diff --git a/packages/core/src/render3/instructions/shared.ts b/packages/core/src/render3/instructions/shared.ts
index 39455e437e..828188fbd9 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/render3/instructions/shared.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/render3/instructions/shared.ts
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ import {SanitizerFn} from '../interfaces/sanitization';
 import {isComponentDef, isComponentHost, isContentQueryHost, isLContainer, isRootView} from '../interfaces/type_checks';
 import {CHILD_HEAD, CHILD_TAIL, CLEANUP, CONTEXT, DECLARATION_COMPONENT_VIEW, DECLARATION_VIEW, FLAGS, HEADER_OFFSET, HOST, InitPhaseState, INJECTOR, LView, LViewFlags, NEXT, PARENT, RENDERER, RENDERER_FACTORY, RootContext, RootContextFlags, SANITIZER, T_HOST, TData, TVIEW, TView, TViewType} from '../interfaces/view';
 import {assertNodeOfPossibleTypes} from '../node_assert';
-import {isNodeMatchingSelectorList} from '../node_selector_matcher';
+import {isInlineTemplate, isNodeMatchingSelectorList} from '../node_selector_matcher';
 import {enterView, getBindingsEnabled, getCheckNoChangesMode, getIsParent, getPreviousOrParentTNode, getSelectedIndex, getTView, leaveView, setBindingIndex, setBindingRootForHostBindings, setCheckNoChangesMode, setCurrentQueryIndex, setPreviousOrParentTNode, setSelectedIndex} from '../state';
 import {NO_CHANGE} from '../tokens';
 import {isAnimationProp, mergeHostAttrs} from '../util/attrs_utils';
@@ -900,8 +900,14 @@ function initializeInputAndOutputAliases(tView: TView, tNode: TNode): void {
   for (let i = start; i < end; i++) {
     const directiveDef = defs[i] as DirectiveDef<any>;
     const directiveInputs = directiveDef.inputs;
-    inputsFromAttrs.push(
-        tNodeAttrs !== null ? generateInitialInputs(directiveInputs, tNodeAttrs) : null);
+    // Do not use unbound attributes as inputs to structural directives, since structural
+    // directive inputs can only be set using microsyntax (e.g. `<div *dir="exp">`).
+    // TODO(FW-1930): microsyntax expressions may also contain unbound/static attributes, which
+    // should be set for inline templates.
+    const initialInputs = (tNodeAttrs !== null && !isInlineTemplate(tNode)) ?
+        generateInitialInputs(directiveInputs, tNodeAttrs) :
+        null;
+    inputsFromAttrs.push(initialInputs);
     inputsStore = generatePropertyAliases(directiveInputs, i, inputsStore);
     outputsStore = generatePropertyAliases(directiveDef.outputs, i, outputsStore);
   }
diff --git a/packages/core/src/render3/node_selector_matcher.ts b/packages/core/src/render3/node_selector_matcher.ts
index 78e7aa78bb..1cf74b409d 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/render3/node_selector_matcher.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/render3/node_selector_matcher.ts
@@ -56,6 +56,15 @@ function isCssClassMatching(
   return false;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Checks whether the `tNode` represents an inline template (e.g. `*ngFor`).
+ *
+ * @param tNode current TNode
+ */
+export function isInlineTemplate(tNode: TNode): boolean {
+  return tNode.type === TNodeType.Container && tNode.tagName !== NG_TEMPLATE_SELECTOR;
+}
+
 /**
  * Function that checks whether a given tNode matches tag-based selector and has a valid type.
  *
@@ -134,11 +143,9 @@ export function isNodeMatchingSelector(
         continue;
       }
 
-      const isInlineTemplate =
-          tNode.type == TNodeType.Container && tNode.tagName !== NG_TEMPLATE_SELECTOR;
       const attrName = (mode & SelectorFlags.CLASS) ? 'class' : current;
       const attrIndexInNode =
-          findAttrIndexInNode(attrName, nodeAttrs, isInlineTemplate, isProjectionMode);
+          findAttrIndexInNode(attrName, nodeAttrs, isInlineTemplate(tNode), isProjectionMode);
 
       if (attrIndexInNode === -1) {
         if (isPositive(mode)) return false;
diff --git a/packages/core/test/acceptance/directive_spec.ts b/packages/core/test/acceptance/directive_spec.ts
index f8174f08a3..21a6d87850 100644
--- a/packages/core/test/acceptance/directive_spec.ts
+++ b/packages/core/test/acceptance/directive_spec.ts
@@ -420,6 +420,93 @@ describe('directives', () => {
 
          expect(dirInstance!.dir).toBe('Hello');
        });
+
+    it('should not set structural directive inputs from static element attrs', () => {
+      const dirInstances: StructuralDir[] = [];
+
+      @Directive({selector: '[dir]'})
+      class StructuralDir {
+        constructor() {
+          dirInstances.push(this);
+        }
+        @Input() dirOf!: number[];
+        @Input() dirUnboundInput: any;
+      }
+
+      @Component({
+        template: `
+          <!-- Regular form of structural directive -->
+          <div *dir="let item of items" dirUnboundInput>Some content</div>
+
+          <!-- De-sugared version of the same structural directive -->
+          <ng-template dir let-item [dirOf]="items" dirUnboundInput>
+            <div>Some content</div>
+          </ng-template>
+        `,
+      })
+      class App {
+        items: number[] = [1, 2, 3];
+      }
+
+      TestBed.configureTestingModule({
+        declarations: [App, StructuralDir],
+      });
+      const fixture = TestBed.createComponent(App);
+      fixture.detectChanges();
+
+      const [regularDir, desugaredDir] = dirInstances;
+
+      // When directive is used as a structural one, the `dirUnboundInput` should not be treated as
+      // an input.
+      expect(regularDir.dirUnboundInput).toBe(undefined);
+
+      // In de-sugared version the `dirUnboundInput` acts as a regular input, so it should be set
+      // to an empty string.
+      expect(desugaredDir.dirUnboundInput).toBe('');
+    });
+
+    it('should not set structural directive inputs from element bindings', () => {
+      const dirInstances: StructuralDir[] = [];
+
+      @Directive({selector: '[dir]'})
+      class StructuralDir {
+        constructor() {
+          dirInstances.push(this);
+        }
+        @Input() dirOf!: number[];
+        @Input() title: any;
+      }
+
+      @Component({
+        template: `
+          <!-- Regular form of structural directive -->
+          <div *dir="let item of items" [title]="title">Some content</div>
+
+          <!-- De-sugared version of the same structural directive -->
+          <ng-template dir let-item [dirOf]="items" [title]="title">
+            <div>Some content</div>
+          </ng-template>
+        `,
+      })
+      class App {
+        items: number[] = [1, 2, 3];
+        title: string = 'element title';
+      }
+
+      TestBed.configureTestingModule({
+        declarations: [App, StructuralDir],
+      });
+      const fixture = TestBed.createComponent(App);
+      fixture.detectChanges();
+
+      const [regularDir, desugaredDir] = dirInstances;
+
+      // When directive is used as a structural one, the `title` should not be treated as an input.
+      expect(regularDir.title).toBe(undefined);
+
+      // In de-sugared version the `title` acts as a regular input, so it should be set.
+      expect(desugaredDir.title).toBe('element title');
+    });
   });
 
   describe('outputs', () => {
diff --git a/packages/core/test/bundling/cyclic_import/bundle.golden_symbols.json b/packages/core/test/bundling/cyclic_import/bundle.golden_symbols.json
index 7470bbe21e..d3b1605e18 100644
--- a/packages/core/test/bundling/cyclic_import/bundle.golden_symbols.json
+++ b/packages/core/test/bundling/cyclic_import/bundle.golden_symbols.json
@@ -461,6 +461,9 @@
   {
     "name": "isFactory"
   },
+  {
+    "name": "isInlineTemplate"
+  },
   {
     "name": "isLContainer"
   },
diff --git a/packages/core/test/bundling/todo/bundle.golden_symbols.json b/packages/core/test/bundling/todo/bundle.golden_symbols.json
index b68bdac5a8..b0a7253a54 100644
--- a/packages/core/test/bundling/todo/bundle.golden_symbols.json
+++ b/packages/core/test/bundling/todo/bundle.golden_symbols.json
@@ -860,6 +860,9 @@
   {
     "name": "isInHostBindings"
   },
+  {
+    "name": "isInlineTemplate"
+  },
   {
     "name": "isJsObject"
   },