diff --git a/src/components/input/input.ts b/src/components/input/input.ts
index 0b92e5570bb4..99d45f1ae130 100644
--- a/src/components/input/input.ts
+++ b/src/components/input/input.ts
@@ -142,17 +142,17 @@ export class MdInput implements ControlValueAccessor, AfterContentInit, OnChange
   @Input() @BooleanFieldValue() autoFocus: boolean = false;
   @Input() @BooleanFieldValue() disabled: boolean = false;
   @Input() id: string = `md-input-${nextUniqueId++}`;
-  @Input() list: string;
-  @Input() max: string;
-  @Input() maxLength: number = -1;
-  @Input() min: string;
-  @Input() minLength: number;
-  @Input() placeholder: string;
+  @Input() list: string = null;
+  @Input() max: string = null;
+  @Input() maxLength: number = null;
+  @Input() min: string = null;
+  @Input() minLength: number = null;
+  @Input() placeholder: string = null;
   @Input() @BooleanFieldValue() readOnly: boolean = false;
   @Input() @BooleanFieldValue() required: boolean = false;
   @Input() @BooleanFieldValue() spellCheck: boolean = false;
-  @Input() step: number;
-  @Input() tabIndex: number;
+  @Input() step: number = null;
+  @Input() tabIndex: number = null;
   @Input() type: string = 'text';
 
   private _blurEmitter: EventEmitter<FocusEvent> = new EventEmitter<FocusEvent>();
diff --git a/src/demo-app/input/input-demo.html b/src/demo-app/input/input-demo.html
index 6acaf024faaa..bd79e8ccf017 100644
--- a/src/demo-app/input/input-demo.html
+++ b/src/demo-app/input/input-demo.html
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@
 
 <md-card class="demo-card">
   <md-card-title>
-    Hello <md-input [(ngModel)]="name" type="string" placeholder="First name"></md-input>,
+    Hello <md-input [(ngModel)]="name" type="text" placeholder="First name"></md-input>,
     how are you?
   </md-card-title>
   <md-card-content>