diff --git a/src/material/datepicker/calendar-header.html b/src/material/datepicker/calendar-header.html
index 2ffe6c6d1dd6..ee72dd31189c 100644
--- a/src/material/datepicker/calendar-header.html
+++ b/src/material/datepicker/calendar-header.html
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 
     <button matIconButton type="button" class="mat-calendar-previous-button"
             [disabled]="!previousEnabled()" (click)="previousClicked()"
-            [attr.aria-label]="prevButtonLabel">
+            [attr.aria-label]="prevButtonLabel" disabledInteractive>
       <svg viewBox="0 0 24 24" focusable="false" aria-hidden="true">
         <path d="M15.41 7.41L14 6l-6 6 6 6 1.41-1.41L10.83 12z"/>
        </svg>
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
 
     <button matIconButton type="button" class="mat-calendar-next-button"
             [disabled]="!nextEnabled()" (click)="nextClicked()"
-            [attr.aria-label]="nextButtonLabel">
+            [attr.aria-label]="nextButtonLabel" disabledInteractive>
       <svg viewBox="0 0 24 24" focusable="false" aria-hidden="true">
         <path d="M10 6L8.59 7.41 13.17 12l-4.58 4.59L10 18l6-6z"/>
       </svg>
diff --git a/src/material/datepicker/calendar-header.spec.ts b/src/material/datepicker/calendar-header.spec.ts
index 8b67d0d079e4..baf561d3c202 100644
--- a/src/material/datepicker/calendar-header.spec.ts
+++ b/src/material/datepicker/calendar-header.spec.ts
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ describe('MatCalendarHeader', () => {
       fixture.detectChanges();
 
       expect(calendarInstance.currentView).toBe('multi-year');
-      expect(prevButton.disabled).toBe(true);
+      expect(prevButton.getAttribute('aria-disabled')).toBe('true');
     });
 
     it('should enable the page after the one showing minDate', () => {
@@ -255,7 +255,7 @@ describe('MatCalendarHeader', () => {
       fixture.detectChanges();
 
       expect(calendarInstance.currentView).toBe('multi-year');
-      expect(nextButton.disabled).toBe(false);
+      expect(nextButton.hasAttribute('aria-disabled')).toBe(false);
     });
   });
 
@@ -300,7 +300,7 @@ describe('MatCalendarHeader', () => {
       fixture.detectChanges();
 
       expect(calendarInstance.currentView).toBe('multi-year');
-      expect(nextButton.disabled).toBe(true);
+      expect(nextButton.getAttribute('aria-disabled')).toBe('true');
     });
 
     it('should enable the page before the one showing maxDate', () => {
@@ -309,7 +309,7 @@ describe('MatCalendarHeader', () => {
       fixture.detectChanges();
 
       expect(calendarInstance.currentView).toBe('multi-year');
-      expect(prevButton.disabled).toBe(false);
+      expect(prevButton.hasAttribute('aria-disabled')).toBe(false);
     });
   });
 
@@ -356,7 +356,7 @@ describe('MatCalendarHeader', () => {
       fixture.detectChanges();
 
       expect(calendarInstance.currentView).toBe('multi-year');
-      expect(nextButton.disabled).toBe(true);
+      expect(nextButton.getAttribute('aria-disabled')).toBe('true');
     });
 
     it('should disable the page before the one showing minDate', () => {
@@ -371,7 +371,7 @@ describe('MatCalendarHeader', () => {
       fixture.detectChanges();
 
       expect(calendarInstance.activeDate).toEqual(new Date(2018 - yearsPerPage, JAN, 1));
-      expect(prevButton.disabled).toBe(true);
+      expect(prevButton.getAttribute('aria-disabled')).toBe('true');
     });
   });
 });
diff --git a/src/material/datepicker/calendar.spec.ts b/src/material/datepicker/calendar.spec.ts
index 76149d06b2c2..ba2920b89b47 100644
--- a/src/material/datepicker/calendar.spec.ts
+++ b/src/material/datepicker/calendar.spec.ts
@@ -354,13 +354,17 @@ describe('MatCalendar', () => {
         '.mat-calendar-previous-button',
       ) as HTMLButtonElement;
 
-      expect(prevButton.disabled).withContext('previous button should not be disabled').toBe(false);
+      expect(prevButton.hasAttribute('aria-disabled'))
+        .withContext('previous button should not be disabled')
+        .toBe(false);
       expect(calendarInstance.activeDate).toEqual(new Date(2016, FEB, 1));
 
       prevButton.click();
       fixture.detectChanges();
 
-      expect(prevButton.disabled).withContext('previous button should be disabled').toBe(true);
+      expect(prevButton.getAttribute('aria-disabled'))
+        .withContext('previous button should be disabled')
+        .toBe('true');
       expect(calendarInstance.activeDate).toEqual(new Date(2016, JAN, 1));
 
       prevButton.click();
@@ -378,13 +382,17 @@ describe('MatCalendar', () => {
         '.mat-calendar-next-button',
       ) as HTMLButtonElement;
 
-      expect(nextButton.disabled).withContext('next button should not be disabled').toBe(false);
+      expect(nextButton.hasAttribute('aria-disabled'))
+        .withContext('next button should not be disabled')
+        .toBe(false);
       expect(calendarInstance.activeDate).toEqual(new Date(2017, DEC, 1));
 
       nextButton.click();
       fixture.detectChanges();
 
-      expect(nextButton.disabled).withContext('next button should be disabled').toBe(true);
+      expect(nextButton.getAttribute('aria-disabled'))
+        .withContext('next button should be disabled')
+        .toBe('true');
       expect(calendarInstance.activeDate).toEqual(new Date(2018, JAN, 1));
 
       nextButton.click();
diff --git a/src/material/datepicker/calendar.ts b/src/material/datepicker/calendar.ts
index f1d446f02ab7..583601417e77 100644
--- a/src/material/datepicker/calendar.ts
+++ b/src/material/datepicker/calendar.ts
@@ -114,24 +114,28 @@ export class MatCalendarHeader<D> {
 
   /** Handles user clicks on the previous button. */
   previousClicked(): void {
-    this.calendar.activeDate =
-      this.calendar.currentView == 'month'
-        ? this._dateAdapter.addCalendarMonths(this.calendar.activeDate, -1)
-        : this._dateAdapter.addCalendarYears(
-            this.calendar.activeDate,
-            this.calendar.currentView == 'year' ? -1 : -yearsPerPage,
-          );
+    if (this.previousEnabled()) {
+      this.calendar.activeDate =
+        this.calendar.currentView == 'month'
+          ? this._dateAdapter.addCalendarMonths(this.calendar.activeDate, -1)
+          : this._dateAdapter.addCalendarYears(
+              this.calendar.activeDate,
+              this.calendar.currentView == 'year' ? -1 : -yearsPerPage,
+            );
+    }
   }
 
   /** Handles user clicks on the next button. */
   nextClicked(): void {
-    this.calendar.activeDate =
-      this.calendar.currentView == 'month'
-        ? this._dateAdapter.addCalendarMonths(this.calendar.activeDate, 1)
-        : this._dateAdapter.addCalendarYears(
-            this.calendar.activeDate,
-            this.calendar.currentView == 'year' ? 1 : yearsPerPage,
-          );
+    if (this.nextEnabled()) {
+      this.calendar.activeDate =
+        this.calendar.currentView == 'month'
+          ? this._dateAdapter.addCalendarMonths(this.calendar.activeDate, 1)
+          : this._dateAdapter.addCalendarYears(
+              this.calendar.activeDate,
+              this.calendar.currentView == 'year' ? 1 : yearsPerPage,
+            );
+    }
   }
 
   /** Whether the previous period button is enabled. */