diff --git a/src/cdk-experimental/dialog/dialog-container.ts b/src/cdk-experimental/dialog/dialog-container.ts
index 92ff8bd6ab9c..16fa340d8843 100644
--- a/src/cdk-experimental/dialog/dialog-container.ts
+++ b/src/cdk-experimental/dialog/dialog-container.ts
@@ -73,6 +73,8 @@ export function throwDialogContentAlreadyAttachedError() {
   },
 })
 export class CdkDialogContainer extends BasePortalOutlet implements OnDestroy {
+  private _document: Document;
+
   /** State of the dialog animation. */
   _state: 'void' | 'enter' | 'exit' = 'enter';
 
@@ -120,11 +122,13 @@ export class CdkDialogContainer extends BasePortalOutlet implements OnDestroy {
     private _elementRef: ElementRef<HTMLElement>,
     private _focusTrapFactory: FocusTrapFactory,
     private _changeDetectorRef: ChangeDetectorRef,
-    @Optional() @Inject(DOCUMENT) private _document: any,
+    @Optional() @Inject(DOCUMENT) _document: any,
     /** The dialog configuration. */
     public _config: DialogConfig) {
     super();
 
+    this._document = _document;
+
     // We use a Subject with a distinctUntilChanged, rather than a callback attached to .done,
     // because some browsers fire the done event twice and we don't want to emit duplicate events.
     // See: https://github.com/angular/angular/issues/24084
@@ -248,7 +252,17 @@ export class CdkDialogContainer extends BasePortalOutlet implements OnDestroy {
     const toFocus = this._elementFocusedBeforeDialogWasOpened;
     // We need the extra check, because IE can set the `activeElement` to null in some cases.
     if (toFocus && typeof toFocus.focus === 'function') {
-      toFocus.focus();
+      const activeElement = this._document.activeElement;
+      const element = this._elementRef.nativeElement;
+
+      // Make sure that focus is still inside the dialog or is on the body (usually because a
+      // non-focusable element like the backdrop was clicked) before moving it. It's possible that
+      // the consumer moved it themselves before the animation was done, in which case we shouldn't
+      // do anything.
+      if (!activeElement || activeElement === this._document.body || activeElement === element ||
+        element.contains(activeElement)) {
+        toFocus.focus();
+      }
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/cdk-experimental/dialog/dialog.spec.ts b/src/cdk-experimental/dialog/dialog.spec.ts
index b372a180733a..6e7cdb3b38f4 100644
--- a/src/cdk-experimental/dialog/dialog.spec.ts
+++ b/src/cdk-experimental/dialog/dialog.spec.ts
@@ -910,6 +910,46 @@ describe('Dialog', () => {
       document.body.removeChild(button);
     }));
 
+    it('should not move focus if it was moved outside the dialog while animating', fakeAsync(() => {
+      // Create a element that has focus before the dialog is opened.
+      const button = document.createElement('button');
+      const otherButton = document.createElement('button');
+      const body = document.body;
+      button.id = 'dialog-trigger';
+      otherButton.id = 'other-button';
+      body.appendChild(button);
+      body.appendChild(otherButton);
+      button.focus();
+
+      const dialogRef = dialog.openFromComponent(PizzaMsg, {
+        viewContainerRef: testViewContainerRef
+      });
+
+      flushMicrotasks();
+      viewContainerFixture.detectChanges();
+      flushMicrotasks();
+
+      expect(document.activeElement!.id)
+          .not.toBe('dialog-trigger', 'Expected the focus to change when dialog was opened.');
+
+      // Start the closing sequence and move focus out of dialog.
+      dialogRef.close();
+      otherButton.focus();
+
+      expect(document.activeElement!.id)
+          .toBe('other-button', 'Expected focus to be on the alternate button.');
+
+      flushMicrotasks();
+      viewContainerFixture.detectChanges();
+      flush();
+
+      expect(document.activeElement!.id)
+          .toBe('other-button', 'Expected focus to stay on the alternate button.');
+
+      body.removeChild(button);
+      body.removeChild(otherButton);
+    }));
+
     it('should allow the consumer to shift focus in afterClosed', fakeAsync(() => {
       // Create a element that has focus before the dialog is opened.
       let button = document.createElement('button');