diff --git a/packages/core/src/render3/instructions.ts b/packages/core/src/render3/instructions.ts
index 60e6f4e482..d74e15d715 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/render3/instructions.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/render3/instructions.ts
@@ -1202,7 +1202,6 @@ export function hostElement(
   return node;
 }
 
-
 /**
  * Adds an event listener to the current node.
  *
@@ -1215,29 +1214,35 @@ export function hostElement(
  */
 export function listener(
     eventName: string, listenerFn: (e?: any) => any, useCapture = false): void {
-  ngDevMode && assertPreviousIsParent();
-  ngDevMode && assertNodeOfPossibleTypes(previousOrParentNode, TNodeType.Element);
+  ngDevMode &&
+      assertNodeOfPossibleTypes(
+          previousOrParentNode, TNodeType.Element, TNodeType.Container, TNodeType.ElementContainer);
   const node = previousOrParentNode;
-  const native = node.native as RElement;
-  ngDevMode && ngDevMode.rendererAddEventListener++;
 
-  // In order to match current behavior, native DOM event listeners must be added for all
-  // events (including outputs).
-  if (isProceduralRenderer(renderer)) {
-    const wrappedListener = wrapListenerWithDirtyLogic(viewData, listenerFn);
-    const cleanupFn = renderer.listen(native, eventName, wrappedListener);
-    storeCleanupFn(viewData, cleanupFn);
-  } else {
-    const wrappedListener = wrapListenerWithDirtyAndDefault(viewData, listenerFn);
-    native.addEventListener(eventName, wrappedListener, useCapture);
-    const cleanupInstances = getCleanup(viewData);
-    cleanupInstances.push(wrappedListener);
-    if (firstTemplatePass) {
-      getTViewCleanup(viewData).push(
-          eventName, node.tNode.index, cleanupInstances !.length - 1, useCapture);
+  // add native event listener - applicable to elements only
+  if (previousOrParentNode.tNode.type === TNodeType.Element) {
+    const native = node.native as RElement;
+    ngDevMode && ngDevMode.rendererAddEventListener++;
+
+    // In order to match current behavior, native DOM event listeners must be added for all
+    // events (including outputs).
+    if (isProceduralRenderer(renderer)) {
+      const wrappedListener = wrapListenerWithDirtyLogic(viewData, listenerFn);
+      const cleanupFn = renderer.listen(native, eventName, wrappedListener);
+      storeCleanupFn(viewData, cleanupFn);
+    } else {
+      const wrappedListener = wrapListenerWithDirtyAndDefault(viewData, listenerFn);
+      native.addEventListener(eventName, wrappedListener, useCapture);
+      const cleanupInstances = getCleanup(viewData);
+      cleanupInstances.push(wrappedListener);
+      if (firstTemplatePass) {
+        getTViewCleanup(viewData).push(
+            eventName, node.tNode.index, cleanupInstances !.length - 1, useCapture);
+      }
     }
   }
 
+  // subscribe to directive outputs
   let tNode: TNode|null = node.tNode;
   if (tNode.outputs === undefined) {
     // if we create TNode here, inputs must be undefined so we know they still need to be
diff --git a/packages/core/test/render3/directive_spec.ts b/packages/core/test/render3/directive_spec.ts
index 3d7ee5deab..cf9076d20d 100644
--- a/packages/core/test/render3/directive_spec.ts
+++ b/packages/core/test/render3/directive_spec.ts
@@ -8,10 +8,11 @@
 
 import {EventEmitter} from '@angular/core';
 
-import {AttributeMarker, defineDirective} from '../../src/render3/index';
-import {bind, element, elementEnd, elementProperty, elementStart, listener, loadDirective} from '../../src/render3/instructions';
+import {AttributeMarker, RenderFlags, defineDirective} from '../../src/render3/index';
 
-import {TemplateFixture} from './render_util';
+import {bind, element, elementEnd, elementProperty, elementStart, listener, template, elementContainerStart, elementContainerEnd} from '../../src/render3/instructions';
+
+import {ComponentFixture, TemplateFixture, createComponent} from './render_util';
 
 describe('directive', () => {
 
@@ -149,6 +150,67 @@ describe('directive', () => {
       expect(fixture.html).toEqual('<span></span>');
       expect(directiveInstance !).not.toBeUndefined();
     });
+  });
+
+  describe('outputs', () => {
+
+    let directiveInstance: Directive;
+
+    class Directive {
+      static ngDirectiveDef = defineDirective({
+        type: Directive,
+        selectors: [['', 'out', '']],
+        factory: () => directiveInstance = new Directive,
+        outputs: {out: 'out'}
+      });
+
+      out = new EventEmitter();
+    }
+
+    it('should allow outputs of directive on ng-template', () => {
+      /**
+       * <ng-template (out)="value = true"></ng-template>
+       */
+      const Cmpt = createComponent('Cmpt', function(rf: RenderFlags, ctx: {value: any}) {
+        if (rf & RenderFlags.Create) {
+          template(0, null, 0, 0, null, [AttributeMarker.SelectOnly, 'out']);
+          listener('out', () => { ctx.value = true; });
+        }
+      }, 1, 0, [Directive]);
+
+      const fixture = new ComponentFixture(Cmpt);
+
+      expect(directiveInstance !).not.toBeUndefined();
+      expect(fixture.component.value).toBeFalsy();
+
+      directiveInstance !.out.emit();
+      fixture.update();
+      expect(fixture.component.value).toBeTruthy();
+    });
+
+    it('should allow outputs of directive on ng-container', () => {
+      /**
+       * <ng-container (out)="value = true"></ng-container>
+       */
+      const Cmpt = createComponent('Cmpt', function(rf: RenderFlags, ctx: {value: any}) {
+        if (rf & RenderFlags.Create) {
+          elementContainerStart(0, [AttributeMarker.SelectOnly, 'out']);
+          {
+            listener('out', () => { ctx.value = true; });
+          }
+          elementContainerEnd();
+        }
+      }, 1, 0, [Directive]);
+
+      const fixture = new ComponentFixture(Cmpt);
+
+      expect(directiveInstance !).not.toBeUndefined();
+      expect(fixture.component.value).toBeFalsy();
+
+      directiveInstance !.out.emit();
+      fixture.update();
+      expect(fixture.component.value).toBeTruthy();
+    });
 
   });
 });
diff --git a/packages/core/test/render3/integration_spec.ts b/packages/core/test/render3/integration_spec.ts
index a14a48af9e..3ee9e1c101 100644
--- a/packages/core/test/render3/integration_spec.ts
+++ b/packages/core/test/render3/integration_spec.ts
@@ -862,25 +862,6 @@ describe('render3 integration test', () => {
       expect(fixture.html).toEqual('<div></div>');
     });
 
-    it('should throw when trying to add event listener', () => {
-      /**
-       * <div><ng-container (click)="..."></ng-container></div>
-       */
-      function Template() {
-        elementStart(0, 'div');
-        {
-          elementContainerStart(1);
-          {
-            listener('click', function() {});
-          }
-          elementContainerEnd();
-        }
-        elementEnd();
-      }
-
-      expect(() => { new TemplateFixture(Template, () => {}, 2); }).toThrow();
-    });
-
   });
 
   describe('tree', () => {