements AfterContentInit,
     this._setScrollTop();
   }
 
+  /** Returns the theme to be used on the panel. */
+  _getPanelTheme(): string {
+    return this._parentFormField ? `mat-${this._parentFormField.color}` : '';
+  }
+
   /** Whether the select has a value. */
   get empty(): boolean {
     return !this._selectionModel || this._selectionModel.isEmpty();