diff --git a/src/components/select/select.js b/src/components/select/select.js
index 68ea849cfd8..6d91ca87bd0 100755
--- a/src/components/select/select.js
+++ b/src/components/select/select.js
@@ -184,7 +184,9 @@ function SelectDirective($mdSelect, $mdUtil, $mdTheming, $mdAria, $compile, $par
     element.empty().append(valueEl);
     element.append(selectTemplate);
 
-    attr.tabindex = attr.tabindex || '0';
+    if(!attr.tabindex){
+      attr.$set('tabindex', 0);
+    }
 
     return function postLink(scope, element, attr, ctrls) {
       var untouched = true;
@@ -372,23 +374,25 @@ function SelectDirective($mdSelect, $mdUtil, $mdTheming, $mdAria, $compile, $par
         }
         isDisabled = disabled;
         if (disabled) {
-          element.attr({'tabindex': -1, 'aria-disabled': 'true'});
-          element.off('click', openSelect);
-          element.off('keydown', handleKeypress);
+          element
+            .attr({'aria-disabled': 'true'})
+            .removeAttr('tabindex')
+            .off('click', openSelect)
+            .off('keydown', handleKeypress);
         } else {
-          element.attr({'tabindex': attr.tabindex, 'aria-disabled': 'false'});
-          element.on('click', openSelect);
-          element.on('keydown', handleKeypress);
+          element
+            .attr({'tabindex': attr.tabindex, 'aria-disabled': 'false'})
+            .on('click', openSelect)
+            .on('keydown', handleKeypress);
         }
       });
 
-      if (!attr.disabled && !attr.ngDisabled) {
-        element.attr({'tabindex': attr.tabindex, 'aria-disabled': 'false'});
+      if (!attr.hasOwnProperty('disabled') && !attr.hasOwnProperty('ngDisabled')) {
+        element.attr({'aria-disabled': 'false'});
         element.on('click', openSelect);
         element.on('keydown', handleKeypress);
       }
 
-
       var ariaAttrs = {
         role: 'listbox',
         'aria-expanded': 'false',
@@ -1220,7 +1224,7 @@ function SelectProvider($$interimElementProvider) {
             }
             newOption = optionsArray[index];
             if (newOption.hasAttribute('disabled')) newOption = undefined;
-          } while (!newOption && index < optionsArray.length - 1 && index > 0)
+          } while (!newOption && index < optionsArray.length - 1 && index > 0);
           newOption && newOption.focus();
           opts.focusedNode = newOption;
         }
diff --git a/src/components/select/select.spec.js b/src/components/select/select.spec.js
index 890368437a3..6fa5158d237 100755
--- a/src/components/select/select.spec.js
+++ b/src/components/select/select.spec.js
@@ -31,17 +31,22 @@ describe('<md-select>', function() {
   }));
 
   it('should preserve tabindex', function() {
-    var select = setupSelect('tabindex="2", ng-model="val"').find('md-select');
+    var select = setupSelect('tabindex="2" ng-model="val"').find('md-select');
     expect(select.attr('tabindex')).toBe('2');
   });
 
+  it('should set a tabindex if the element does not have one', function() {
+    var select = setupSelect('ng-model="val"').find('md-select');
+    expect(select.attr('tabindex')).toBeDefined();
+  });
+
   it('supports non-disabled state', function() {
     var select = setupSelect('ng-model="val"').find('md-select');
     expect(select.attr('aria-disabled')).toBe('false');
   });
 
   it('supports disabled state', inject(function($document) {
-    var select = setupSelect('disabled="disabled", ng-model="val"').find('md-select');
+    var select = setupSelect('disabled ng-model="val"').find('md-select');
     openSelect(select);
     expectSelectClosed(select);
     expect($document.find('md-select-menu').length).toBe(0);
@@ -49,7 +54,7 @@ describe('<md-select>', function() {
   }));
 
   it('supports passing classes to the container', inject(function($document) {
-    var select = setupSelect('ng-model="val", md-container-class="test"').find('md-select');
+    var select = setupSelect('ng-model="val" md-container-class="test"').find('md-select');
     openSelect(select);
 
     var container = $document[0].querySelector('.md-select-menu-container');
@@ -58,7 +63,7 @@ describe('<md-select>', function() {
   }));
 
   it('supports passing classes to the container using `data-` attribute prefix', inject(function($document) {
-    var select = setupSelect('ng-model="val", data-md-container-class="test"').find('md-select');
+    var select = setupSelect('ng-model="val" data-md-container-class="test"').find('md-select');
     openSelect(select);
 
     var container = $document[0].querySelector('.md-select-menu-container');
@@ -67,7 +72,7 @@ describe('<md-select>', function() {
   }));
 
   it('supports passing classes to the container using `x-` attribute prefix', inject(function($document) {
-    var select = setupSelect('ng-model="val", x-md-container-class="test"').find('md-select');
+    var select = setupSelect('ng-model="val" x-md-container-class="test"').find('md-select');
     openSelect(select);
 
     var container = $document[0].querySelector('.md-select-menu-container');
@@ -88,7 +93,7 @@ describe('<md-select>', function() {
     $rootScope.onClose = function() {
       called = true;
     };
-    var select = setupSelect('ng-model="val", md-on-close="onClose()"', [1, 2, 3]).find('md-select');
+    var select = setupSelect('ng-model="val" md-on-close="onClose()"', [1, 2, 3]).find('md-select');
     openSelect(select);
     expectSelectOpen(select);
 
@@ -153,7 +158,6 @@ describe('<md-select>', function() {
     expect($rootScope.myForm.select.$touched).toBe(true);
   }));
 
-
   it('restores focus to select when the menu is closed', inject(function($document) {
     var select = setupSelect('ng-model="val"').find('md-select');
     openSelect(select);
@@ -186,6 +190,11 @@ describe('<md-select>', function() {
 
   }));
 
+  it('should remove the tabindex from a disabled element', inject(function($document) {
+    var select = setupSelect('ng-model="val" disabled tabindex="1"').find('md-select');
+    expect(select.attr('tabindex')).toBeUndefined();
+  }));
+
   describe('input container', function() {
     it('should set has-value class on container for non-ng-model input', inject(function($rootScope) {
       var el = setupSelect('ng-model="$root.model"', [1, 2, 3]);
@@ -210,7 +219,7 @@ describe('<md-select>', function() {
     }));
 
     it('should match label to given input id', function() {
-      var el = setupSelect('ng-model="$root.value", id="foo"');
+      var el = setupSelect('ng-model="$root.value" id="foo"');
       expect(el.find('label').attr('for')).toBe('foo');
       expect(el.find('md-select').attr('id')).toBe('foo');
     });
@@ -224,7 +233,7 @@ describe('<md-select>', function() {
 
   describe('label behavior', function() {
     it('defaults to the placeholder text', function() {
-      var select = setupSelect('ng-model="someVal", placeholder="Hello world"', null, true).find('md-select');
+      var select = setupSelect('ng-model="someVal" placeholder="Hello world"', null, true).find('md-select');
       var label = select.find('md-select-value');
       expect(label.text()).toBe('Hello world');
       expect(label.hasClass('md-select-placeholder')).toBe(true);
@@ -444,7 +453,7 @@ describe('<md-select>', function() {
             changesCalled = true;
           };
 
-          var selectEl = setupSelect('ng-model="myModel", ng-change="changed()"', [1, 2, 3]).find('md-select');
+          var selectEl = setupSelect('ng-model="myModel" ng-change="changed()"', [1, 2, 3]).find('md-select');
           openSelect(selectEl);
 
           var menuEl = $document.find('md-select-menu');
@@ -763,7 +772,7 @@ describe('<md-select>', function() {
     }));
 
     it('adds an aria-label from placeholder', function() {
-      var select = setupSelect('ng-model="someVal", placeholder="Hello world"', null, true).find('md-select');
+      var select = setupSelect('ng-model="someVal" placeholder="Hello world"', null, true).find('md-select');
       expect(select.attr('aria-label')).toBe('Hello world');
     });
 
@@ -783,7 +792,7 @@ describe('<md-select>', function() {
     }));
 
     it('preserves existing aria-label', function() {
-      var select = setupSelect('ng-model="someVal", aria-label="Hello world", placeholder="Pick"').find('md-select');
+      var select = setupSelect('ng-model="someVal" aria-label="Hello world" placeholder="Pick"').find('md-select');
       expect(select.attr('aria-label')).toBe('Hello world');
     });