diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 16793f398c85..f405b0cfbd73 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# Material Design for Angular
+# Material Design for Angular test
 [![npm version](https://badge.fury.io/js/%40angular%2Fmaterial.svg)](https://www.npmjs.com/package/%40angular%2Fmaterial)
 [![Build status](https://circleci.com/gh/angular/material2.svg?style=svg)](https://circleci.com/gh/angular/material2)
 [![Gitter](https://badges.gitter.im/angular/material2.svg)](https://gitter.im/angular/material2?utm_source=badge&utm_medium=badge&utm_campaign=pr-badge)
diff --git a/src/lib/sort/sort.spec.ts b/src/lib/sort/sort.spec.ts
index ffe8e34ef1ad..304336d948d1 100644
--- a/src/lib/sort/sort.spec.ts
+++ b/src/lib/sort/sort.spec.ts
@@ -403,12 +403,20 @@ function testSingleColumnSortDirectionSequence(fixture: ComponentFixture<SimpleM
   component.matSort.direction = '';
 
   // Run through the sequence to confirm the order
-  let actualSequence = expectedSequence.map(() => {
+  let actualSequence = expectedSequence.map((currentSequence) => {
     component.sort(id);
 
+
     // Check that the sort event's active sort is consistent with the MatSort
-    expect(component.matSort.active).toBe(id);
-    expect(component.latestSortEvent.active).toBe(id);
+      if (currentSequence) {
+        expect(component.matSort.active).toBe(id);
+        expect(component.latestSortEvent.active).toBe(id);
+      } else {
+        // For empty sequence the mat sort active should be empty
+        expect(component.matSort.active).toBe('');
+        expect(component.latestSortEvent.active).toBe('');
+      }
+
 
     // Check that the sort event's direction is consistent with the MatSort
     expect(component.matSort.direction).toBe(component.latestSortEvent.direction);
diff --git a/src/lib/sort/sort.ts b/src/lib/sort/sort.ts
index 2c4167b80b98..87ca2b73df4d 100644
--- a/src/lib/sort/sort.ts
+++ b/src/lib/sort/sort.ts
@@ -74,8 +74,8 @@ export class MatSort extends _MatSortMixinBase
   /** Used to notify any child components listening to state changes. */
   readonly _stateChanges = new Subject<void>();
 
-  /** The id of the most recently sorted MatSortable. */
-  @Input('matSortActive') active: string;
+  /** The id of the sorted MatSortable. */
+  @Input('matSortActive') active: string = '';
 
   /**
    * The direction to set when an MatSortable is initially sorted.
@@ -137,7 +137,9 @@ export class MatSort extends _MatSortMixinBase
     } else {
       this.direction = this.getNextSortDirection(sortable);
     }
-
+    if (!this.direction) {
+      this.active = '';
+    }
     this.sortChange.emit({active: this.active, direction: this.direction});
   }