diff --git a/packages/forms/src/model.ts b/packages/forms/src/model.ts
index 348898318f..4c087022fd 100644
--- a/packages/forms/src/model.ts
+++ b/packages/forms/src/model.ts
@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ export abstract class AbstractControl {
    * Sets the async validators that are active on this control. Calling this
    * will overwrite any existing async validators.
    */
-  setAsyncValidators(newValidator: AsyncValidatorFn|AsyncValidatorFn[]): void {
+  setAsyncValidators(newValidator: AsyncValidatorFn|AsyncValidatorFn[]|null): void {
     this.asyncValidator = coerceToAsyncValidator(newValidator);
   }
 
diff --git a/tools/public_api_guard/forms/forms.d.ts b/tools/public_api_guard/forms/forms.d.ts
index 7a478b028a..cb797f5285 100644
--- a/tools/public_api_guard/forms/forms.d.ts
+++ b/tools/public_api_guard/forms/forms.d.ts
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ export declare abstract class AbstractControl {
     }): void;
     abstract patchValue(value: any, options?: Object): void;
     abstract reset(value?: any, options?: Object): void;
-    setAsyncValidators(newValidator: AsyncValidatorFn | AsyncValidatorFn[]): void;
+    setAsyncValidators(newValidator: AsyncValidatorFn | AsyncValidatorFn[] | null): void;
     setErrors(errors: ValidationErrors | null, opts?: {
         emitEvent?: boolean;
     }): void;