diff --git a/angular_components/lib/material_input/material_auto_suggest_input.dart b/angular_components/lib/material_input/material_auto_suggest_input.dart
index 29df66768..604f0e928 100644
--- a/angular_components/lib/material_input/material_auto_suggest_input.dart
+++ b/angular_components/lib/material_input/material_auto_suggest_input.dart
@@ -124,8 +124,6 @@ class MaterialAutoSuggestInputComponent extends MaterialSelectBase
     RelativePosition.AdjacentTopRight
   ];
 
-  final SelectionModel _defaultSelection = SelectionModel.single();
-
   final String popupId;
   final String inputId;
 
@@ -135,24 +133,42 @@ class MaterialAutoSuggestInputComponent extends MaterialSelectBase
 
   bool _isInitialized = false;
 
-  /// Whether to clear the text once the item is selected from the menu.
+  /// Whether to clear the input text once the item is selected from the menu.
+  ///
+  /// Defaults to false.
+  // TODO(google): rename this to shouldClearInputOnSelection.
   @Input()
   bool shouldClearOnSelection = false;
 
+  /// Whether to clear the selected value from the selection model when the
+  /// input text changes.
+  ///
+  /// Defaults to true.
+  @Input()
+  bool shouldClearSelectionOnInput = true;
+
   /// Whether to cause dropdown to be closed on activation.
+  ///
+  /// Defaults to true.
   @Input()
   bool closeOnActivate = true;
 
   /// Whether to hide the checkbox before the selection item for multi-select.
+  ///
+  /// Defaults to false.
   @Input()
   bool hideCheckbox = false;
 
   /// Whether the popup should automatically reposition itself based on space
   /// available relative to the viewport.
+  ///
+  /// Defaults to true.
   @Input()
   bool enforceSpaceConstraints = true;
 
   /// Whether to clamp the popup position so that it never goes offscreen.
+  ///
+  /// Defaults to false.
   @Input()
   bool constrainToViewport = false;
 
@@ -187,6 +203,8 @@ class MaterialAutoSuggestInputComponent extends MaterialSelectBase
   /// [selection] are changed:
   /// 1) first selected value in [selection] is active in [options]
   /// 2) if [selection] has no selected values, nothing is active in [options]
+  ///
+  /// Defaults to false.
   @Input()
   bool initialActivateSelection = false;
 
@@ -195,10 +213,13 @@ class MaterialAutoSuggestInputComponent extends MaterialSelectBase
   /// Allow filtering of suggestions as the user is typing.
   ///
   /// When `false` always show the full list of suggestions.
+  /// Defaults to true.
   @Input()
   bool filterSuggestions = true;
 
   /// Whether to close on enter even for string non matching options.
+  ///
+  /// Defaults to false.
   @Input()
   bool closeOnEnter = false;
 
@@ -208,6 +229,8 @@ class MaterialAutoSuggestInputComponent extends MaterialSelectBase
 
   /// Whether or not the suggestion popup width is at least as wide as the input
   /// width.
+  ///
+  /// Defaults to false.
   @Input()
   bool popupMatchInputWidth = false;
 
@@ -231,6 +254,7 @@ class MaterialAutoSuggestInputComponent extends MaterialSelectBase
   /// Show or hide the trailing close icon.
   ///
   /// Clicking on the icon clears the input text and hides the popup.
+  /// Defaults to false.
   @Input()
   bool showClearIcon = false;
 
@@ -312,7 +336,7 @@ class MaterialAutoSuggestInputComponent extends MaterialSelectBase
     if (_cd != null) {
       _cd.valueAccessor = this;
     }
-    selection = _defaultSelection;
+    selection = SelectionModel.single();
   }
 
   /// Publishes events when input text changes (on keypress.)
@@ -575,7 +599,7 @@ class MaterialAutoSuggestInputComponent extends MaterialSelectBase
       return false;
     }
 
-    if (selection != _defaultSelection &&
+    if (shouldClearSelectionOnInput &&
         !shouldClearOnSelection &&
         _lastSelectedItem != null) {
       // deselect previously selected item as the component was not asked to
diff --git a/examples/material_input_example/lib/material_auto_suggest_input_full_demo.dart b/examples/material_input_example/lib/material_auto_suggest_input_full_demo.dart
index c5ad39d11..f46da0b6e 100644
--- a/examples/material_input_example/lib/material_auto_suggest_input_full_demo.dart
+++ b/examples/material_input_example/lib/material_auto_suggest_input_full_demo.dart
@@ -112,6 +112,7 @@ class MaterialAutoSuggestInputFullDemoComponent {
   bool showClearIconTooltip = false;
   bool hideCheckbox = false;
   bool shouldClearOnSelection = false;
+  bool shouldClearSelectionOnInput = true;
   bool useLabelFactory = false;
   bool useFactoryRenderer = false;
   bool disabled = false;
diff --git a/examples/material_input_example/lib/material_auto_suggest_input_full_demo.html b/examples/material_input_example/lib/material_auto_suggest_input_full_demo.html
index 5b2ba92bd..fc0aba7df 100644
--- a/examples/material_input_example/lib/material_auto_suggest_input_full_demo.html
+++ b/examples/material_input_example/lib/material_auto_suggest_input_full_demo.html
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ <h2>Multi selection</h2>
         [clearIconTooltip]="clearIconTooltip"
         [hideCheckbox]="hideCheckbox"
         [shouldClearOnSelection]="shouldClearOnSelection"
+        [shouldClearSelectionOnInput]="shouldClearSelectionOnInput"
         [label]="label"
         [labelFactory]="labelFactory"
         [leadingGlyph]="leadingGlyph"
@@ -80,7 +81,10 @@ <h3>Options</h3>
     </material-checkbox>
     <br>
     <material-checkbox [(checked)]="shouldClearOnSelection">
-      Clear on selection
+      Clear input on selection
+    </material-checkbox>
+    <material-checkbox [(checked)]="shouldClearSelectionOnInput">
+      Clear selection on input
     </material-checkbox>
     <br>
     <material-checkbox [(checked)]="popupMatchInputWidth">