diff --git a/src/lib/stepper/stepper-horizontal.html b/src/lib/stepper/stepper-horizontal.html
index 905f8dee8034..5388801e155c 100644
--- a/src/lib/stepper/stepper-horizontal.html
+++ b/src/lib/stepper/stepper-horizontal.html
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
                      [icon]="_getIndicatorType(i)"
                      [label]="step.stepLabel || step.label"
                      [selected]="selectedIndex === i"
-                     [active]="step.completed || selectedIndex === i"
+                     [active]="step.completed || selectedIndex === i || !linear"
                      [optional]="step.optional">
     </mat-step-header>
     <div *ngIf="!isLast" class="mat-stepper-horizontal-line"></div>
diff --git a/src/lib/stepper/stepper-vertical.html b/src/lib/stepper/stepper-vertical.html
index 29a2f16f16fb..41bbefec72e7 100644
--- a/src/lib/stepper/stepper-vertical.html
+++ b/src/lib/stepper/stepper-vertical.html
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
                    [icon]="_getIndicatorType(i)"
                    [label]="step.stepLabel || step.label"
                    [selected]="selectedIndex === i"
-                   [active]="step.completed || selectedIndex === i"
+                   [active]="step.completed || selectedIndex === i || !linear"
                    [optional]="step.optional">
   </mat-step-header>