diff --git a/src/cdk/drag-drop/drag.spec.ts b/src/cdk/drag-drop/drag.spec.ts
index c56a3526b64c..8538d42c3c58 100644
--- a/src/cdk/drag-drop/drag.spec.ts
+++ b/src/cdk/drag-drop/drag.spec.ts
@@ -578,6 +578,13 @@ describe('CdkDrag', () => {
       expect(dragElement.style.transform).toBe('translate3d(100px, 100px, 0px)');
     }));
 
+    it('should throw if attached to an ng-container', fakeAsync(() => {
+      expect(() => {
+        createComponent(DraggableOnNgContainer).detectChanges();
+        flush();
+      }).toThrowError(/^cdkDrag must be attached to an element node/);
+    }));
+
   });
 
   describe('draggable with a handle', () => {
@@ -2766,6 +2773,15 @@ class NestedDropListGroups {
 }
 
 
+@Component({
+  template: `
+    <ng-container cdkDrag></ng-container>
+  `
+})
+class DraggableOnNgContainer {}
+
+
+
 /**
  * Component that passes through whatever content is projected into it.
  * Used to test having drag elements being projected into a component.
diff --git a/src/cdk/drag-drop/drag.ts b/src/cdk/drag-drop/drag.ts
index a59106226100..32dcd3a4e4ab 100644
--- a/src/cdk/drag-drop/drag.ts
+++ b/src/cdk/drag-drop/drag.ts
@@ -323,6 +323,12 @@ export class CdkDrag<T = any> implements AfterViewInit, OnDestroy {
       .pipe(take(1))
       .subscribe(() => {
         const rootElement = this._rootElement = this._getRootElement();
+
+        if (rootElement.nodeType !== this._document.ELEMENT_NODE) {
+          throw Error(`cdkDrag must be attached to an element node. ` +
+                      `Currently attached to "${rootElement.nodeName}".`);
+        }
+
         rootElement.addEventListener('mousedown', this._pointerDown, activeEventListenerOptions);
         rootElement.addEventListener('touchstart', this._pointerDown, passiveEventListenerOptions);
         this._handles.changes.pipe(startWith(null)).subscribe(() =>