diff --git a/src/lib/schematics/BUILD.bazel b/src/lib/schematics/BUILD.bazel
index f9cfa39202dc..76c5a52a6ee2 100644
--- a/src/lib/schematics/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/src/lib/schematics/BUILD.bazel
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package(default_visibility = ["//visibility:public"])
 
 load("@build_bazel_rules_typescript//:defs.bzl", "ts_library")
 load("@build_bazel_rules_nodejs//:defs.bzl", "npm_package", "jasmine_node_test")
+load("//:packages.bzl", "VERSION_PLACEHOLDER_REPLACEMENTS")
 
 filegroup(
   name = "schematics_assets",
@@ -20,6 +21,7 @@ npm_package(
   name = "npm_package",
   srcs = [":schematics_assets"],
   deps = [":schematics"],
+  replacements = VERSION_PLACEHOLDER_REPLACEMENTS,
 )
 
 ### Testing rules
diff --git a/src/lib/schematics/install/index.spec.ts b/src/lib/schematics/install/index.spec.ts
index 7369ff843f4f..1149cbd66321 100644
--- a/src/lib/schematics/install/index.spec.ts
+++ b/src/lib/schematics/install/index.spec.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import {SchematicTestRunner} from '@angular-devkit/schematics/testing';
 import {getProjectFromWorkspace} from '../utils/get-project';
 import {getFileContent} from '@schematics/angular/utility/test';
 import {collectionPath, createTestApp} from '../utils/testing';
-import {getConfig, getAppFromConfig, getWorkspace} from '@schematics/angular/utility/config';
+import {getWorkspace} from '@schematics/angular/utility/config';
 import {getIndexHtmlPath} from '../utils/ast';
 import {normalize} from '@angular-devkit/core';
 
@@ -19,9 +19,12 @@ describe('material-install-schematic', () => {
   it('should update package.json', () => {
     const tree = runner.runSchematic('ng-add', {}, appTree);
     const packageJson = JSON.parse(getFileContent(tree, '/package.json'));
+    const angularCoreVersion = packageJson.dependencies['@angular/core'];
 
     expect(packageJson.dependencies['@angular/material']).toBeDefined();
     expect(packageJson.dependencies['@angular/cdk']).toBeDefined();
+    expect(packageJson.dependencies['@angular/animations']).toBe(angularCoreVersion,
+      'Expected the @angular/animations package to have the same version as @angular/core.');
   });
 
   it('should add default theme', () => {
diff --git a/src/lib/schematics/install/index.ts b/src/lib/schematics/install/index.ts
index 2fbe6645dfba..50612b1ce4a9 100644
--- a/src/lib/schematics/install/index.ts
+++ b/src/lib/schematics/install/index.ts
@@ -15,13 +15,13 @@ import {
   Tree,
 } from '@angular-devkit/schematics';
 import {NodePackageInstallTask} from '@angular-devkit/schematics/tasks';
-import {addModuleImportToRootModule, getStylesPath} from '../utils/ast';
 import {InsertChange} from '@schematics/angular/utility/change';
 import {getWorkspace} from '@schematics/angular/utility/config';
+import {materialVersion, requiredAngularVersion} from './version-names';
+import {addModuleImportToRootModule, getStylesPath} from '../utils/ast';
 import {getProjectFromWorkspace} from '../utils/get-project';
 import {addHeadLink} from '../utils/html';
-import {angularVersion, materialVersion} from '../utils/lib-versions';
-import {addPackageToPackageJson} from '../utils/package';
+import {addPackageToPackageJson, getPackageVersionFromPackageJson} from '../utils/package';
 import {Schema} from './schema';
 import {addThemeToAppStyles} from './theming';
 import * as parse5 from 'parse5';
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ import * as parse5 from 'parse5';
  * Scaffolds the basics of a Angular Material application, this includes:
  *  - Add Packages to package.json
  *  - Adds pre-built themes to styles.ext
- *  - Adds Browser Animation to app.momdule
+ *  - Adds Browser Animation to app.module
  */
 export default function(options: Schema): Rule {
   if (!parse5) {
@@ -47,13 +47,21 @@ export default function(options: Schema): Rule {
   ]);
 }
 
-/** Add material, cdk, annimations to package.json if not already present. */
+/** Add material, cdk, animations to package.json if not already present. */
 function addMaterialToPackageJson() {
   return (host: Tree, context: SchematicContext) => {
+    // Version tag of the `@angular/core` dependency that has been loaded from the `package.json`
+    // of the CLI project. This tag should be preferred because all Angular dependencies should
+    // have the same version tag if possible.
+    const ngCoreVersionTag = getPackageVersionFromPackageJson(host, '@angular/core');
+
     addPackageToPackageJson(host, 'dependencies', '@angular/cdk', materialVersion);
     addPackageToPackageJson(host, 'dependencies', '@angular/material', materialVersion);
-    addPackageToPackageJson(host, 'dependencies', '@angular/animations', angularVersion);
+    addPackageToPackageJson(host, 'dependencies', '@angular/animations',
+        ngCoreVersionTag || requiredAngularVersion);
+
     context.addTask(new NodePackageInstallTask());
+
     return host;
   };
 }
diff --git a/src/lib/schematics/install/version-names.ts b/src/lib/schematics/install/version-names.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..94e18e762044
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/schematics/install/version-names.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+/**
+ * @license
+ * Copyright Google LLC All Rights Reserved.
+ *
+ * Use of this source code is governed by an MIT-style license that can be
+ * found in the LICENSE file at https://angular.io/license
+ */
+
+/** Name of the Material version that is shipped together with the schematics. */
+export const materialVersion =
+  loadPackageVersionGracefully('@angular/cdk') ||
+  loadPackageVersionGracefully('@angular/material');
+
+/** Angular version that is needed for the Material version that comes with the schematics. */
+export const requiredAngularVersion = '0.0.0-NG';
+
+/** Loads the full version from the given Angular package gracefully. */
+function loadPackageVersionGracefully(packageName: string): string | null {
+  try {
+    return require(packageName).VERSION.full;
+  } catch {
+    return null;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/lib/schematics/utils/lib-versions.ts b/src/lib/schematics/utils/lib-versions.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 959a2b087b4b..000000000000
--- a/src/lib/schematics/utils/lib-versions.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,10 +0,0 @@
-/**
- * @license
- * Copyright Google LLC All Rights Reserved.
- *
- * Use of this source code is governed by an MIT-style license that can be
- * found in the LICENSE file at https://angular.io/license
- */
-
-export const materialVersion = '^6.2.0';
-export const angularVersion = '^6.0.0';
diff --git a/src/lib/schematics/utils/package.ts b/src/lib/schematics/utils/package.ts
index a525028229b1..493718730456 100644
--- a/src/lib/schematics/utils/package.ts
+++ b/src/lib/schematics/utils/package.ts
@@ -8,11 +8,10 @@
 
 import {Tree} from '@angular-devkit/schematics';
 
-/**
- * Adds a package to the package.json
- */
-export function addPackageToPackageJson(
-    host: Tree, type: string, pkg: string, version: string): Tree {
+/** Adds a package to the package.json in the given host tree. */
+export function addPackageToPackageJson(host: Tree, type: string, pkg: string,
+                                        version: string): Tree {
+
   if (host.exists('package.json')) {
     const sourceText = host.read('package.json')!.toString('utf-8');
     const json = JSON.parse(sourceText);
@@ -29,3 +28,18 @@ export function addPackageToPackageJson(
 
   return host;
 }
+
+/** Gets the version of the specified package by looking at the package.json in the given tree. */
+export function getPackageVersionFromPackageJson(tree: Tree, name: string): string | null {
+  if (!tree.exists('package.json')) {
+    return null;
+  }
+
+  const packageJson = JSON.parse(tree.read('package.json')!.toString('utf8'));
+
+  if (packageJson.dependencies && packageJson.dependencies[name]) {
+    return packageJson.dependencies[name];
+  }
+
+  return null;
+}
diff --git a/tools/gulp/tasks/material-release.ts b/tools/gulp/tasks/material-release.ts
index d1483ed0d0f4..c9c0771451bc 100644
--- a/tools/gulp/tasks/material-release.ts
+++ b/tools/gulp/tasks/material-release.ts
@@ -64,12 +64,12 @@ task('material:prepare-release', sequenceTask(
 ));
 
 task('material:copy-schematics', () => {
-  src(schematicsGlobs).pipe(dest(join(releasePath, 'schematics')));
+  return src(schematicsGlobs).pipe(dest(join(releasePath, 'schematics')));
 });
 
 /** Copies all prebuilt themes into the release package under `prebuilt-themes/` */
 task('material:copy-prebuilt-themes', () => {
-  src(prebuiltThemeGlob)
+  return src(prebuiltThemeGlob)
     .pipe(gulpRename({dirname: ''}))
     .pipe(dest(join(releasePath, 'prebuilt-themes')));
 });