diff --git a/src/lib/select/select.spec.ts b/src/lib/select/select.spec.ts
index c0c83903593..c811973f9f5 100644
--- a/src/lib/select/select.spec.ts
+++ b/src/lib/select/select.spec.ts
@@ -2704,6 +2704,41 @@ describe('MatSelect', () => {
 
   });
 
+  describe('with option centering disabled', () => {
+    beforeEach(async(() => configureMatSelectTestingModule([
+      SelectWithoutOptionCentering,
+    ])));
+
+    let fixture: ComponentFixture<SelectWithoutOptionCentering>;
+    let trigger: HTMLElement;
+    let select: HTMLElement;
+    let formField: HTMLElement;
+
+    beforeEach(fakeAsync(() => {
+      fixture = TestBed.createComponent(SelectWithoutOptionCentering);
+      fixture.detectChanges();
+      trigger = fixture.debugElement.query(By.css('.mat-select-trigger')).nativeElement;
+      select = fixture.debugElement.query(By.css('mat-select')).nativeElement;
+      formField = fixture.debugElement.query(By.css('mat-form-field')).nativeElement;
+    }));
+
+    it('should not align the active option with the trigger if centering is disabled',
+        fakeAsync(() => {
+          trigger.click();
+          fixture.detectChanges();
+          flush();
+
+          const scrollContainer = document.querySelector('.cdk-overlay-pane .mat-select-panel')!;
+
+          // The panel should be scrolled to 0 because centering the option disabled.
+          expect(scrollContainer.scrollTop).toEqual(0, `Expected panel not to be scrolled.`);
+          // The trigger should contain 'Pizza' because it was preselected
+          expect(trigger.textContent).toContain('Pizza');
+          // The selected index should be 1 because it was preselected
+          expect(fixture.componentInstance.options.toArray()[1].selected).toBe(true);
+        }));
+  });
+
   describe('positioning', () => {
     beforeEach(async(() => configureMatSelectTestingModule([
       BasicSelect,
@@ -4445,3 +4480,32 @@ class SingleSelectWithPreselectedArrayValues {
   @ViewChild(MatSelect) select: MatSelect;
   @ViewChildren(MatOption) options: QueryList<MatOption>;
 }
+
+@Component({
+  selector: 'select-without-option-centering',
+  template: `
+    <mat-form-field>
+      <mat-select placeholder="Food" [formControl]="control" disableOptionCentering>
+        <mat-option *ngFor="let food of foods" [value]="food.value">
+          {{ food.viewValue }}
+        </mat-option>
+      </mat-select>
+    </mat-form-field>
+  `
+})
+class SelectWithoutOptionCentering {
+  foods: any[] = [
+    { value: 'steak-0', viewValue: 'Steak' },
+    { value: 'pizza-1', viewValue: 'Pizza' },
+    { value: 'tacos-2', viewValue: 'Tacos'},
+    { value: 'sandwich-3', viewValue: 'Sandwich' },
+    { value: 'chips-4', viewValue: 'Chips' },
+    { value: 'eggs-5', viewValue: 'Eggs' },
+    { value: 'pasta-6', viewValue: 'Pasta' },
+    { value: 'sushi-7', viewValue: 'Sushi' },
+  ];
+  control = new FormControl('pizza-1');
+
+  @ViewChild(MatSelect) select: MatSelect;
+  @ViewChildren(MatOption) options: QueryList<MatOption>;
+}
diff --git a/src/lib/select/select.ts b/src/lib/select/select.ts
index 977e033ec19..87ad71a0c7d 100644
--- a/src/lib/select/select.ts
+++ b/src/lib/select/select.ts
@@ -308,6 +308,9 @@ export class MatSelect extends _MatSelectMixinBase implements AfterContentInit,
     },
   ];
 
+  /** Whether the component is disabling centering of the active option over the trigger. */
+  private _disableOptionCentering: boolean = false;
+
   /** Whether the select is focused. */
   focused: boolean = false;
 
@@ -362,6 +365,13 @@ export class MatSelect extends _MatSelectMixinBase implements AfterContentInit,
     this._multiple = coerceBooleanProperty(value);
   }
 
+  /** Whether to center the active option over the trigger. */
+  @Input()
+  get disableOptionCentering(): boolean { return this._disableOptionCentering; }
+  set disableOptionCentering(value: boolean) {
+    this._disableOptionCentering = coerceBooleanProperty(value);
+  }
+
   /**
    * A function to compare the option values with the selected values. The first argument
    * is a value from an option. The second is a value from the selection. A boolean
@@ -1118,6 +1128,11 @@ export class MatSelect extends _MatSelectMixinBase implements AfterContentInit,
     const maxOptionsDisplayed = Math.floor(SELECT_PANEL_MAX_HEIGHT / itemHeight);
     let optionOffsetFromPanelTop: number;
 
+    // Disable offset if requested by user by returning 0 as value to offset
+    if (this._disableOptionCentering) {
+      return 0;
+    }
+
     if (this._scrollTop === 0) {
       optionOffsetFromPanelTop = selectedIndex * itemHeight;
     } else if (this._scrollTop === maxScroll) {