diff --git a/src/lib/core/gestures/gesture-annotations.ts b/src/lib/core/gestures/gesture-annotations.ts
index c7193f31b9e..81d56172a56 100644
--- a/src/lib/core/gestures/gesture-annotations.ts
+++ b/src/lib/core/gestures/gesture-annotations.ts
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 /**
  * Stripped-down HammerJS annotations to be used within Material, which are necessary,
  * because HammerJS is an optional dependency. For the full annotations see:
- * https://github.com/DefinitelyTyped/DefinitelyTyped/tree/master/hammerjs
+ * https://github.com/DefinitelyTyped/DefinitelyTyped/blob/master/types/hammerjs/index.d.ts
  */
 
 /** @docs-private */
@@ -54,3 +54,16 @@ export interface HammerManager {
   off(events: string, handler?: Function): void;
   on(events: string, handler: Function): void;
 }
+
+/** @docs-private */
+export interface HammerOptions {
+  cssProps?: {[key: string]: string};
+  domEvents?: boolean;
+  enable?: boolean | ((manager: HammerManager) => boolean);
+  preset?: any[];
+  touchAction?: string;
+  recognizers?: any[];
+
+  inputClass?: HammerInput;
+  inputTarget?: EventTarget;
+}
diff --git a/src/lib/core/gestures/gesture-config.spec.ts b/src/lib/core/gestures/gesture-config.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..40abf09d903
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/core/gestures/gesture-config.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+import {TestBed, async} from '@angular/core/testing';
+import {Component} from '@angular/core';
+import {HAMMER_GESTURE_CONFIG} from '@angular/platform-browser';
+import {GestureConfig, MAT_HAMMER_OPTIONS} from './gesture-config';
+
+describe('GestureConfig', () => {
+  beforeEach(async(() => {
+    TestBed.configureTestingModule({
+      declarations: [TestApp],
+      providers: [{provide: HAMMER_GESTURE_CONFIG, useClass: GestureConfig}]
+    }).compileComponents();
+  }));
+
+  it('should instantiate HammerJS', () => {
+    spyOn(window, 'Hammer' as any).and.callThrough();
+
+    const fixture = TestBed.createComponent(TestApp);
+    fixture.detectChanges();
+
+    expect(window['Hammer']).toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it('should be able to pass options to HammerJS', () => {
+    TestBed
+      .resetTestingModule()
+      .configureTestingModule({
+        declarations: [TestApp],
+        providers: [
+          {provide: HAMMER_GESTURE_CONFIG, useClass: GestureConfig},
+          {provide: MAT_HAMMER_OPTIONS, useValue: {cssProps: {touchAction: 'auto'}}}
+        ]
+      })
+      .compileComponents();
+
+    spyOn(window, 'Hammer' as any).and.callThrough();
+
+    const fixture = TestBed.createComponent(TestApp);
+    fixture.detectChanges();
+
+    const button = fixture.debugElement.nativeElement.querySelector('button');
+    const firstCallArgs = window['Hammer'].calls.first().args;
+
+    expect(firstCallArgs[0]).toBe(button);
+    expect(firstCallArgs[1].cssProps.touchAction).toBe('auto');
+  });
+
+});
+
+
+@Component({
+  template: `<button (longpress)="noop()">Long press me</button>`
+})
+class TestApp {
+  noop() {}
+}
diff --git a/src/lib/core/gestures/gesture-config.ts b/src/lib/core/gestures/gesture-config.ts
index 2299daede94..02a692430eb 100644
--- a/src/lib/core/gestures/gesture-config.ts
+++ b/src/lib/core/gestures/gesture-config.ts
@@ -6,10 +6,22 @@
  * found in the LICENSE file at https://angular.io/license
  */
 
-import {Injectable, Optional} from '@angular/core';
+import {Injectable, InjectionToken, Inject, Optional} from '@angular/core';
 import {HammerGestureConfig} from '@angular/platform-browser';
 import {MatCommonModule} from '../common-behaviors/common-module';
-import {HammerInstance, HammerStatic, Recognizer, RecognizerStatic} from './gesture-annotations';
+import {
+  HammerStatic,
+  HammerInstance,
+  Recognizer,
+  RecognizerStatic,
+  HammerOptions,
+} from './gesture-annotations';
+
+/**
+ * Injection token that can be used to provide options to the Hammerjs instance.
+ * More info at http://hammerjs.github.io/api/.
+ */
+export const MAT_HAMMER_OPTIONS = new InjectionToken<HammerOptions>('MAT_HAMMER_OPTIONS');
 
 /* Adjusts configuration of our gesture library, Hammer. */
 @Injectable()
@@ -26,7 +38,9 @@ export class GestureConfig extends HammerGestureConfig {
     'slideleft'
   ] : [];
 
-  constructor(@Optional() commonModule?: MatCommonModule) {
+  constructor(
+    @Optional() @Inject(MAT_HAMMER_OPTIONS) private _hammerOptions?: HammerOptions,
+    @Optional() commonModule?: MatCommonModule) {
     super();
     if (commonModule) {
       commonModule._checkHammerIsAvailable();
@@ -47,18 +61,18 @@ export class GestureConfig extends HammerGestureConfig {
    * @returns Newly-created HammerJS instance.
    */
   buildHammer(element: HTMLElement): HammerInstance {
-    const mc = new this._hammer(element);
+    const mc = new this._hammer(element, this._hammerOptions || undefined);
 
     // Default Hammer Recognizers.
-    let pan = new this._hammer.Pan();
-    let swipe = new this._hammer.Swipe();
-    let press = new this._hammer.Press();
+    const pan = new this._hammer.Pan();
+    const swipe = new this._hammer.Swipe();
+    const press = new this._hammer.Press();
 
     // Notice that a HammerJS recognizer can only depend on one other recognizer once.
     // Otherwise the previous `recognizeWith` will be dropped.
     // TODO: Confirm threshold numbers with Material Design UX Team
-    let slide = this._createRecognizer(pan, {event: 'slide', threshold: 0}, swipe);
-    let longpress = this._createRecognizer(press, {event: 'longpress', time: 500});
+    const slide = this._createRecognizer(pan, {event: 'slide', threshold: 0}, swipe);
+    const longpress = this._createRecognizer(press, {event: 'longpress', time: 500});
 
     // Overwrite the default `pan` event to use the swipe event.
     pan.recognizeWith(swipe);