diff --git a/src/components-examples/material/expansion/expansion-expand-collapse-all/expansion-expand-collapse-all-example.css b/src/components-examples/material/expansion/expansion-expand-collapse-all/expansion-expand-collapse-all-example.css
index 7628b04917c6..a6973afc61b1 100644
--- a/src/components-examples/material/expansion/expansion-expand-collapse-all/expansion-expand-collapse-all-example.css
+++ b/src/components-examples/material/expansion/expansion-expand-collapse-all/expansion-expand-collapse-all-example.css
@@ -2,11 +2,6 @@
   padding-bottom: 20px;
 }
 
-.example-headers-align .mat-expansion-panel-header-title,
-.example-headers-align .mat-expansion-panel-header-description {
-  flex-basis: 0;
-}
-
 .example-headers-align .mat-expansion-panel-header-description {
   justify-content: space-between;
   align-items: center;
diff --git a/src/components-examples/material/expansion/expansion-steps/expansion-steps-example.css b/src/components-examples/material/expansion/expansion-steps/expansion-steps-example.css
index d398488e5e3d..9ee24f9406a9 100644
--- a/src/components-examples/material/expansion/expansion-steps/expansion-steps-example.css
+++ b/src/components-examples/material/expansion/expansion-steps/expansion-steps-example.css
@@ -1,8 +1,3 @@
-.example-headers-align .mat-expansion-panel-header-title,
-.example-headers-align .mat-expansion-panel-header-description {
-  flex-basis: 0;
-}
-
 .example-headers-align .mat-expansion-panel-header-description {
   justify-content: space-between;
   align-items: center;
diff --git a/src/material/expansion/expansion-panel-header.html b/src/material/expansion/expansion-panel-header.html
index 41c329965859..d3f4b7c6b385 100644
--- a/src/material/expansion/expansion-panel-header.html
+++ b/src/material/expansion/expansion-panel-header.html
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-<span class="mat-content">
+<span class="mat-content" [class.mat-content-hide-toggle]="!_showToggle()">
   <ng-content select="mat-panel-title"></ng-content>
   <ng-content select="mat-panel-description"></ng-content>
   <ng-content></ng-content>
diff --git a/src/material/expansion/expansion-panel-header.scss b/src/material/expansion/expansion-panel-header.scss
index 0cff73550702..93d01d228632 100644
--- a/src/material/expansion/expansion-panel-header.scss
+++ b/src/material/expansion/expansion-panel-header.scss
@@ -45,12 +45,33 @@
   flex: 1;
   flex-direction: row;
   overflow: hidden;
+
+  // width of .mat-expansion-indicator::after element
+  &.mat-content-hide-toggle {
+    margin-right: 8px;
+
+    [dir='rtl'] & {
+      margin-right: 0;
+      margin-left: 8px;
+    }
+
+    .mat-expansion-toggle-indicator-before & {
+      margin-left: 24px;
+      margin-right: 0;
+
+      [dir='rtl'] & {
+        margin-right: 24px;
+        margin-left: 0;
+      }
+    }
+  }
 }
 
 .mat-expansion-panel-header-title,
 .mat-expansion-panel-header-description {
   display: flex;
   flex-grow: 1;
+  flex-basis: 0;
   margin-right: 16px;
 
   [dir='rtl'] & {
diff --git a/src/material/expansion/expansion.spec.ts b/src/material/expansion/expansion.spec.ts
index 4b5ad277e27b..4372b44953d7 100644
--- a/src/material/expansion/expansion.spec.ts
+++ b/src/material/expansion/expansion.spec.ts
@@ -245,17 +245,20 @@ describe('MatExpansionPanel', () => {
   it('should be able to hide the toggle', () => {
     const fixture = TestBed.createComponent(PanelWithContent);
     const header = fixture.debugElement.query(By.css('.mat-expansion-panel-header'))!.nativeElement;
+    const content = fixture.debugElement.query(By.css('.mat-content'))!.nativeElement;
 
     fixture.detectChanges();
 
     expect(header.querySelector('.mat-expansion-indicator'))
         .toBeTruthy('Expected indicator to be shown.');
+    expect(content.classList).not.toContain('mat-content-hide-toggle');
 
     fixture.componentInstance.hideToggle = true;
     fixture.detectChanges();
 
     expect(header.querySelector('.mat-expansion-indicator'))
         .toBeFalsy('Expected indicator to be hidden.');
+    expect(content.classList).toContain('mat-content-hide-toggle');
   });
 
   it('should update the indicator rotation when the expanded state is toggled programmatically',