diff --git a/goldens/public-api/platform-server/platform-server.d.ts b/goldens/public-api/platform-server/platform-server.d.ts
index 7db0b77e97..490599c709 100644
--- a/goldens/public-api/platform-server/platform-server.d.ts
+++ b/goldens/public-api/platform-server/platform-server.d.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ export declare const BEFORE_APP_SERIALIZED: InjectionToken<(() => void | Promise
 export declare const INITIAL_CONFIG: InjectionToken<PlatformConfig>;
 
 export declare interface PlatformConfig {
+    baseUrl?: string;
     document?: string;
     url?: string;
     useAbsoluteUrl?: boolean;
diff --git a/packages/platform-server/src/location.ts b/packages/platform-server/src/location.ts
index 60f42c793b..054e4f85ba 100644
--- a/packages/platform-server/src/location.ts
+++ b/packages/platform-server/src/location.ts
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ import {Subject} from 'rxjs';
 import * as url from 'url';
 import {INITIAL_CONFIG, PlatformConfig} from './tokens';
 
-
 function parseUrl(urlStr: string) {
   const parsedUrl = url.parse(urlStr);
   return {
@@ -43,16 +42,28 @@ export class ServerPlatformLocation implements PlatformLocation {
   constructor(
       @Inject(DOCUMENT) private _doc: any, @Optional() @Inject(INITIAL_CONFIG) _config: any) {
     const config = _config as PlatformConfig | null;
-    if (!!config && !!config.url) {
-      const parsedUrl = parseUrl(config.url);
-      this.hostname = parsedUrl.hostname;
-      this.protocol = parsedUrl.protocol;
-      this.port = parsedUrl.port;
-      this.pathname = parsedUrl.pathname;
-      this.search = parsedUrl.search;
-      this.hash = parsedUrl.hash;
+    if (!config) {
+      return;
+    }
+    if (config.url) {
+      const url = parseUrl(config.url);
+      this.protocol = url.protocol;
+      this.hostname = url.hostname;
+      this.port = url.port;
+      this.pathname = url.pathname;
+      this.search = url.search;
+      this.hash = url.hash;
       this.href = _doc.location.href;
     }
+    if (config.useAbsoluteUrl) {
+      if (!config.baseUrl) {
+        throw new Error(`"PlatformConfig.baseUrl" must be set if "useAbsoluteUrl" is true`);
+      }
+      const url = parseUrl(config.baseUrl);
+      this.protocol = url.protocol;
+      this.hostname = url.hostname;
+      this.port = url.port;
+    }
   }
 
   getBaseHrefFromDOM(): string {
diff --git a/packages/platform-server/src/tokens.ts b/packages/platform-server/src/tokens.ts
index b5942985d1..7a937bc564 100644
--- a/packages/platform-server/src/tokens.ts
+++ b/packages/platform-server/src/tokens.ts
@@ -20,19 +20,26 @@ export interface PlatformConfig {
    */
   document?: string;
   /**
-   * The URL for the current application state. This is
-   * used for initializing the platform's location and
-   * for setting absolute URL resolution for HTTP requests.
+   * The URL for the current application state. This is used for initializing
+   * the platform's location. `protocol`, `hostname`, and `port` will be
+   * overridden if `baseUrl` is set.
    * @default none
    */
   url?: string;
   /**
-   * Whether to append the absolute URL to any relative HTTP
-   * requests. If set to true, this logic executes prior to
-   * any HTTP interceptors that may run later on in the request.
+   * Whether to append the absolute URL to any relative HTTP requests. If set to
+   * true, this logic executes prior to any HTTP interceptors that may run later
+   * on in the request. `baseUrl` must be supplied if this flag is enabled.
    * @default false
    */
   useAbsoluteUrl?: boolean;
+  /**
+   * The base URL for resolving absolute URL for HTTP requests. It must be set
+   * if `useAbsoluteUrl` is true, and must consist of protocol, hostname,
+   * and optional port. This option has no effect if `useAbsoluteUrl` is not
+   * enabled.
+   */
+  baseUrl?: string;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/packages/platform-server/test/integration_spec.ts b/packages/platform-server/test/integration_spec.ts
index d345ab4afb..34740d10ac 100644
--- a/packages/platform-server/test/integration_spec.ts
+++ b/packages/platform-server/test/integration_spec.ts
@@ -794,10 +794,62 @@ describe('platform-server integration', () => {
        }));
 
     describe('relative requests', () => {
+      it('will throw if "useAbsoluteUrl" is true but "baseUrl" is not provided', async () => {
+        const platform = platformDynamicServer([{
+          provide: INITIAL_CONFIG,
+          useValue: {
+            document: '<app></app>',
+            url: 'http://localhost',
+            useAbsoluteUrl: true,
+          },
+        }]);
+        const appRef = await platform.bootstrapModule(HttpClientExampleModule);
+        expect(() => appRef.injector.get(PlatformLocation))
+            .toThrowError(/"PlatformConfig\.baseUrl" must be set if "useAbsoluteUrl" is true/);
+      });
+
+      it('will resolve absolute url using "baseUrl"', async () => {
+        const platform = platformDynamicServer([{
+          provide: INITIAL_CONFIG,
+          useValue: {
+            document: '<app></app>',
+            url: 'http://localhost',
+            useAbsoluteUrl: true,
+            baseUrl: 'https://angular.io:8080',
+          },
+        }]);
+        const appRef = await platform.bootstrapModule(HttpClientExampleModule);
+        const location = appRef.injector.get(PlatformLocation);
+        expect(location.protocol).toBe('https:');
+        expect(location.hostname).toBe('angular.io');
+        expect(location.port).toBe('8080');
+      });
+
+      it('"baseUrl" has no effect if "useAbsoluteUrl" is not enabled', async () => {
+        const platform = platformDynamicServer([{
+          provide: INITIAL_CONFIG,
+          useValue: {
+            document: '<app></app>',
+            url: 'http://localhost',
+            baseUrl: 'https://angular.io:8080',
+          },
+        }]);
+        const appRef = await platform.bootstrapModule(HttpClientExampleModule);
+        const location = appRef.injector.get(PlatformLocation);
+        expect(location.protocol).toBe('http:');
+        expect(location.hostname).toBe('localhost');
+        expect(location.port).toBe('');
+      });
+
       it('correctly maps to absolute URL request with base config', async () => {
         const platform = platformDynamicServer([{
           provide: INITIAL_CONFIG,
-          useValue: {document: '<app></app>', url: 'http://localhost', useAbsoluteUrl: true}
+          useValue: {
+            document: '<app></app>',
+            url: 'http://localhost',
+            baseUrl: 'http://localhost',
+            useAbsoluteUrl: true,
+          }
         }]);
         const ref = await platform.bootstrapModule(HttpClientExampleModule);
         const mock = ref.injector.get(HttpTestingController) as HttpTestingController;
@@ -831,7 +883,12 @@ describe('platform-server integration', () => {
       it('correctly maps to absolute URL request with port', async () => {
         const platform = platformDynamicServer([{
           provide: INITIAL_CONFIG,
-          useValue: {document: '<app></app>', url: 'http://localhost:5000', useAbsoluteUrl: true}
+          useValue: {
+            document: '<app></app>',
+            url: 'http://localhost:5000',
+            baseUrl: 'http://localhost',
+            useAbsoluteUrl: true,
+          }
         }]);
         const ref = await platform.bootstrapModule(HttpClientExampleModule);
         const mock = ref.injector.get(HttpTestingController) as HttpTestingController;
@@ -848,7 +905,12 @@ describe('platform-server integration', () => {
       it('correctly maps to absolute URL request with two slashes', async () => {
         const platform = platformDynamicServer([{
           provide: INITIAL_CONFIG,
-          useValue: {document: '<app></app>', url: 'http://localhost/', useAbsoluteUrl: true}
+          useValue: {
+            document: '<app></app>',
+            url: 'http://localhost/',
+            baseUrl: 'http://localhost',
+            useAbsoluteUrl: true,
+          }
         }]);
         const ref = await platform.bootstrapModule(HttpClientExampleModule);
         const mock = ref.injector.get(HttpTestingController) as HttpTestingController;
@@ -865,7 +927,12 @@ describe('platform-server integration', () => {
       it('correctly maps to absolute URL request with no slashes', async () => {
         const platform = platformDynamicServer([{
           provide: INITIAL_CONFIG,
-          useValue: {document: '<app></app>', url: 'http://localhost', useAbsoluteUrl: true}
+          useValue: {
+            document: '<app></app>',
+            url: 'http://localhost',
+            baseUrl: 'http://localhost',
+            useAbsoluteUrl: true,
+          }
         }]);
         const ref = await platform.bootstrapModule(HttpClientExampleModule);
         const mock = ref.injector.get(HttpTestingController) as HttpTestingController;
@@ -882,8 +949,12 @@ describe('platform-server integration', () => {
       it('correctly maps to absolute URL request with longer url and no slashes', async () => {
         const platform = platformDynamicServer([{
           provide: INITIAL_CONFIG,
-          useValue:
-              {document: '<app></app>', url: 'http://localhost/path/page', useAbsoluteUrl: true}
+          useValue: {
+            document: '<app></app>',
+            url: 'http://localhost/path/page',
+            baseUrl: 'http://localhost',
+            useAbsoluteUrl: true,
+          }
         }]);
         const ref = await platform.bootstrapModule(HttpClientExampleModule);
         const mock = ref.injector.get(HttpTestingController) as HttpTestingController;
@@ -900,8 +971,12 @@ describe('platform-server integration', () => {
       it('correctly maps to absolute URL request with longer url and slashes', async () => {
         const platform = platformDynamicServer([{
           provide: INITIAL_CONFIG,
-          useValue:
-              {document: '<app></app>', url: 'http://localhost/path/page', useAbsoluteUrl: true}
+          useValue: {
+            document: '<app></app>',
+            url: 'http://localhost/path/page',
+            baseUrl: 'http://localhost',
+            useAbsoluteUrl: true,
+          }
         }]);
         const ref = await platform.bootstrapModule(HttpClientExampleModule);
         const mock = ref.injector.get(HttpTestingController) as HttpTestingController;
@@ -922,7 +997,8 @@ describe('platform-server integration', () => {
              useValue: {
                document: '<base href="http://other"><app></app>',
                url: 'http://localhost/path/page',
-               useAbsoluteUrl: true
+               baseUrl: 'http://localhost',
+               useAbsoluteUrl: true,
              }
            }]);
            const ref = await platform.bootstrapModule(HttpClientExampleModule);