diff --git a/src/cdk/table/cell.ts b/src/cdk/table/cell.ts
index 540858827a1d..ebf085e58654 100644
--- a/src/cdk/table/cell.ts
+++ b/src/cdk/table/cell.ts
@@ -11,10 +11,10 @@ import {
   ContentChild,
   Directive,
   ElementRef,
-  Input,
-  TemplateRef,
   Inject,
+  Input,
   Optional,
+  TemplateRef,
 } from '@angular/core';
 import {CanStick, CanStickCtor, mixinHasStickyInput} from './can-stick';
 import {CDK_TABLE} from './tokens';
@@ -178,12 +178,17 @@ export class CdkHeaderCell extends BaseCdkCell {
   selector: 'cdk-footer-cell, td[cdk-footer-cell]',
   host: {
     'class': 'cdk-footer-cell',
-    'role': 'gridcell',
   },
 })
 export class CdkFooterCell extends BaseCdkCell {
   constructor(columnDef: CdkColumnDef, elementRef: ElementRef) {
     super(columnDef, elementRef);
+    if (columnDef._table?._elementRef.nativeElement.nodeType === 1) {
+      const tableRole = columnDef._table._elementRef.nativeElement
+        .getAttribute('role');
+      const role = (tableRole === 'grid' || tableRole === 'treegrid') ? 'gridcell' : 'cell';
+      elementRef.nativeElement.setAttribute('role', role);
+    }
   }
 }
 
@@ -192,11 +197,16 @@ export class CdkFooterCell extends BaseCdkCell {
   selector: 'cdk-cell, td[cdk-cell]',
   host: {
     'class': 'cdk-cell',
-    'role': 'gridcell',
   },
 })
 export class CdkCell extends BaseCdkCell {
   constructor(columnDef: CdkColumnDef, elementRef: ElementRef) {
     super(columnDef, elementRef);
+    if (columnDef._table?._elementRef.nativeElement.nodeType === 1) {
+      const tableRole = columnDef._table._elementRef.nativeElement
+        .getAttribute('role');
+      const role = (tableRole === 'grid' || tableRole === 'treegrid') ? 'gridcell' : 'cell';
+      elementRef.nativeElement.setAttribute('role', role);
+    }
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/cdk/table/table.spec.ts b/src/cdk/table/table.spec.ts
index b156bb49daa5..d73dd322a50c 100644
--- a/src/cdk/table/table.spec.ts
+++ b/src/cdk/table/table.spec.ts
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ describe('CdkTable', () => {
       });
 
       it('with the right accessibility roles', () => {
-        expect(tableElement.getAttribute('role')).toBe('grid');
+        expect(tableElement.getAttribute('role')).toBe('table');
 
         expect(getHeaderRows(tableElement)[0].getAttribute('role')).toBe('row');
         const header = getHeaderRows(tableElement)[0];
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ describe('CdkTable', () => {
         getRows(tableElement).forEach(row => {
           expect(row.getAttribute('role')).toBe('row');
           getCells(row).forEach(cell => {
-            expect(cell.getAttribute('role')).toBe('gridcell');
+            expect(cell.getAttribute('role')).toBe('cell');
           });
         });
       });
@@ -622,6 +622,19 @@ describe('CdkTable', () => {
   it('should not clobber an existing table role', () => {
     setupTableTestApp(CustomRoleCdkTableApp);
     expect(tableElement.getAttribute('role')).toBe('treegrid');
+
+    expect(getHeaderRows(tableElement)[0].getAttribute('role')).toBe('row');
+    const header = getHeaderRows(tableElement)[0];
+    getHeaderCells(header).forEach(cell => {
+      expect(cell.getAttribute('role')).toBe('columnheader');
+    });
+
+    getRows(tableElement).forEach(row => {
+      expect(row.getAttribute('role')).toBe('row');
+      getCells(row).forEach(cell => {
+        expect(cell.getAttribute('role')).toBe('gridcell');
+      });
+    });
   });
 
   it('should throw an error if two column definitions have the same name', () => {
diff --git a/src/cdk/table/table.ts b/src/cdk/table/table.ts
index a5a0b29cb71a..dcfec39e5432 100644
--- a/src/cdk/table/table.ts
+++ b/src/cdk/table/table.ts
@@ -521,7 +521,7 @@ export class CdkTable<T> implements AfterContentChecked, CollectionViewer, OnDes
       @Optional() @SkipSelf() @Inject(STICKY_POSITIONING_LISTENER)
         protected readonly _stickyPositioningListener: StickyPositioningListener) {
     if (!role) {
-      this._elementRef.nativeElement.setAttribute('role', 'grid');
+      this._elementRef.nativeElement.setAttribute('role', 'table');
     }
 
     this._document = _document;
diff --git a/src/material-experimental/mdc-table/cell.ts b/src/material-experimental/mdc-table/cell.ts
index 6a34ced92195..eb49f45da598 100644
--- a/src/material-experimental/mdc-table/cell.ts
+++ b/src/material-experimental/mdc-table/cell.ts
@@ -90,7 +90,6 @@ export class MatHeaderCell extends CdkHeaderCell {}
   selector: 'mat-footer-cell, td[mat-footer-cell]',
   host: {
     'class': 'mat-mdc-footer-cell mdc-data-table__cell',
-    'role': 'gridcell',
   },
 })
 export class MatFooterCell extends CdkFooterCell {}
@@ -100,7 +99,6 @@ export class MatFooterCell extends CdkFooterCell {}
   selector: 'mat-cell, td[mat-cell]',
   host: {
     'class': 'mat-mdc-cell mdc-data-table__cell',
-    'role': 'gridcell',
   },
 })
 export class MatCell extends CdkCell {}