diff --git a/src/lib/datepicker/calendar.html b/src/lib/datepicker/calendar.html
index 0af5479a970..3b16ffa9265 100644
--- a/src/lib/datepicker/calendar.html
+++ b/src/lib/datepicker/calendar.html
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
       [selected]="selected"
       [dateFilter]="_dateFilterForViews"
       (selectedChange)="_dateSelected($event)"
-      (userSelection)="_userSelected()">
+      (_userSelection)="_userSelected()">
   </mat-month-view>
 
   <mat-year-view
diff --git a/src/lib/datepicker/calendar.ts b/src/lib/datepicker/calendar.ts
index e73d36795b7..94681fafa1e 100644
--- a/src/lib/datepicker/calendar.ts
+++ b/src/lib/datepicker/calendar.ts
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ export class MatCalendar<D> implements AfterContentInit, OnDestroy, OnChanges {
   @Output() selectedChange = new EventEmitter<D>();
 
   /** Emits when any date is selected. */
-  @Output() userSelection = new EventEmitter<void>();
+  @Output() _userSelection = new EventEmitter<void>();
 
   /** Reference to the current month view component. */
   @ViewChild(MatMonthView) monthView: MatMonthView<D>;
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ export class MatCalendar<D> implements AfterContentInit, OnDestroy, OnChanges {
   }
 
   _userSelected(): void {
-    this.userSelection.emit();
+    this._userSelection.emit();
   }
 
   /** Handles month selection in the year view. */
diff --git a/src/lib/datepicker/datepicker-content.html b/src/lib/datepicker/datepicker-content.html
index fea716d55f6..ec6461ce748 100644
--- a/src/lib/datepicker/datepicker-content.html
+++ b/src/lib/datepicker/datepicker-content.html
@@ -7,5 +7,5 @@
     [dateFilter]="datepicker._dateFilter"
     [selected]="datepicker._selected"
     (selectedChange)="datepicker._select($event)"
-    (userSelection)="datepicker.close()">
+    (_userSelection)="datepicker.close()">
 </mat-calendar>
diff --git a/src/lib/datepicker/month-view.ts b/src/lib/datepicker/month-view.ts
index f7a4c2fc4ac..f112f67125b 100644
--- a/src/lib/datepicker/month-view.ts
+++ b/src/lib/datepicker/month-view.ts
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ export class MatMonthView<D> implements AfterContentInit {
   @Output() selectedChange = new EventEmitter<D | null>();
 
   /** Emits when any date is selected. */
-  @Output() userSelection = new EventEmitter<void>();
+  @Output() _userSelection = new EventEmitter<void>();
 
   /** The label for this month (e.g. "January 2017"). */
   _monthLabel: string;
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ export class MatMonthView<D> implements AfterContentInit {
       this.selectedChange.emit(selectedDate);
     }
 
-    this.userSelection.emit();
+    this._userSelection.emit();
   }
 
   /** Initializes this month view. */