diff --git a/src/demo-app/datepicker/datepicker-demo.ts b/src/demo-app/datepicker/datepicker-demo.ts
index 225c9cf06ca9..3fc61b0b3144 100644
--- a/src/demo-app/datepicker/datepicker-demo.ts
+++ b/src/demo-app/datepicker/datepicker-demo.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import {Component} from '@angular/core';
+import {ChangeDetectionStrategy, Component} from '@angular/core';
 import {MdDatepickerInputEvent} from '@angular/material';
 
 
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import {MdDatepickerInputEvent} from '@angular/material';
   selector: 'datepicker-demo',
   templateUrl: 'datepicker-demo.html',
   styleUrls: ['datepicker-demo.css'],
+  changeDetection: ChangeDetectionStrategy.OnPush,
 })
 export class DatepickerDemo {
   touch: boolean;
diff --git a/src/lib/datepicker/datepicker.ts b/src/lib/datepicker/datepicker.ts
index d3bb28eafb1d..5a44ca48770c 100644
--- a/src/lib/datepicker/datepicker.ts
+++ b/src/lib/datepicker/datepicker.ts
@@ -282,7 +282,6 @@ export class MdDatepicker<D> implements OnDestroy {
   /** Open the calendar as a dialog. */
   private _openAsDialog(): void {
     this._dialogRef = this._dialog.open(MdDatepickerContent, {
-      viewContainerRef: this._viewContainerRef,
       direction: this._dir ? this._dir.value : 'ltr'
     });
     this._dialogRef.afterClosed().subscribe(() => this.close());