diff --git a/packages/core/src/debug/debug_node.ts b/packages/core/src/debug/debug_node.ts
index 76919fd805..776ddfa12e 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/debug/debug_node.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/debug/debug_node.ts
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@ class DebugElement__POST_R3__ extends DebugNode__POST_R3__ implements DebugEleme
     return this.nativeNode.nodeType == Node.ELEMENT_NODE ? this.nativeNode as Element : null;
   }
 
-  get name(): string { return this.nativeElement !.nodeName; }
+  get name(): string { return this.nativeNode.nodeName; }
 
   /**
    *  Gets a map of property names to property values for an element.
diff --git a/packages/core/test/debug/debug_node_spec.ts b/packages/core/test/debug/debug_node_spec.ts
index 916787af03..30315ab10f 100644
--- a/packages/core/test/debug/debug_node_spec.ts
+++ b/packages/core/test/debug/debug_node_spec.ts
@@ -1018,4 +1018,22 @@ class TestCmptWithPropBindings {
     });
 
   });
+
+  it('should not error when accessing node name', () => {
+    @Component({template: ''})
+    class EmptyComponent {
+    }
+
+    const fixture = TestBed.configureTestingModule({declarations: [EmptyComponent]})
+                        .createComponent(EmptyComponent);
+    let node = fixture.debugElement;
+    let superParentName = '';
+    // Traverse upwards, all the way to #document, which is not a
+    // Node.ELEMENT_NODE
+    while (node) {
+      superParentName = node.name;
+      node = node.parent !;
+    }
+    expect(superParentName).not.toEqual('');
+  });
 }