diff --git a/src/material/datepicker/calendar-body.ts b/src/material/datepicker/calendar-body.ts
index 1b6b7472cb44..6eb68156d31f 100644
--- a/src/material/datepicker/calendar-body.ts
+++ b/src/material/datepicker/calendar-body.ts
@@ -111,6 +111,7 @@ export class MatCalendarBody implements OnChanges, OnDestroy, AfterViewChecked {
   private _activeCell: number = 0;
 
   ngAfterViewChecked() {
+    console.log('ngAfterViewChecked', this._focusActiveCellAfterViewChecked);
     if (this._focusActiveCellAfterViewChecked) {
       this._focusActiveCell();
       this._focusActiveCellAfterViewChecked = false;
@@ -146,6 +147,8 @@ export class MatCalendarBody implements OnChanges, OnDestroy, AfterViewChecked {
     MatCalendarUserEvent<MatCalendarCell | null>
   >();
 
+  @Output() readonly activeCellChange = new EventEmitter<MatCalendarUserEvent<number>>();
+
   /** The number of blank cells to put at the beginning for the first row. */
   _firstRowOffset: number;
 
@@ -173,8 +176,9 @@ export class MatCalendarBody implements OnChanges, OnDestroy, AfterViewChecked {
   }
 
   _cellFocused(cell: MatCalendarCell, event: FocusEvent): void {
+    console.log('cellFocused', cell.value);
     if (cell.enabled) {
-      // TODO: make argument cell the active date
+      this.activeCellChange.emit({value: cell.value, event});
     }
   }
 
@@ -222,11 +226,13 @@ export class MatCalendarBody implements OnChanges, OnDestroy, AfterViewChecked {
 
   /** Focuses the active cell after the microtask queue is empty. */
   _focusActiveCell(movePreview = true) {
+    console.log('_focusActiveCell', this.label);
     this._ngZone.runOutsideAngular(() => {
       this._ngZone.onStable.pipe(take(1)).subscribe(() => {
         const activeCell: HTMLElement | null = this._elementRef.nativeElement.querySelector(
           '.mat-calendar-body-active',
         );
+        console.log('_focusActiveCell cb', activeCell?.innerText, this.label);
 
         if (activeCell) {
           if (!movePreview) {
@@ -241,6 +247,7 @@ export class MatCalendarBody implements OnChanges, OnDestroy, AfterViewChecked {
 
   /** Focuses the active cell after change detection has run and the microtask queue is empty. */
   _scheduleFocusActiveCellAfterViewChecked() {
+    console.log('_scheduleFocusActiveCellAfterViewChecked');
     this._focusActiveCellAfterViewChecked = true;
   }
 
diff --git a/src/material/datepicker/month-view.html b/src/material/datepicker/month-view.html
index 35deaf2339c2..7688aa10cc20 100644
--- a/src/material/datepicker/month-view.html
+++ b/src/material/datepicker/month-view.html
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
          [activeCell]="_dateAdapter.getDate(activeDate) - 1"
          (selectedValueChange)="_dateSelected($event)"
          (previewChange)="_previewChanged($event)"
+         (activeCellChange)="_dateBecomesActive($event)"
          (keyup)="_handleCalendarBodyKeyup($event)"
          (keydown)="_handleCalendarBodyKeydown($event)">
   </tbody>
diff --git a/src/material/datepicker/month-view.ts b/src/material/datepicker/month-view.ts
index 2f5a09c6e873..a7101d4452ff 100644
--- a/src/material/datepicker/month-view.ts
+++ b/src/material/datepicker/month-view.ts
@@ -230,9 +230,7 @@ export class MatMonthView<D> implements AfterContentInit, OnChanges, OnDestroy {
   /** Handles when a new date is selected. */
   _dateSelected(event: MatCalendarUserEvent<number>) {
     const date = event.value;
-    const selectedYear = this._dateAdapter.getYear(this.activeDate);
-    const selectedMonth = this._dateAdapter.getMonth(this.activeDate);
-    const selectedDate = this._dateAdapter.createDate(selectedYear, selectedMonth, date);
+    const selectedDate = this._normalizeDate(date);
     let rangeStartDate: number | null;
     let rangeEndDate: number | null;
 
@@ -252,8 +250,30 @@ export class MatMonthView<D> implements AfterContentInit, OnChanges, OnDestroy {
     this._changeDetectorRef.markForCheck();
   }
 
+  private _normalizeDate(date: number): D {
+    const normalizedYear = this._dateAdapter.getYear(this.activeDate);
+    const normalizedMonth = this._dateAdapter.getMonth(this.activeDate);
+    const normalizedDate = this._dateAdapter.createDate(normalizedYear, normalizedMonth, date);
+    return normalizedDate;
+  }
+
+  /** Handles when a new date becomes active. */
+  _dateBecomesActive(event: MatCalendarUserEvent<number>) {
+    console.log('_dateBecomesActive', event.value);
+    const date = event.value;
+    const oldActiveDate = this.activeDate;
+    this.activeDate = this._normalizeDate(date);
+
+    if (this._dateAdapter.compareDate(oldActiveDate, this.activeDate)) {
+      this.activeDateChange.emit(this._activeDate);
+      console.log('schedule in _dateBecomesActive', this._activeDate);
+      this._focusActiveCellAfterViewChecked();
+    }
+  }
+
   /** Handles keydown events on the calendar body when calendar is in month view. */
   _handleCalendarBodyKeydown(event: KeyboardEvent): void {
+    console.log('_handleCalendarBodyKeydown', event.key);
     // TODO(mmalerba): We currently allow keyboard navigation to disabled dates, but just prevent
     // disabled ones from being selected. This may not be ideal, we should look into whether
     // navigation should skip over disabled dates, and if so, how to implement that efficiently.
@@ -327,9 +347,10 @@ export class MatMonthView<D> implements AfterContentInit, OnChanges, OnDestroy {
 
     if (this._dateAdapter.compareDate(oldActiveDate, this.activeDate)) {
       this.activeDateChange.emit(this.activeDate);
+      console.log('scheduling in keydown handler', this._activeDate);
+      this._focusActiveCellAfterViewChecked();
     }
 
-    this._focusActiveCellAfterViewChecked();
     // Prevent unexpected default actions such as form submission.
     event.preventDefault();
   }