diff --git a/aio/tools/transforms/angular-api-package/processors/extractDecoratedClasses.js b/aio/tools/transforms/angular-api-package/processors/extractDecoratedClasses.js
index 9224223721..e245b40987 100644
--- a/aio/tools/transforms/angular-api-package/processors/extractDecoratedClasses.js
+++ b/aio/tools/transforms/angular-api-package/processors/extractDecoratedClasses.js
@@ -18,7 +18,10 @@ module.exports = function extractDecoratedClassesProcessor(EXPORT_DOC_TYPES) {
 
           if (decoratorTypes.indexOf(decorator.name) !== -1) {
             doc.docType = decorator.name.toLowerCase();
-            doc[doc.docType + 'Options'] = decorator.argumentInfo[0];
+            // Directives do not always have an argument (i.e. abstract directives).
+            // We still create options for those, as an empty object literal is equal
+            // to just having an empty object literal as decorator argument.
+            doc[doc.docType + 'Options'] = decorator.argumentInfo[0] || {};
           }
         });
       });
diff --git a/aio/tools/transforms/angular-api-package/processors/processNgModuleDocs.js b/aio/tools/transforms/angular-api-package/processors/processNgModuleDocs.js
index d92a2715b8..b1dbbf032d 100644
--- a/aio/tools/transforms/angular-api-package/processors/processNgModuleDocs.js
+++ b/aio/tools/transforms/angular-api-package/processors/processNgModuleDocs.js
@@ -3,11 +3,20 @@ module.exports = function processNgModuleDocs(getDocFromAlias, createDocMessage,
     $runAfter: ['extractDecoratedClassesProcessor', 'computeIdsProcessor'],
     $runBefore: ['createSitemap'],
     exportDocTypes: ['directive', 'pipe'],
+    skipAbstractDirectives: true,
     $process(docs) {
       // Match all the directives/pipes to their module
       const errors = [];
       docs.forEach(doc => {
         if (this.exportDocTypes.indexOf(doc.docType) !== -1) {
+          const options = doc[`${doc.docType}Options`];
+
+          // Directives without a selector are considered abstract and do
+          // not need to be part of any `@NgModule`.
+          if (this.skipAbstractDirectives && doc.docType === 'directive' && !options.selector) {
+            return;
+          }
+
           if (!doc.ngModules || doc.ngModules.length === 0) {
             errors.push(createDocMessage(`"${doc.id}" has no @ngModule tag. Docs of type "${doc.docType}" must have this tag.`, doc));
             return;
diff --git a/aio/tools/transforms/angular-api-package/processors/processNgModuleDocs.spec.js b/aio/tools/transforms/angular-api-package/processors/processNgModuleDocs.spec.js
index adfed1035c..6d22f74c09 100644
--- a/aio/tools/transforms/angular-api-package/processors/processNgModuleDocs.spec.js
+++ b/aio/tools/transforms/angular-api-package/processors/processNgModuleDocs.spec.js
@@ -39,11 +39,12 @@ describe('processNgModuleDocs processor', () => {
 
   it('should link directive/pipe docs with their NgModule docs (sorted by id)', () => {
     const aliasMap = injector.get('aliasMap');
+    const directiveOptions = {selector: 'some-selector'};
     const ngModule1 = { docType: 'ngmodule', id: 'NgModule1', aliases: ['NgModule1'], ngmoduleOptions: {}};
     const ngModule2 = { docType: 'ngmodule', id: 'NgModule2', aliases: ['NgModule2'], ngmoduleOptions: {}};
-    const directive1 = { docType: 'directive', id: 'Directive1', ngModules: ['NgModule1']};
-    const directive2 = { docType: 'directive', id: 'Directive2', ngModules: ['NgModule2']};
-    const directive3 = { docType: 'directive', id: 'Directive3', ngModules: ['NgModule1', 'NgModule2']};
+    const directive1 = { docType: 'directive', id: 'Directive1', ngModules: ['NgModule1'], directiveOptions};
+    const directive2 = { docType: 'directive', id: 'Directive2', ngModules: ['NgModule2'], directiveOptions};
+    const directive3 = { docType: 'directive', id: 'Directive3', ngModules: ['NgModule1', 'NgModule2'], directiveOptions};
     const pipe1 = { docType: 'pipe', id: 'Pipe1', ngModules: ['NgModule1']};
     const pipe2 = { docType: 'pipe', id: 'Pipe2', ngModules: ['NgModule2']};
     const pipe3 = { docType: 'pipe', id: 'Pipe3', ngModules: ['NgModule1', 'NgModule2']};
@@ -66,10 +67,22 @@ describe('processNgModuleDocs processor', () => {
     expect(pipe3.ngModules).toEqual([ngModule1, ngModule2]);
   });
 
+  it('should not error if an abstract directove does not have a `@ngModule` tag', () => {
+    expect(() => {
+      processor.$process([{ docType: 'directive', id: 'AbstractDir', directiveOptions: {} }]);
+    }).not.toThrow();
+
+    expect(() => {
+      processor.$process([{ docType: 'directive', id: 'AbstractDir',
+        directiveOptions: {selector: undefined} }]);
+    }).not.toThrow();
+  });
+
   it('should error if a pipe/directive does not have a `@ngModule` tag', () => {
     const log = injector.get('log');
     expect(() => {
-      processor.$process([{ docType: 'directive', id: 'Directive1' }]);
+      processor.$process([{ docType: 'directive', id: 'Directive1',
+        directiveOptions: {selector: 'dir1'} }]);
     }).toThrowError('Failed to process NgModule relationships.');
     expect(log.error).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
       '"Directive1" has no @ngModule tag. Docs of type "directive" must have this tag. - doc "Directive1" (directive) ');
@@ -84,7 +97,8 @@ describe('processNgModuleDocs processor', () => {
   it('should error if a pipe/directive has an @ngModule tag that does not match an NgModule doc', () => {
     const log = injector.get('log');
     expect(() => {
-      processor.$process([{ docType: 'directive', id: 'Directive1', ngModules: ['MissingNgModule'] }]);
+      processor.$process([{ docType: 'directive', id: 'Directive1', ngModules: ['MissingNgModule'],
+        directiveOptions: {selector: 'dir1'} }]);
     }).toThrowError('Failed to process NgModule relationships.');
     expect(log.error).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
       '"@ngModule MissingNgModule" does not match a public NgModule - doc "Directive1" (directive) ');
@@ -105,7 +119,9 @@ describe('processNgModuleDocs processor', () => {
     aliasMap.addDoc(ngModule2);
 
     expect(() => {
-      processor.$process([{ docType: 'directive', id: 'Directive1', ngModules: ['NgModuleAlias'] }]);
+      processor.$process([{
+        docType: 'directive', id: 'Directive1', ngModules: ['NgModuleAlias'],
+        directiveOptions: {selector: 'dir1'} }]);
     }).toThrowError('Failed to process NgModule relationships.');
     expect(log.error).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
       '"@ngModule NgModuleAlias" is ambiguous. Matches: NgModule1, NgModule2 - doc "Directive1" (directive) ');