diff --git a/src/lib/core/option/_option-theme.scss b/src/lib/core/option/_option-theme.scss
index ddaf59a94f0..6a2a0fdb258 100644
--- a/src/lib/core/option/_option-theme.scss
+++ b/src/lib/core/option/_option-theme.scss
@@ -16,15 +16,15 @@
       background: mat-color($background, hover);
     }
 
-    &.mat-selected.mat-primary, .mat-primary &.mat-selected {
+    .mat-primary &.mat-selected {
       color: mat-color($primary);
     }
 
-    &.mat-selected.mat-accent, .mat-accent &.mat-selected {
+    .mat-accent &.mat-selected {
       color: mat-color($accent);
     }
 
-    &.mat-selected.mat-warn, .mat-warn &.mat-selected {
+    .mat-warn &.mat-selected {
       color: mat-color($warn);
     }
 
diff --git a/src/lib/core/option/option.html b/src/lib/core/option/option.html
index 205fae26873..4ed75942756 100644
--- a/src/lib/core/option/option.html
+++ b/src/lib/core/option/option.html
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 <span [ngSwitch]="_isCompatibilityMode" *ngIf="multiple">
   <mat-pseudo-checkbox class="mat-option-pseudo-checkbox" *ngSwitchCase="true"
-      [state]="selected ? 'checked' : ''" color="primary"></mat-pseudo-checkbox>
+      [state]="selected ? 'checked' : ''"></mat-pseudo-checkbox>
   <md-pseudo-checkbox class="mat-option-pseudo-checkbox" *ngSwitchDefault
-      [state]="selected ? 'checked' : ''" color="primary"></md-pseudo-checkbox>
+      [state]="selected ? 'checked' : ''"></md-pseudo-checkbox>
 </span>
 
 <ng-content></ng-content>
diff --git a/src/lib/core/selection/pseudo-checkbox/_pseudo-checkbox-theme.scss b/src/lib/core/selection/pseudo-checkbox/_pseudo-checkbox-theme.scss
index 04e8c7cf8a9..871fadce6f6 100644
--- a/src/lib/core/selection/pseudo-checkbox/_pseudo-checkbox-theme.scss
+++ b/src/lib/core/selection/pseudo-checkbox/_pseudo-checkbox-theme.scss
@@ -1,17 +1,5 @@
 @import '../../theming/theming';
 
-@mixin _mat-pseudo-checkbox-inner-content-theme($theme, $palette-name) {
-  $palette: map-get($theme, $palette-name);
-  $color: mat-color($palette);
-
-  .mat-pseudo-checkbox-checked.mat-#{$palette-name},
-  .mat-pseudo-checkbox-indeterminate.mat-#{$palette-name},
-  .mat-#{$palette-name} .mat-pseudo-checkbox-checked,
-  .mat-#{$palette-name} .mat-pseudo-checkbox-indeterminate {
-    background: $color;
-  }
-}
-
 @mixin mat-pseudo-checkbox-theme($theme) {
   $is-dark-theme: map-get($theme, is-dark);
   $primary: map-get($theme, primary);
@@ -35,11 +23,28 @@
     }
   }
 
-  @include _mat-pseudo-checkbox-inner-content-theme($theme, primary);
-  @include _mat-pseudo-checkbox-inner-content-theme($theme, accent);
-  @include _mat-pseudo-checkbox-inner-content-theme($theme, warn);
+  // Default to the accent color. Note that the pseudo checkboxes are meant to inherit the
+  // theme from their parent, rather than implementing their own theming, which is why we
+  // don't attach to the `mat-*` classes.
+  .mat-pseudo-checkbox-checked,
+  .mat-pseudo-checkbox-indeterminate,
+  .mat-accent .mat-pseudo-checkbox-checked,
+  .mat-accent .mat-pseudo-checkbox-indeterminate {
+    background: mat-color(map-get($theme, accent));
+  }
 
-  .mat-pseudo-checkbox-checked, .mat-pseudo-checkbox-indeterminate {
+  .mat-primary .mat-pseudo-checkbox-checked,
+  .mat-primary .mat-pseudo-checkbox-indeterminate {
+    background: mat-color(map-get($theme, primary));
+  }
+
+  .mat-warn .mat-pseudo-checkbox-checked,
+  .mat-warn .mat-pseudo-checkbox-indeterminate {
+    background: mat-color(map-get($theme, warn));
+  }
+
+  .mat-pseudo-checkbox-checked,
+  .mat-pseudo-checkbox-indeterminate {
     &.mat-pseudo-checkbox-disabled {
       background: $disabled-color;
     }
diff --git a/src/lib/core/selection/pseudo-checkbox/pseudo-checkbox.ts b/src/lib/core/selection/pseudo-checkbox/pseudo-checkbox.ts
index b3a82a4d9c8..a47534db61f 100644
--- a/src/lib/core/selection/pseudo-checkbox/pseudo-checkbox.ts
+++ b/src/lib/core/selection/pseudo-checkbox/pseudo-checkbox.ts
@@ -6,31 +6,16 @@
  * found in the LICENSE file at https://angular.io/license
  */
 
-import {
-  Component,
-  ViewEncapsulation,
-  Input,
-  ElementRef,
-  Renderer2,
-  ChangeDetectionStrategy,
-} from '@angular/core';
-import {CanColor, mixinColor} from '../../common-behaviors/color';
+import {Component, ViewEncapsulation, Input, ChangeDetectionStrategy} from '@angular/core';
 
 export type MdPseudoCheckboxState = 'unchecked' | 'checked' | 'indeterminate';
 
-
-// Boilerplate for applying mixins to MdChip.
-/** @docs-private */
-export class MdPseudoCheckboxBase {
-  constructor(public _renderer: Renderer2, public _elementRef: ElementRef) {}
-}
-export const _MdPseudoCheckboxBase = mixinColor(MdPseudoCheckboxBase, 'accent');
-
-
 /**
  * Component that shows a simplified checkbox without including any kind of "real" checkbox.
  * Meant to be used when the checkbox is purely decorative and a large number of them will be
  * included, such as for the options in a multi-select. Uses no SVGs or complex animations.
+ * Note that theming is meant to be handled by the parent element, e.g.
+ * `mat-primary .mat-pseudo-checkbox`.
  *
  * Note that this component will be completely invisible to screen-reader users. This is *not*
  * interchangeable with <md-checkbox> and should *not* be used if the user would directly interact
@@ -44,7 +29,6 @@ export const _MdPseudoCheckboxBase = mixinColor(MdPseudoCheckboxBase, 'accent');
   changeDetection: ChangeDetectionStrategy.OnPush,
   selector: 'md-pseudo-checkbox, mat-pseudo-checkbox',
   styleUrls: ['pseudo-checkbox.css'],
-  inputs: ['color'],
   template: '',
   host: {
     'class': 'mat-pseudo-checkbox',
@@ -53,14 +37,10 @@ export const _MdPseudoCheckboxBase = mixinColor(MdPseudoCheckboxBase, 'accent');
     '[class.mat-pseudo-checkbox-disabled]': 'disabled',
   },
 })
-export class MdPseudoCheckbox extends _MdPseudoCheckboxBase implements CanColor {
+export class MdPseudoCheckbox {
   /** Display state of the checkbox. */
   @Input() state: MdPseudoCheckboxState = 'unchecked';
 
   /** Whether the checkbox is disabled. */
   @Input() disabled: boolean = false;
-
-  constructor(elementRef: ElementRef, renderer: Renderer2) {
-    super(renderer, elementRef);
-  }
 }