diff --git a/src/lib/dialog/dialog-config.ts b/src/lib/dialog/dialog-config.ts
index 71ff36ad6621..64318cb7ea31 100644
--- a/src/lib/dialog/dialog-config.ts
+++ b/src/lib/dialog/dialog-config.ts
@@ -81,6 +81,11 @@ export class MatDialogConfig<D = any> {
   /** ID of the element that describes the dialog.  */
   ariaDescribedBy?: string | null = null;
 
+  /** Aria label to assign to the dialog element */
+  ariaLabel?: string | null = null;
+
+  /** Whether the dialog should focus the first focusable element on open. */
+  autoFocus?: boolean = true;
 
   // TODO(jelbourn): add configuration for lifecycle hooks, ARIA labelling.
 }
diff --git a/src/lib/dialog/dialog-container.ts b/src/lib/dialog/dialog-container.ts
index 5753f2d57169..b4a89a87120e 100644
--- a/src/lib/dialog/dialog-container.ts
+++ b/src/lib/dialog/dialog-container.ts
@@ -71,7 +71,8 @@ export function throwMatDialogContentAlreadyAttachedError() {
     'class': 'mat-dialog-container',
     'tabindex': '-1',
     '[attr.role]': '_config?.role',
-    '[attr.aria-labelledby]': '_ariaLabelledBy',
+    '[attr.aria-labelledby]': '_config?.ariaLabel ? null : _ariaLabelledBy',
+    '[attr.aria-label]': '_config?.ariaLabel',
     '[attr.aria-describedby]': '_config?.ariaDescribedBy || null',
     '[@slideDialog]': '_state',
     '(@slideDialog.start)': '_onAnimationStart($event)',
@@ -144,7 +145,9 @@ export class MatDialogContainer extends BasePortalOutlet {
     // If were to attempt to focus immediately, then the content of the dialog would not yet be
     // ready in instances where change detection has to run first. To deal with this, we simply
     // wait for the microtask queue to be empty.
-    this._focusTrap.focusInitialElementWhenReady();
+    if (this._config.autoFocus) {
+      this._focusTrap.focusInitialElementWhenReady();
+    }
   }
 
   /** Restores focus to the element that was focused before the dialog opened. */
diff --git a/src/lib/dialog/dialog.spec.ts b/src/lib/dialog/dialog.spec.ts
index 66f6a86004e2..3670d44f61ce 100644
--- a/src/lib/dialog/dialog.spec.ts
+++ b/src/lib/dialog/dialog.spec.ts
@@ -788,6 +788,18 @@ describe('MatDialog', () => {
           .toBe('INPUT', 'Expected first tabbable element (input) in the dialog to be focused.');
     }));
 
+    it('should allow disabling focus of the first tabbable element', fakeAsync(() => {
+      dialog.open(PizzaMsg, {
+        viewContainerRef: testViewContainerRef,
+        autoFocus: false
+      });
+
+      viewContainerFixture.detectChanges();
+      flushMicrotasks();
+
+      expect(document.activeElement.tagName).not.toBe('INPUT');
+    }));
+
     it('should re-focus trigger element when dialog closes', fakeAsync(() => {
       // Create a element that has focus before the dialog is opened.
       let button = document.createElement('button');
@@ -930,6 +942,32 @@ describe('MatDialog', () => {
     }));
 
   });
+
+  describe('aria-label', () => {
+    it('should be able to set a custom aria-label', () => {
+      dialog.open(PizzaMsg, {
+        ariaLabel: 'Hello there',
+        viewContainerRef: testViewContainerRef
+      });
+      viewContainerFixture.detectChanges();
+
+      const container = overlayContainerElement.querySelector('mat-dialog-container')!;
+      expect(container.getAttribute('aria-label')).toBe('Hello there');
+    });
+
+    it('should not set the aria-labelledby automatically if it has an aria-label', fakeAsync(() => {
+      dialog.open(ContentElementDialog, {
+        ariaLabel: 'Hello there',
+        viewContainerRef: testViewContainerRef
+      });
+      viewContainerFixture.detectChanges();
+      tick();
+      viewContainerFixture.detectChanges();
+
+      const container = overlayContainerElement.querySelector('mat-dialog-container')!;
+      expect(container.hasAttribute('aria-labelledby')).toBe(false);
+    }));
+  });
 });
 
 describe('MatDialog with a parent MatDialog', () => {