diff --git a/src/cdk-experimental/popover-edit/edit-event-dispatcher.ts b/src/cdk-experimental/popover-edit/edit-event-dispatcher.ts
index 70c96ba20a5e..ff373b3a0094 100644
--- a/src/cdk-experimental/popover-edit/edit-event-dispatcher.ts
+++ b/src/cdk-experimental/popover-edit/edit-event-dispatcher.ts
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ export const enum HoverContentState {
  */
 @Injectable()
 export class EditEventDispatcher {
-  /** A subject that indicates which table cell is currently editing. */
+  /** A subject that indicates which table cell is currently editing (unless it is disabled). */
   readonly editing = new Subject<Element|null>();
 
   /** A subject that indicates which table row is currently hovered. */
@@ -62,6 +62,13 @@ export class EditEventDispatcher {
   /** A subject that emits mouse move events from the table indicating the targeted row. */
   readonly mouseMove = new Subject<Element|null>();
 
+  // TODO: Use WeakSet once IE11 support is dropped.
+  /**
+   * Tracks the currently disabled editable cells - edit calls will be ignored
+   * for these cells.
+   */
+  readonly disabledCells = new WeakMap<Element, boolean>();
+
   /** The EditRef for the currently active edit lens (if any). */
   get editRef(): EditRef<any>|null {
     return this._editRef;
@@ -81,9 +88,14 @@ export class EditEventDispatcher {
     this._distinctUntilChanged as MonoTypeOperatorFunction<Element|null>,
   );
 
+  readonly editingAndEnabled = this.editing.pipe(
+      filter(cell => cell == null || !this.disabledCells.has(cell)),
+      share(),
+  );
+
   /** An observable that emits the row containing focus or an active edit. */
   readonly editingOrFocused = combineLatest([
-      this.editing.pipe(
+      this.editingAndEnabled.pipe(
           map(cell => closest(cell, ROW_SELECTOR)),
           this._startWithNull,
       ),
@@ -126,7 +138,7 @@ export class EditEventDispatcher {
       share(),
   );
 
-  private readonly _editingDistinct = this.editing.pipe(
+  private readonly _editingAndEnabledDistinct = this.editingAndEnabled.pipe(
       distinctUntilChanged(),
       this._enterZone(),
       share(),
@@ -138,7 +150,7 @@ export class EditEventDispatcher {
   private _lastSeenRowHoverOrFocus: Observable<HoverContentState>|null = null;
 
   constructor(private readonly _ngZone: NgZone) {
-    this._editingDistinct.subscribe(cell => {
+    this._editingAndEnabledDistinct.subscribe(cell => {
       this._currentlyEditing = cell;
     });
   }
@@ -150,7 +162,7 @@ export class EditEventDispatcher {
   editingCell(element: Element|EventTarget): Observable<boolean> {
     let cell: Element|null = null;
 
-    return this._editingDistinct.pipe(
+    return this._editingAndEnabledDistinct.pipe(
         map(editCell => editCell === (cell || (cell = closest(element, CELL_SELECTOR)))),
         this._distinctUntilChanged as MonoTypeOperatorFunction<boolean>,
     );
diff --git a/src/cdk-experimental/popover-edit/popover-edit.spec.ts b/src/cdk-experimental/popover-edit/popover-edit.spec.ts
index 955ccf11719c..fe7edee66585 100644
--- a/src/cdk-experimental/popover-edit/popover-edit.spec.ts
+++ b/src/cdk-experimental/popover-edit/popover-edit.spec.ts
@@ -52,7 +52,11 @@ const CELL_TEMPLATE = `
     </span>
     `;
 
-const POPOVER_EDIT_DIRECTIVE_NAME = `[cdkPopoverEdit]="nameEdit" [cdkPopoverEditColspan]="colspan"`;
+const POPOVER_EDIT_DIRECTIVE_NAME = `
+    [cdkPopoverEdit]="nameEdit"
+    [cdkPopoverEditColspan]="colspan"
+    [cdkPopoverEditDisabled]="nameEditDisabled"
+    `;
 
 const POPOVER_EDIT_DIRECTIVE_WEIGHT = `[cdkPopoverEdit]="weightEdit" cdkPopoverEditTabOut`;
 
@@ -67,6 +71,7 @@ abstract class BaseTestComponent {
 
   preservedValues = new FormValueContainer<PeriodicElement, {'name': string}>();
 
+  nameEditDisabled = false;
   ignoreSubmitUnlessValid = true;
   clickOutBehavior: PopoverEditClickOutBehavior = 'close';
   colspan: CdkPopoverEditColspan = {};
@@ -376,9 +381,7 @@ describe('CDK Popover Edit', () => {
           expect(component.hoverContentStateForRow(rows.length - 1))
               .toBe(HoverContentState.FOCUSABLE);
         }));
-      });
 
-      describe('triggering edit', () => {
         it('shows and hides on-hover content only after a delay', fakeAsync(() => {
           const [row0, row1] = component.getRows();
           row0.dispatchEvent(new Event('mouseover', {bubbles: true}));
@@ -478,11 +481,35 @@ describe('CDK Popover Edit', () => {
           expect(component.lensIsOpen()).toBe(true);
           clearLeftoverTimers();
         }));
+
+        it('does not trigger edit when disabled', fakeAsync(() => {
+          component.nameEditDisabled = true;
+          fixture.detectChanges();
+
+          // Uses Enter to open the lens.
+          component.openLens();
+
+          expect(component.lensIsOpen()).toBe(false);
+          clearLeftoverTimers();
+        }));
       });
 
       describe('focus manipulation', () => {
         const getRowCells = () => component.getRows().map(getCells);
 
+        describe('tabindex', () => {
+          it('sets tabindex to 0 on editable cells', () => {
+            expect(component.getEditCell().getAttribute('tabindex')).toBe('0');
+          });
+
+          it('unsets tabindex to 0 on disabled cells', () => {
+            component.nameEditDisabled = true;
+            fixture.detectChanges();
+
+            expect(component.getEditCell().hasAttribute('tabindex')).toBe(false);
+          });
+        });
+
         describe('arrow keys', () => {
           const dispatchKey = (cell: HTMLElement, keyCode: number) =>
               dispatchKeyboardEvent(cell, 'keydown', keyCode, undefined, cell);
diff --git a/src/cdk-experimental/popover-edit/table-directives.ts b/src/cdk-experimental/popover-edit/table-directives.ts
index e591ff379068..52f81fad219c 100644
--- a/src/cdk-experimental/popover-edit/table-directives.ts
+++ b/src/cdk-experimental/popover-edit/table-directives.ts
@@ -148,15 +148,16 @@ export class CdkEditable implements AfterViewInit, OnDestroy {
 }
 
 const POPOVER_EDIT_HOST_BINDINGS = {
-  'tabIndex': '0',
+  '[attr.tabindex]': 'disabled ? null : 0',
   'class': 'cdk-popover-edit-cell',
-  '[attr.aria-haspopup]': 'true',
+  '[attr.aria-haspopup]': '!disabled',
 };
 
 const POPOVER_EDIT_INPUTS = [
   'template: cdkPopoverEdit',
   'context: cdkPopoverEditContext',
   'colspan: cdkPopoverEditColspan',
+  'disabled: cdkPopoverEditDisabled',
 ];
 
 /**
@@ -200,6 +201,22 @@ export class CdkPopoverEdit<C> implements AfterViewInit, OnDestroy {
   }
   private _colspan: CdkPopoverEditColspan = {};
 
+  /** Whether popover edit is disabled for this cell. */
+  get disabled(): boolean {
+    return this._disabled;
+  }
+  set disabled(value: boolean) {
+    this._disabled = value;
+
+    if (value) {
+      this.services.editEventDispatcher.doneEditingCell(this.elementRef.nativeElement!);
+      this.services.editEventDispatcher.disabledCells.set(this.elementRef.nativeElement!, true);
+    } else {
+      this.services.editEventDispatcher.disabledCells.delete(this.elementRef.nativeElement!);
+    }
+  }
+  private _disabled = false;
+
   protected focusTrap?: FocusTrap;
   protected overlayRef?: OverlayRef;
   protected readonly destroyed = new Subject<void>();
diff --git a/src/components-examples/material-experimental/popover-edit/BUILD.bazel b/src/components-examples/material-experimental/popover-edit/BUILD.bazel
index b54879aba6d0..a114662e9697 100644
--- a/src/components-examples/material-experimental/popover-edit/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/src/components-examples/material-experimental/popover-edit/BUILD.bazel
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ ng_module(
     deps = [
         "//src/material-experimental/popover-edit",
         "//src/material/button",
+        "//src/material/checkbox",
         "//src/material/icon",
         "//src/material/input",
         "//src/material/list",
diff --git a/src/components-examples/material-experimental/popover-edit/index.ts b/src/components-examples/material-experimental/popover-edit/index.ts
index 2911c1f66223..8f50c05f5b6d 100644
--- a/src/components-examples/material-experimental/popover-edit/index.ts
+++ b/src/components-examples/material-experimental/popover-edit/index.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import {CommonModule} from '@angular/common';
 import {FormsModule} from '@angular/forms';
 import {MatPopoverEditModule} from '@angular/material-experimental/popover-edit';
 import {MatButtonModule} from '@angular/material/button';
+import {MatCheckboxModule} from '@angular/material/checkbox';
 import {MatIconModule} from '@angular/material/icon';
 import {MatInputModule} from '@angular/material/input';
 import {MatListModule} from '@angular/material/list';
@@ -37,6 +38,7 @@ const EXAMPLES = [
   imports: [
     CommonModule,
     MatButtonModule,
+    MatCheckboxModule,
     MatIconModule,
     MatInputModule,
     MatListModule,
diff --git a/src/components-examples/material-experimental/popover-edit/popover-edit-mat-table/popover-edit-mat-table-example.html b/src/components-examples/material-experimental/popover-edit/popover-edit-mat-table/popover-edit-mat-table-example.html
index 19172c9d45e2..f622ae4fb336 100644
--- a/src/components-examples/material-experimental/popover-edit/popover-edit-mat-table/popover-edit-mat-table-example.html
+++ b/src/components-examples/material-experimental/popover-edit/popover-edit-mat-table/popover-edit-mat-table-example.html
@@ -38,9 +38,14 @@
 
   <!-- Name Column -->
   <ng-container matColumnDef="name">
-    <th mat-header-cell *matHeaderCellDef> Name </th>
+    <th mat-header-cell *matHeaderCellDef>
+      Name
+      <mat-checkbox
+          [(ngModel)]="nameEditEnabled">Edit enabled</mat-checkbox>
+    </th>
     <td mat-cell *matCellDef="let element"
-        [matPopoverEdit]="nameEdit">
+        [matPopoverEdit]="nameEdit"
+        [matPopoverEditDisabled]="!nameEditEnabled">
       {{element.name}}
       
       <!-- This edit is defined in the cell and can implicitly access element -->
@@ -65,9 +70,11 @@ <h2 mat-edit-title>Name</h2>
         </div>
       </ng-template>
 
-      <span *matRowHoverContent>
-        <button mat-icon-button matEditOpen><mat-icon>edit</mat-icon></button>
-      </span>
+      <ng-container *ngIf="nameEditEnabled">
+        <span *matRowHoverContent>
+          <button mat-icon-button matEditOpen><mat-icon>edit</mat-icon></button>
+        </span>
+      </ng-container>
     </td>
   </ng-container>
 
diff --git a/src/components-examples/material-experimental/popover-edit/popover-edit-mat-table/popover-edit-mat-table-example.ts b/src/components-examples/material-experimental/popover-edit/popover-edit-mat-table/popover-edit-mat-table-example.ts
index a3072170ef01..c222868d548a 100644
--- a/src/components-examples/material-experimental/popover-edit/popover-edit-mat-table/popover-edit-mat-table-example.ts
+++ b/src/components-examples/material-experimental/popover-edit/popover-edit-mat-table/popover-edit-mat-table-example.ts
@@ -78,6 +78,8 @@ export class PopoverEditMatTableExample {
       ['position', 'name', 'type', 'weight', 'symbol', 'fantasyCounterpart'];
   dataSource = new ExampleDataSource();
 
+  nameEditEnabled = true;
+
   readonly TYPES = TYPES;
   readonly FANTASY_ELEMENTS = FANTASY_ELEMENTS;
 
diff --git a/src/material-experimental/popover-edit/popover-edit.spec.ts b/src/material-experimental/popover-edit/popover-edit.spec.ts
index f0b93d326ac9..268cdbc0489f 100644
--- a/src/material-experimental/popover-edit/popover-edit.spec.ts
+++ b/src/material-experimental/popover-edit/popover-edit.spec.ts
@@ -50,7 +50,11 @@ const CELL_TEMPLATE = `
     </span>
     `;
 
-const POPOVER_EDIT_DIRECTIVE_NAME = `[matPopoverEdit]="nameEdit" [matPopoverEditColspan]="colspan"`;
+const POPOVER_EDIT_DIRECTIVE_NAME = `
+    [matPopoverEdit]="nameEdit"
+    [matPopoverEditColspan]="colspan"
+    [matPopoverEditDisabled]="nameEditDisabled"
+    `;
 
 const POPOVER_EDIT_DIRECTIVE_WEIGHT = `[matPopoverEdit]="weightEdit" matPopoverEditTabOut`;
 
@@ -65,6 +69,7 @@ abstract class BaseTestComponent {
 
   preservedValues = new FormValueContainer<PeriodicElement, {'name': string}>();
 
+  nameEditDisabled = false;
   ignoreSubmitUnlessValid = true;
   clickOutBehavior: PopoverEditClickOutBehavior = 'close';
   colspan: CdkPopoverEditColspan = {};
@@ -308,9 +313,7 @@ describe('Material Popover Edit', () => {
           expect(component.hoverContentStateForRow(rows.length - 1))
               .toBe(HoverContentState.FOCUSABLE);
         }));
-      });
 
-      describe('triggering edit', () => {
         it('shows and hides on-hover content only after a delay', fakeAsync(() => {
           const [row0, row1] = component.getRows();
           row0.dispatchEvent(new Event('mouseover', {bubbles: true}));
@@ -410,11 +413,35 @@ describe('Material Popover Edit', () => {
           expect(component.lensIsOpen()).toBe(true);
           clearLeftoverTimers();
         }));
+
+        it('does not trigger edit when disabled', fakeAsync(() => {
+          component.nameEditDisabled = true;
+          fixture.detectChanges();
+
+          // Uses Enter to open the lens.
+          component.openLens();
+
+          expect(component.lensIsOpen()).toBe(false);
+          clearLeftoverTimers();
+        }));
       });
 
       describe('focus manipulation', () => {
         const getRowCells = () => component.getRows().map(getCells);
 
+        describe('tabindex', () => {
+          it('sets tabindex to 0 on editable cells', () => {
+            expect(component.getEditCell().getAttribute('tabindex')).toBe('0');
+          });
+
+          it('unsets tabindex to 0 on disabled cells', () => {
+            component.nameEditDisabled = true;
+            fixture.detectChanges();
+
+            expect(component.getEditCell().hasAttribute('tabindex')).toBe(false);
+          });
+        });
+
         describe('arrow keys', () => {
           const dispatchKey = (cell: HTMLElement, keyCode: number) =>
               dispatchKeyboardEvent(cell, 'keydown', keyCode, undefined, cell);
diff --git a/src/material-experimental/popover-edit/table-directives.ts b/src/material-experimental/popover-edit/table-directives.ts
index ec7e7df3f298..0d402075247f 100644
--- a/src/material-experimental/popover-edit/table-directives.ts
+++ b/src/material-experimental/popover-edit/table-directives.ts
@@ -16,15 +16,16 @@ import {
 } from '@angular/cdk-experimental/popover-edit';
 
 const POPOVER_EDIT_HOST_BINDINGS = {
-  'tabIndex': '0',
+  '[attr.tabindex]': 'disabled ? null : 0',
   'class': 'mat-popover-edit-cell',
-  '[attr.aria-haspopup]': 'true',
+  '[attr.aria-haspopup]': '!disabled',
 };
 
 const POPOVER_EDIT_INPUTS = [
   'template: matPopoverEdit',
   'context: matPopoverEditContext',
   'colspan: matPopoverEditColspan',
+  'disabled: matPopoverEditDisabled',
 ];
 
 const EDIT_PANE_CLASS = 'mat-edit-pane';