diff --git a/src/cdk/a11y/live-announcer/live-announcer.spec.ts b/src/cdk/a11y/live-announcer/live-announcer.spec.ts
index 7a37b21d4340..d9b18ec0d927 100644
--- a/src/cdk/a11y/live-announcer/live-announcer.spec.ts
+++ b/src/cdk/a11y/live-announcer/live-announcer.spec.ts
@@ -108,6 +108,30 @@ describe('LiveAnnouncer', () => {
           .toBe(1, 'Expected only one live announcer element in the DOM.');
     }));
 
+    it('should clear any previous timers when a new one is started', fakeAsync(() => {
+      expect(ariaLiveElement.textContent).toBeFalsy();
+
+      announcer.announce('One');
+      tick(50);
+
+      announcer.announce('Two');
+      tick(75);
+
+      expect(ariaLiveElement.textContent).toBeFalsy();
+
+      tick(25);
+
+      expect(ariaLiveElement.textContent).toBe('Two');
+    }));
+
+    it('should clear pending timeouts on destroy', fakeAsync(() => {
+      announcer.announce('Hey Google');
+      announcer.ngOnDestroy();
+
+      // Since we're testing whether the timeouts were flushed, we don't need any
+      // assertions here. `fakeAsync` will fail the test if a timer was left over.
+    }));
+
   });
 
   describe('with a custom element', () => {
diff --git a/src/cdk/a11y/live-announcer/live-announcer.ts b/src/cdk/a11y/live-announcer/live-announcer.ts
index 0d5a8d7dfa15..9dfd0aa9a1e8 100644
--- a/src/cdk/a11y/live-announcer/live-announcer.ts
+++ b/src/cdk/a11y/live-announcer/live-announcer.ts
@@ -29,8 +29,9 @@ export type AriaLivePoliteness = 'off' | 'polite' | 'assertive';
 
 @Injectable({providedIn: 'root'})
 export class LiveAnnouncer implements OnDestroy {
-  private readonly _liveElement: HTMLElement;
+  private _liveElement: HTMLElement;
   private _document: Document;
+  private _previousTimeout?: number;
 
   constructor(
       @Optional() @Inject(LIVE_ANNOUNCER_ELEMENT_TOKEN) elementToken: any,
@@ -63,7 +64,8 @@ export class LiveAnnouncer implements OnDestroy {
     // (using JAWS 17 at time of this writing).
     return this._ngZone.runOutsideAngular(() => {
       return new Promise(resolve => {
-        setTimeout(() => {
+        clearTimeout(this._previousTimeout);
+        this._previousTimeout = setTimeout(() => {
           this._liveElement.textContent = message;
           resolve();
         }, 100);
@@ -72,8 +74,11 @@ export class LiveAnnouncer implements OnDestroy {
   }
 
   ngOnDestroy() {
+    clearTimeout(this._previousTimeout);
+
     if (this._liveElement && this._liveElement.parentNode) {
       this._liveElement.parentNode.removeChild(this._liveElement);
+      this._liveElement = null!;
     }
   }