diff --git a/src/cdk/drag-drop/directives/drag.spec.ts b/src/cdk/drag-drop/directives/drag.spec.ts
index 9929fbb081ac..5f36fa9dfb1f 100644
--- a/src/cdk/drag-drop/directives/drag.spec.ts
+++ b/src/cdk/drag-drop/directives/drag.spec.ts
@@ -1502,6 +1502,8 @@ describe('CdkDrag', () => {
       expect(previewRect.height).toBe(itemRect.height, 'Expected preview height to match element');
       expect(preview.style.pointerEvents)
           .toBe('none', 'Expected pointer events to be disabled on the preview');
+      // Use a regex here since some browsers normalize 0 to 0px, but others don't.
+      expect(preview.style.margin).toMatch(/^0(px)?$/, 'Expected the preview margin to be reset.');
 
       dispatchMouseEvent(document, 'mouseup');
       fixture.detectChanges();
diff --git a/src/cdk/drag-drop/drag-ref.ts b/src/cdk/drag-drop/drag-ref.ts
index 0a49673af560..f6c5a52d13c1 100644
--- a/src/cdk/drag-drop/drag-ref.ts
+++ b/src/cdk/drag-drop/drag-ref.ts
@@ -814,6 +814,8 @@ export class DragRef<T = any> {
       // It's important that we disable the pointer events on the preview, because
       // it can throw off the `document.elementFromPoint` calls in the `CdkDropList`.
       pointerEvents: 'none',
+      // We have to reset the margin, because can throw off positioning relative to the viewport.
+      margin: '0',
       position: 'fixed',
       top: '0',
       left: '0',