diff --git a/src/cdk/table/table.spec.ts b/src/cdk/table/table.spec.ts
index 31683d740e98..586c59eb5218 100644
--- a/src/cdk/table/table.spec.ts
+++ b/src/cdk/table/table.spec.ts
@@ -305,28 +305,6 @@ describe('CdkTable', () => {
     ]);
   });
 
-  it('should be able to render and change multiple header and footer rows', () => {
-    setupTableTestApp(MultipleHeaderFooterRowsCdkTableApp);
-    fixture.detectChanges();
-
-    expectTableToMatchContent(tableElement, [
-      ['first-header'],
-      ['second-header'],
-      ['first-footer'],
-      ['second-footer'],
-    ]);
-
-    component.showAlternativeHeadersAndFooters = true;
-    fixture.detectChanges();
-
-    expectTableToMatchContent(tableElement, [
-      ['first-header'],
-      ['second-header'],
-      ['first-footer'],
-      ['second-footer'],
-    ]);
-  });
-
   describe('with different data inputs other than data source', () => {
     let baseData: TestData[] = [
       {a: 'a_1', b: 'b_1', c: 'c_1'},
@@ -1513,40 +1491,14 @@ class NullDataCdkTableApp {
         <td cdk-footer-cell *cdkFooterCellDef> second-footer </td>
       </ng-container>
 
-      <ng-container *ngIf="!showAlternativeHeadersAndFooters">
-        <tr cdk-header-row *cdkHeaderRowDef="['first-header']"></tr>
-        <tr cdk-header-row *cdkHeaderRowDef="['second-header']"></tr>
-        <tr cdk-footer-row *cdkFooterRowDef="['first-footer']"></tr>
-        <tr cdk-footer-row *cdkFooterRowDef="['second-footer']"></tr>
-      </ng-container>
-
-      <ng-container cdkColumnDef="alt-first-header">
-        <th cdk-header-cell *cdkHeaderCellDef> alt-first-header </th>
-      </ng-container>
-
-      <ng-container cdkColumnDef="alt-second-header">
-        <th cdk-header-cell *cdkHeaderCellDef> alt-second-header </th>
-      </ng-container>
-
-      <ng-container cdkColumnDef="alt-first-footer">
-        <td cdk-footer-cell *cdkFooterCellDef> alt-first-footer </td>
-      </ng-container>
-
-      <ng-container cdkColumnDef="alt-second-footer">
-        <td cdk-footer-cell *cdkFooterCellDef> alt-second-footer </td>
-      </ng-container>
-
-      <ng-container *ngIf="showAlternativeHeadersAndFooters">
-        <tr cdk-header-row *cdkHeaderRowDef="['alt-first-header']"></tr>
-        <tr cdk-header-row *cdkHeaderRowDef="['alt-second-header']"></tr>
-        <tr cdk-footer-row *cdkFooterRowDef="['alt-first-footer']"></tr>
-        <tr cdk-footer-row *cdkFooterRowDef="['alt-second-footer']"></tr>
-      </ng-container>
+      <tr cdk-header-row *cdkHeaderRowDef="['first-header']"></tr>
+      <tr cdk-header-row *cdkHeaderRowDef="['second-header']"></tr>
+      <tr cdk-footer-row *cdkFooterRowDef="['first-footer']"></tr>
+      <tr cdk-footer-row *cdkFooterRowDef="['second-footer']"></tr>
     </cdk-table>
   `
 })
 class MultipleHeaderFooterRowsCdkTableApp {
-  showAlternativeHeadersAndFooters = false;
 }
 
 @Component({