diff --git a/src/cdk/drag-drop/directives/drag.spec.ts b/src/cdk/drag-drop/directives/drag.spec.ts
index 8bb9e04e88ac..25809559cebe 100644
--- a/src/cdk/drag-drop/directives/drag.spec.ts
+++ b/src/cdk/drag-drop/directives/drag.spec.ts
@@ -2448,6 +2448,56 @@ describe('CdkDrag', () => {
         });
       }));
 
+      it('should set a class when a container can receive an item', fakeAsync(() => {
+        const fixture = createComponent(ConnectedDropZones);
+        fixture.detectChanges();
+
+        const dropZones = fixture.componentInstance.dropInstances.map(d => d.element.nativeElement);
+        const item = fixture.componentInstance.groupedDragItems[0][1];
+
+        expect(dropZones.every(c => !c.classList.contains('cdk-drop-list-receiving')))
+            .toBe(true, 'Expected neither of the containers to have the class.');
+
+        startDraggingViaMouse(fixture, item.element.nativeElement);
+        fixture.detectChanges();
+
+        expect(dropZones[0].classList).not.toContain('cdk-drop-list-receiving',
+            'Expected source container not to have the receiving class.');
+
+        expect(dropZones[1].classList).toContain('cdk-drop-list-receiving',
+            'Expected target container to have the receiving class.');
+      }));
+
+      it('should toggle the `receiving` class when the item enters a new list', fakeAsync(() => {
+        const fixture = createComponent(ConnectedDropZones);
+        fixture.detectChanges();
+
+        const groups = fixture.componentInstance.groupedDragItems;
+        const dropZones = fixture.componentInstance.dropInstances.map(d => d.element.nativeElement);
+        const item = groups[0][1];
+        const targetRect = groups[1][2].element.nativeElement.getBoundingClientRect();
+
+        expect(dropZones.every(c => !c.classList.contains('cdk-drop-list-receiving')))
+            .toBe(true, 'Expected neither of the containers to have the class.');
+
+        startDraggingViaMouse(fixture, item.element.nativeElement);
+
+        expect(dropZones[0].classList).not.toContain('cdk-drop-list-receiving',
+            'Expected source container not to have the receiving class.');
+
+        expect(dropZones[1].classList).toContain('cdk-drop-list-receiving',
+            'Expected target container to have the receiving class.');
+
+        dispatchMouseEvent(document, 'mousemove', targetRect.left + 1, targetRect.top + 1);
+        fixture.detectChanges();
+
+        expect(dropZones[0].classList).toContain('cdk-drop-list-receiving',
+            'Expected old container not to have the receiving class after exiting.');
+
+        expect(dropZones[1].classList).not.toContain('cdk-drop-list-receiving',
+            'Expected new container not to have the receiving class after entering.');
+      }));
+
   });
 
 });
diff --git a/src/cdk/drag-drop/directives/drop-list.ts b/src/cdk/drag-drop/directives/drop-list.ts
index a1f63f76518f..0c0549eaf401 100644
--- a/src/cdk/drag-drop/directives/drop-list.ts
+++ b/src/cdk/drag-drop/directives/drop-list.ts
@@ -58,7 +58,8 @@ export interface CdkDropListInternal extends CdkDropList {}
   host: {
     'class': 'cdk-drop-list',
     '[id]': 'id',
-    '[class.cdk-drop-list-dragging]': '_dropListRef.isDragging()'
+    '[class.cdk-drop-list-dragging]': '_dropListRef.isDragging()',
+    '[class.cdk-drop-list-receiving]': '_dropListRef.isReceiving()',
   }
 })
 export class CdkDropList<T = any> implements CdkDropListContainer, OnDestroy {
diff --git a/src/cdk/drag-drop/drag-drop.md b/src/cdk/drag-drop/drag-drop.md
index 76d8550bc226..bc95a0802fb1 100644
--- a/src/cdk/drag-drop/drag-drop.md
+++ b/src/cdk/drag-drop/drag-drop.md
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ by the directives:
 | `.cdk-drag-preview` | This is the element that will be rendered next to the user's cursor as they're dragging an item in a sortable list. By default the element looks exactly like the element that is being dragged. |
 | `.cdk-drag-placeholder` | This is element that will be shown instead of the real element as it's being dragged inside a `cdkDropList`. By default this will look exactly like the element that is being sorted. |
 | `.cdk-drop-list-dragging` | A class that is added to `cdkDropList` while the user is dragging an item.  |
+| `.cdk-drop-list-receiving` | A class that is added to `cdkDropList` when it can receive an item that is being dragged inside a connected drop list.  |
 
 ### Animations
 The drag-and-drop module supports animations both while sorting an element inside a list, as well as
diff --git a/src/cdk/drag-drop/drop-list-ref.ts b/src/cdk/drag-drop/drop-list-ref.ts
index db544ea7d1d2..a99e89c9d850 100644
--- a/src/cdk/drag-drop/drop-list-ref.ts
+++ b/src/cdk/drag-drop/drop-list-ref.ts
@@ -158,6 +158,9 @@ export class DropListRef<T = any> {
   /** Direction in which the list is oriented. */
   private _orientation: 'horizontal' | 'vertical' = 'vertical';
 
+  /** Amount of connected siblings that currently have a dragged item. */
+  private _activeSiblings = 0;
+
   constructor(
     public element: ElementRef<HTMLElement>,
     private _dragDropRegistry: DragDropRegistry<DragRef, DropListRef>,
@@ -188,6 +191,7 @@ export class DropListRef<T = any> {
     this._isDragging = true;
     this._activeDraggables = this._draggables.slice();
     this._cachePositions();
+    this._positionCache.siblings.forEach(sibling => sibling.drop._toggleIsReceiving(true));
   }
 
   /**
@@ -308,6 +312,14 @@ export class DropListRef<T = any> {
     return findIndex(items, currentItem => currentItem.drag === item);
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Whether the list is able to receive the item that
+   * is currently being dragged inside a connected drop list.
+   */
+  isReceiving(): boolean {
+    return this._activeSiblings > 0;
+  }
+
   /**
    * Sorts an item inside the container based on its position.
    * @param item Item to be sorted.
@@ -431,12 +443,21 @@ export class DropListRef<T = any> {
     }));
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Toggles whether the list can receive the item that is currently being dragged.
+   * Usually called by a sibling that initiated the dragging.
+   */
+  _toggleIsReceiving(isDragging: boolean) {
+    this._activeSiblings = Math.max(0, this._activeSiblings + (isDragging ? 1 : -1));
+  }
+
   /** Resets the container to its initial state. */
   private _reset() {
     this._isDragging = false;
 
     // TODO(crisbeto): may have to wait for the animations to finish.
     this._activeDraggables.forEach(item => item.getRootElement().style.transform = '');
+    this._positionCache.siblings.forEach(sibling => sibling.drop._toggleIsReceiving(false));
     this._activeDraggables = [];
     this._positionCache.items = [];
     this._positionCache.siblings = [];
diff --git a/src/dev-app/drag-drop/drag-drop-demo.scss b/src/dev-app/drag-drop/drag-drop-demo.scss
index 59a38398dac3..bacf64bf8bf4 100644
--- a/src/dev-app/drag-drop/drag-drop-demo.scss
+++ b/src/dev-app/drag-drop/drag-drop-demo.scss
@@ -29,6 +29,10 @@
   }
 }
 
+.cdk-drop-list-receiving {
+  border-style: dashed;
+}
+
 .cdk-drag {
   padding: 20px 10px;
   border-bottom: solid 1px #ccc;
diff --git a/src/dev-app/drag-drop/drag-drop-demo.ts b/src/dev-app/drag-drop/drag-drop-demo.ts
index c8683432ba8b..40ddc027ac6d 100644
--- a/src/dev-app/drag-drop/drag-drop-demo.ts
+++ b/src/dev-app/drag-drop/drag-drop-demo.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
  * found in the LICENSE file at https://angular.io/license
  */
 
-import {Component, ViewEncapsulation} from '@angular/core';
+import {Component, ViewEncapsulation, ChangeDetectionStrategy} from '@angular/core';
 import {MatIconRegistry} from '@angular/material/icon';
 import {DomSanitizer} from '@angular/platform-browser';
 import {CdkDragDrop, moveItemInArray, transferArrayItem} from '@angular/cdk/drag-drop';
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import {CdkDragDrop, moveItemInArray, transferArrayItem} from '@angular/cdk/drag
   templateUrl: 'drag-drop-demo.html',
   styleUrls: ['drag-drop-demo.css'],
   encapsulation: ViewEncapsulation.None,
+  changeDetection: ChangeDetectionStrategy.OnPush,
 })
 export class DragAndDropDemo {
   axisLock: 'x' | 'y';