diff --git a/src/cdk/overlay/overlay-ref.ts b/src/cdk/overlay/overlay-ref.ts
index 5a604b93698a..8c6fb5831129 100644
--- a/src/cdk/overlay/overlay-ref.ts
+++ b/src/cdk/overlay/overlay-ref.ts
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ export class OverlayRef implements PortalOutlet, OverlayReference {
     }
 
     this._disposeScrollStrategy();
-    this.detachBackdrop();
+    this._disposeBackdrop(this._backdropElement);
     this._locationChanges.unsubscribe();
     this._keyboardDispatcher.remove(this);
     this._portalOutlet.dispose();
@@ -419,29 +419,19 @@ export class OverlayRef implements PortalOutlet, OverlayReference {
 
   /** Detaches the backdrop (if any) associated with the overlay. */
   detachBackdrop(): void {
-    let backdropToDetach = this._backdropElement;
+    const backdropToDetach = this._backdropElement;
 
     if (!backdropToDetach) {
       return;
     }
 
     let timeoutId: number;
-    let finishDetach = () => {
+    const finishDetach = () => {
       // It may not be attached to anything in certain cases (e.g. unit tests).
       if (backdropToDetach) {
         backdropToDetach.removeEventListener('click', this._backdropClickHandler);
         backdropToDetach.removeEventListener('transitionend', finishDetach);
-
-        if (backdropToDetach.parentNode) {
-          backdropToDetach.parentNode.removeChild(backdropToDetach);
-        }
-      }
-
-      // It is possible that a new portal has been attached to this overlay since we started
-      // removing the backdrop. If that is the case, only clear the backdrop reference if it
-      // is still the same instance that we started to remove.
-      if (this._backdropElement == backdropToDetach) {
-        this._backdropElement = null;
+        this._disposeBackdrop(backdropToDetach);
       }
 
       if (this._config.backdropClass) {
@@ -522,6 +512,22 @@ export class OverlayRef implements PortalOutlet, OverlayReference {
       }
     }
   }
+
+  /** Removes a backdrop element from the DOM. */
+  private _disposeBackdrop(backdrop: HTMLElement | null) {
+    if (backdrop) {
+      if (backdrop.parentNode) {
+        backdrop.parentNode.removeChild(backdrop);
+      }
+
+      // It is possible that a new portal has been attached to this overlay since we started
+      // removing the backdrop. If that is the case, only clear the backdrop reference if it
+      // is still the same instance that we started to remove.
+      if (this._backdropElement === backdrop) {
+        this._backdropElement = null;
+      }
+    }
+  }
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/cdk/overlay/overlay.spec.ts b/src/cdk/overlay/overlay.spec.ts
index bd20090d7a7b..25c253cb200d 100644
--- a/src/cdk/overlay/overlay.spec.ts
+++ b/src/cdk/overlay/overlay.spec.ts
@@ -577,6 +577,28 @@ describe('Overlay', () => {
       expect(strategy.dispose).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
     }));
 
+    it('should not throw when disposing multiple times in a row', () => {
+      const overlayRef = overlay.create();
+      overlayRef.attach(componentPortal);
+
+      expect(overlayContainerElement.textContent).toContain('Pizza');
+
+      expect(() => {
+        overlayRef.dispose();
+        overlayRef.dispose();
+        overlayRef.dispose();
+      }).not.toThrow();
+    });
+
+    it('should not trigger timers when disposing of an overlay', fakeAsync(() => {
+      const overlayRef = overlay.create({hasBackdrop: true});
+      overlayRef.attach(templatePortal);
+      overlayRef.dispose();
+
+      // The assertion here is that `fakeAsync` doesn't flag
+      // any pending timeouts after the test is done.
+    }));
+
   });
 
   describe('size', () => {