diff --git a/src/lib/button/button.spec.ts b/src/lib/button/button.spec.ts
index 3aed8f7fafac..26d9d6281710 100644
--- a/src/lib/button/button.spec.ts
+++ b/src/lib/button/button.spec.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import {Component, DebugElement} from '@angular/core';
 import {By} from '@angular/platform-browser';
 import {ViewportRuler} from '@angular/cdk/scrolling';
 import {FakeViewportRuler} from '@angular/cdk/testing';
-import {MatButtonModule} from './index';
+import {MatButtonModule, MatButton} from './index';
 import {MatRipple} from '@angular/material/core';
 
 
@@ -46,6 +46,13 @@ describe('MatButton', () => {
     expect(aDebugElement.nativeElement.classList).not.toContain('mat-accent');
   });
 
+  it('should expose the ripple instance', () => {
+    const fixture = TestBed.createComponent(TestApp);
+    const button = fixture.debugElement.query(By.css('button')).componentInstance as MatButton;
+
+    expect(button.ripple).toBeTruthy();
+  });
+
   it('should should not clear previous defined classes', () => {
     let fixture = TestBed.createComponent(TestApp);
     let testComponent = fixture.debugElement.componentInstance;
diff --git a/src/lib/button/button.ts b/src/lib/button/button.ts
index f4d29fc28b4d..6c350116cfa1 100644
--- a/src/lib/button/button.ts
+++ b/src/lib/button/button.ts
@@ -18,12 +18,14 @@ import {
   OnDestroy,
   Optional,
   Self,
+  ViewChild,
   ViewEncapsulation,
 } from '@angular/core';
 import {
   CanColor,
   CanDisable,
   CanDisableRipple,
+  MatRipple,
   mixinColor,
   mixinDisabled,
   mixinDisableRipple
@@ -135,6 +137,9 @@ export class MatButton extends _MatButtonMixinBase
   /** Whether the button is icon button. */
   _isIconButton: boolean = this._hasHostAttributes('mat-icon-button');
 
+  /** Reference to the MatRipple instance of the button. */
+  @ViewChild(MatRipple) ripple: MatRipple;
+
   constructor(elementRef: ElementRef,
               private _platform: Platform,
               private _focusMonitor: FocusMonitor) {