diff --git a/src/lib/checkbox/checkbox.spec.ts b/src/lib/checkbox/checkbox.spec.ts
index 14e7cc4498f..5ccecf52af5 100644
--- a/src/lib/checkbox/checkbox.spec.ts
+++ b/src/lib/checkbox/checkbox.spec.ts
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ describe('MdCheckbox', () => {
       expect(inputElement.indeterminate).toBe(false);
     });
 
-    it('should set indeterminate to false when input clicked', async(() => {
+    it('should set indeterminate to false when input clicked', fakeAsync(() => {
       testComponent.isIndeterminate = true;
       fixture.detectChanges();
 
@@ -113,33 +113,40 @@ describe('MdCheckbox', () => {
       inputElement.click();
       fixture.detectChanges();
 
-      fixture.whenStable().then(() => {
-        fixture.detectChanges();
-        expect(checkboxInstance.checked).toBe(true);
-        expect(inputElement.indeterminate).toBe(false);
-        expect(inputElement.checked).toBe(true);
-        expect(testComponent.isIndeterminate).toBe(false);
+      // Flush the microtasks because the forms module updates the model state asynchronously.
+      flushMicrotasks();
 
-        testComponent.isIndeterminate = true;
-        fixture.detectChanges();
+      // The checked property has been updated from the model and now the view needs
+      // to reflect the state change.
+      fixture.detectChanges();
 
-        expect(checkboxInstance.indeterminate).toBe(true);
-        expect(inputElement.indeterminate).toBe(true);
-        expect(inputElement.checked).toBe(true);
-        expect(testComponent.isIndeterminate).toBe(true);
+      expect(checkboxInstance.checked).toBe(true);
+      expect(inputElement.indeterminate).toBe(false);
+      expect(inputElement.checked).toBe(true);
+      expect(testComponent.isIndeterminate).toBe(false);
 
-        inputElement.click();
-        fixture.detectChanges();
+      testComponent.isIndeterminate = true;
+      fixture.detectChanges();
 
-        fixture.whenStable().then(() => {
-          fixture.detectChanges();
-          expect(checkboxInstance.checked).toBe(false);
-          expect(inputElement.indeterminate).toBe(false);
-          expect(inputElement.checked).toBe(false);
-          expect(testComponent.isIndeterminate).toBe(false);
-        });
-      });
+      expect(checkboxInstance.indeterminate).toBe(true);
+      expect(inputElement.indeterminate).toBe(true);
+      expect(inputElement.checked).toBe(true);
+      expect(testComponent.isIndeterminate).toBe(true);
 
+      inputElement.click();
+      fixture.detectChanges();
+
+      // Flush the microtasks because the forms module updates the model state asynchronously.
+      flushMicrotasks();
+
+      // The checked property has been updated from the model and now the view needs
+      // to reflect the state change.
+      fixture.detectChanges();
+
+      expect(checkboxInstance.checked).toBe(false);
+      expect(inputElement.indeterminate).toBe(false);
+      expect(inputElement.checked).toBe(false);
+      expect(testComponent.isIndeterminate).toBe(false);
     }));
 
     it('should not set indeterminate to false when checked is set programmatically', async(() => {
@@ -190,7 +197,7 @@ describe('MdCheckbox', () => {
       expect(checkboxInstance.checked).toBe(false);
     });
 
-    it('should change from indeterminate to checked on click', async(() => {
+    it('should change from indeterminate to checked on click', fakeAsync(() => {
       testComponent.isChecked = false;
       testComponent.isIndeterminate = true;
       fixture.detectChanges();
@@ -200,16 +207,17 @@ describe('MdCheckbox', () => {
 
       checkboxInstance._onInputClick(<Event>{stopPropagation: () => {}});
 
-      fixture.whenStable().then(() => {
-        expect(checkboxInstance.checked).toBe(true);
-        expect(checkboxInstance.indeterminate).toBe(false);
+      // Flush the microtasks because the indeterminate state will be updated in the next tick.
+      flushMicrotasks();
 
-        checkboxInstance._onInputClick(<Event>{stopPropagation: () => {}});
-        fixture.detectChanges();
+      expect(checkboxInstance.checked).toBe(true);
+      expect(checkboxInstance.indeterminate).toBe(false);
 
-        expect(checkboxInstance.checked).toBe(false);
-        expect(checkboxInstance.indeterminate).toBe(false);
-      });
+      checkboxInstance._onInputClick(<Event>{stopPropagation: () => {}});
+      fixture.detectChanges();
+
+      expect(checkboxInstance.checked).toBe(false);
+      expect(checkboxInstance.indeterminate).toBe(false);
     }));
 
     it('should add and remove disabled state', () => {
@@ -242,17 +250,18 @@ describe('MdCheckbox', () => {
       expect(checkboxInstance.checked).toBe(false);
     });
 
-    it('should overwrite indeterminate state when clicked', async(() => {
+    it('should overwrite indeterminate state when clicked', fakeAsync(() => {
       testComponent.isIndeterminate = true;
       fixture.detectChanges();
 
       inputElement.click();
       fixture.detectChanges();
 
-      fixture.whenStable().then(() => {
-        expect(checkboxInstance.checked).toBe(true);
-        expect(checkboxInstance.indeterminate).toBe(false);
-      });
+      // Flush the microtasks because the indeterminate state will be updated in the next tick.
+      flushMicrotasks();
+
+      expect(checkboxInstance.checked).toBe(true);
+      expect(checkboxInstance.indeterminate).toBe(false);
     }));
 
     it('should preserve the user-provided id', () => {
diff --git a/src/lib/slide-toggle/slide-toggle.spec.ts b/src/lib/slide-toggle/slide-toggle.spec.ts
index cfe7466b30c..c0d52461ca6 100644
--- a/src/lib/slide-toggle/slide-toggle.spec.ts
+++ b/src/lib/slide-toggle/slide-toggle.spec.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 import {Component} from '@angular/core';
 import {By, HAMMER_GESTURE_CONFIG} from '@angular/platform-browser';
-import {async, ComponentFixture, TestBed, fakeAsync, tick} from '@angular/core/testing';
+import {
+  async, ComponentFixture, TestBed, fakeAsync, tick,
+  flushMicrotasks
+} from '@angular/core/testing';
 import {NgModel, FormsModule, ReactiveFormsModule, FormControl} from '@angular/forms';
 import {MdSlideToggle, MdSlideToggleChange, MdSlideToggleModule} from './index';
 import {TestGestureConfig} from '../slider/test-gesture-config';
@@ -56,17 +59,17 @@ describe('MdSlideToggle', () => {
       labelElement = fixture.debugElement.query(By.css('label')).nativeElement;
     }));
 
-    // TODO(kara); update when core/testing adds fix
-    it('should update the model correctly', async(() => {
+    it('should update the model correctly', fakeAsync(() => {
       expect(slideToggleElement.classList).not.toContain('mat-checked');
 
       testComponent.slideModel = true;
       fixture.detectChanges();
-      fixture.whenStable().then(() => {
-        fixture.detectChanges();
-        expect(slideToggleElement.classList).toContain('mat-checked');
-      });
 
+      // Flush the microtasks because the forms module updates the model state asynchronously.
+      flushMicrotasks();
+
+      fixture.detectChanges();
+      expect(slideToggleElement.classList).toContain('mat-checked');
     }));
 
     it('should apply class based on color attribute', () => {
@@ -333,19 +336,23 @@ describe('MdSlideToggle', () => {
       expect(slideToggleElement.classList).not.toContain('mat-checked');
     });
 
-    // TODO(kara): update when core/testing adds fix
-    it('should not set the control to touched when changing the model', async(() => {
+    it('should not set the control to touched when changing the model', fakeAsync(() => {
       // The control should start off with being untouched.
       expect(slideToggleModel.touched).toBe(false);
 
       testComponent.slideModel = true;
       fixture.detectChanges();
-      fixture.whenStable().then(() => {
-        fixture.detectChanges();
-        expect(slideToggleModel.touched).toBe(false);
-        expect(slideToggle.checked).toBe(true);
-        expect(slideToggleElement.classList).toContain('mat-checked');
-      });
+
+      // Flush the microtasks because the forms module updates the model state asynchronously.
+      flushMicrotasks();
+
+      // The checked property has been updated from the model and now the view needs
+      // to reflect the state change.
+      fixture.detectChanges();
+
+      expect(slideToggleModel.touched).toBe(false);
+      expect(slideToggle.checked).toBe(true);
+      expect(slideToggleElement.classList).toContain('mat-checked');
     }));
 
     it('should forward the required attribute', () => {