diff --git a/modules/@angular/router/src/directives/router_link.ts b/modules/@angular/router/src/directives/router_link.ts
index e8bca982a1..28f2bba0bf 100644
--- a/modules/@angular/router/src/directives/router_link.ts
+++ b/modules/@angular/router/src/directives/router_link.ts
@@ -102,7 +102,8 @@ export class RouterLink {
 
   @HostListener('click', [])
   onClick(): boolean {
-    this.router.navigateByUrl(this.urlTree);
+    const extras = {skipLocationChange: attrBoolValue(this.skipLocationChange)};
+    this.router.navigateByUrl(this.urlTree, extras);
     return true;
   }
 
@@ -111,10 +112,9 @@ export class RouterLink {
       relativeTo: this.route,
       queryParams: this.queryParams,
       fragment: this.fragment,
-      preserveQueryParams: toBool(this.preserveQueryParams),
-      preserveFragment: toBool(this.preserveFragment),
-      skipLocationChange: toBool(this.skipLocationChange),
-      replaceUrl: toBool(this.replaceUrl),
+      preserveQueryParams: attrBoolValue(this.preserveQueryParams),
+      preserveFragment: attrBoolValue(this.preserveFragment),
+      replaceUrl: attrBoolValue(this.replaceUrl),
     });
   }
 }
@@ -176,7 +176,8 @@ export class RouterLinkWithHref implements OnChanges, OnDestroy {
       return true;
     }
 
-    this.router.navigateByUrl(this.urlTree);
+    const extras = {skipLocationChange: attrBoolValue(this.skipLocationChange)};
+    this.router.navigateByUrl(this.urlTree, extras);
     return false;
   }
 
@@ -189,14 +190,13 @@ export class RouterLinkWithHref implements OnChanges, OnDestroy {
       relativeTo: this.route,
       queryParams: this.queryParams,
       fragment: this.fragment,
-      preserveQueryParams: toBool(this.preserveQueryParams),
-      preserveFragment: toBool(this.preserveFragment),
-      skipLocationChange: toBool(this.skipLocationChange),
-      replaceUrl: toBool(this.replaceUrl),
+      preserveQueryParams: attrBoolValue(this.preserveQueryParams),
+      preserveFragment: attrBoolValue(this.preserveFragment),
+      replaceUrl: attrBoolValue(this.replaceUrl),
     });
   }
 }
 
-function toBool(s: any): boolean {
+function attrBoolValue(s: any): boolean {
   return s === '' || !!s;
 }
diff --git a/modules/@angular/router/test/integration.spec.ts b/modules/@angular/router/test/integration.spec.ts
index d4013eb6e5..0fb2a569fc 100644
--- a/modules/@angular/router/test/integration.spec.ts
+++ b/modules/@angular/router/test/integration.spec.ts
@@ -7,8 +7,9 @@
  */
 
 import {CommonModule, Location} from '@angular/common';
-import {Component, Injector, NgModule, NgModuleFactoryLoader} from '@angular/core';
-import {ComponentFixture, TestBed, async, fakeAsync, inject, tick} from '@angular/core/testing';
+import {Component, NgModule, NgModuleFactoryLoader} from '@angular/core';
+import {ComponentFixture, TestBed, fakeAsync, inject, tick} from '@angular/core/testing';
+import {By} from '@angular/platform-browser/src/dom/debug/by';
 import {expect} from '@angular/platform-browser/testing/matchers';
 import {Observable} from 'rxjs/Observable';
 import {map} from 'rxjs/operator/map';
@@ -18,7 +19,6 @@ import {RouterPreloader} from '../src/router_preloader';
 import {forEach} from '../src/utils/collection';
 import {RouterTestingModule, SpyNgModuleFactoryLoader} from '../testing';
 
-
 describe('Integration', () => {
   beforeEach(() => {
     TestBed.configureTestingModule({
@@ -909,6 +909,37 @@ describe('Integration', () => {
   });
 
   describe('router links', () => {
+    it('should support skipping location update for anchor router links',
+       fakeAsync(inject([Router, Location], (router: Router, location: Location) => {
+         const fixture = TestBed.createComponent(RootCmp);
+         advance(fixture);
+
+         router.resetConfig([{path: 'team/:id', component: TeamCmp}]);
+
+         router.navigateByUrl('/team/22');
+         advance(fixture);
+         expect(location.path()).toEqual('/team/22');
+         expect(fixture.nativeElement).toHaveText('team 22 [ , right:  ]');
+
+         const teamCmp = fixture.debugElement.childNodes[1].componentInstance;
+
+         teamCmp.routerLink = ['/team/0'];
+         advance(fixture);
+         const anchor = fixture.debugElement.query(By.css('a')).nativeElement;
+         anchor.click();
+         advance(fixture);
+         expect(fixture.nativeElement).toHaveText('team 0 [ , right:  ]');
+         expect(location.path()).toEqual('/team/22');
+
+         teamCmp.routerLink = ['/team/1'];
+         advance(fixture);
+         const button = fixture.debugElement.query(By.css('button')).nativeElement;
+         button.click();
+         advance(fixture);
+         expect(fixture.nativeElement).toHaveText('team 1 [ , right:  ]');
+         expect(location.path()).toEqual('/team/22');
+       })));
+
     it('should support string router links', fakeAsync(inject([Router], (router: Router) => {
          const fixture = createRoot(router, RootCmp);
 
@@ -2591,12 +2622,15 @@ class BlankCmp {
 
 @Component({
   selector: 'team-cmp',
-  template:
-      `team {{id | async}} [ <router-outlet></router-outlet>, right: <router-outlet name="right"></router-outlet> ]`
+  template: `team {{id | async}} ` +
+      `[ <router-outlet></router-outlet>, right: <router-outlet name="right"></router-outlet> ]` +
+      `<a [routerLink]="routerLink" skipLocationChange></a>` +
+      `<button [routerLink]="routerLink" skipLocationChange></button>`
 })
 class TeamCmp {
   id: Observable<string>;
   recordedParams: Params[] = [];
+  routerLink = ['.'];
 
   constructor(public route: ActivatedRoute) {
     this.id = map.call(route.params, (p: any) => p['id']);