diff --git a/src/material/tabs/tab-nav-bar/tab-nav-bar.spec.ts b/src/material/tabs/tab-nav-bar/tab-nav-bar.spec.ts
index 737610cf08dd..162c09870bb1 100644
--- a/src/material/tabs/tab-nav-bar/tab-nav-bar.spec.ts
+++ b/src/material/tabs/tab-nav-bar/tab-nav-bar.spec.ts
@@ -80,13 +80,13 @@ describe('MatTabNavBar', () => {
 
       tabLink1.nativeElement.click();
       fixture.detectChanges();
-      expect(tabLinkElements[0].getAttribute('aria-current')).toEqual('true');
-      expect(tabLinkElements[1].getAttribute('aria-current')).toEqual('false');
+      expect(tabLinkElements[0].getAttribute('aria-current')).toEqual('page');
+      expect(tabLinkElements[1].hasAttribute('aria-current')).toEqual(false);
 
       tabLink2.nativeElement.click();
       fixture.detectChanges();
-      expect(tabLinkElements[0].getAttribute('aria-current')).toEqual('false');
-      expect(tabLinkElements[1].getAttribute('aria-current')).toEqual('true');
+      expect(tabLinkElements[0].hasAttribute('aria-current')).toEqual(false);
+      expect(tabLinkElements[1].getAttribute('aria-current')).toEqual('page');
     });
 
     it('should add the disabled class if disabled', () => {
diff --git a/src/material/tabs/tab-nav-bar/tab-nav-bar.ts b/src/material/tabs/tab-nav-bar/tab-nav-bar.ts
index 77442d9f3fd5..003f77a0493b 100644
--- a/src/material/tabs/tab-nav-bar/tab-nav-bar.ts
+++ b/src/material/tabs/tab-nav-bar/tab-nav-bar.ts
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ const _MatTabLinkMixinBase:
   inputs: ['disabled', 'disableRipple', 'tabIndex'],
   host: {
     'class': 'mat-tab-link',
-    '[attr.aria-current]': 'active',
+    '[attr.aria-current]': 'active ? "page" : null',
     '[attr.aria-disabled]': 'disabled',
     '[attr.tabIndex]': 'tabIndex',
     '[class.mat-tab-disabled]': 'disabled',